Active players who own clubs
Professional athletes, not just footballers, are earning more and more money, and they are becoming increasingly aware of how to manage it. Many surround themselves with financial advisors and investment specialists to help them find suitable investment opportunities while they are still active, essentially preparing for their post-playing career, since a professional football player's career at the highest level is usually relatively short. Indeed, we have examples of current football players who have invested in football clubs, ranging from lower-tier clubs to top-tier teams. Fans who want to keep an eye on these projects can even follow and bet on some of these clubs through reputable online platforms such as GGBet, which offers odds on many leagues worldwide.
N'Golo Kante - RE Virton
Shortly after completing his move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia in 2023, the French World Cup-winning midfielder N'Golo Kanté decided to purchase Royal Excelsior Virton, better known simply as Virton, which had just been relegated from the Challenger Pro League to the Belgian National Division 1 (third tier), thus transitioning from a professional to a semi-professional league. Kante's goal is to establish a solid club structure, focusing on the youth academy, that will enable them to reach the Belgian Pro League (or Jupiler Pro League as is its official name) for the first time in the club's history.Kylian Mbappé - SM Caen
In September 2024, the French star acquired 80% of SM Caen, which was then playing in Ligue 2, through one of his companies, paying around 15 million euros. Club fans have a low opinion of Mbappé and his investment group that now manages the club, especially after one of their first major decisions was to dismiss coach Nicolas Seube, a club legend who had been with the team since 2001, both as a player and later as a coach and manager. Furthermore, the fact that the team finished last in their first season and were relegated to the Championnat National didn't help matters either.
Vinicius Junior - FC Alverca
Unlike what happened with Mbappé, Vinicius found favor with FC Alverca because in February 2025, he paid around 9 million euros for a majority stake in the Portuguese club (between 70 and 80% of the shares), and by the end of that season, they had achieved promotion from the second tier to the Primeira Liga, after 21 years away from the top flight.Luka Modric - Swansea City
As is often the case in English football, ownership of the clubs belongs to large investment groups, mostly foreign. Among these investment groups is one that includes the renowned Croatian player, who has decided to financially support the Welsh club in an effort to increase its capital and achieve promotion back to the Premier League. It's worth noting that Modrić joined the ownership group of Swansea City in April 2025, when the club was playing in the Championship.
César Azpilicueta - Hashtag United
Hashtag United is a football club founded in 2016 by a YouTuber named Spencer Carmichael-Brown (known as Spencer FC or Spencer Owen in the social media world), and it began competing in the English football league system in 2018, starting at the Eastern Counties League (tenth tier), something that was made possible, in part, by Azpilicueta's investment. In 2018, he decided to back the club's project, becoming an investor and joining the board. The club has achieved several promotions since then.Juan Mata - San Diego FC
In November 2024, Juan Mata became the first active professional soccer player to become an owner of an MLS franchise. It's worth noting that San Diego FC had been founded just one year prior and was set to begin its MLS journey in 2025. Beyond his financial investment, the Spaniard is also committed to social causes, and he sees this as an opportunity to further expand his impact through his involvement with the new franchise.
Sadio Mané - Bourges Foot 18
Following in the footsteps of N'Golo Kanté, Sadio Mané also bought a football club after his signing with Al-Nassr in the summer of 2023. In Mané's case, he acquired Bourges, a small French club playing in the National 2 (fourth tier). The deal came about thanks to his good relationship with the club's president, Cheikh Sylla. The club had been formed in 2021 through the merger of two local clubs, which had both been experiencing financial difficulties; these problems weren't entirely resolved after the merger. Therefore, in addition to paying for the club itself, Mané also had to cover the club's outstanding debts.Wilfried Zaha - AFC Croydon Athletic
The former Crystal Palace star joined forces with rapper Stormzy in 2023. Both grew up in Thornton Heath, the area where Croydon Athletic FC is located, which was the club they supported as children. The club had previously faced several difficulties that led to its demise and subsequent revival in 2012. At the time of the consortium's acquisition, the club was competing in the Isthmian League (the seventh tier of English football).
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