Top Ballers Beyond Football

Watching football from the fans' perspectives, you perceive the game to be the player's life. Eat, sleep, train, match, repeat. Well this could not be more false. Just like us, these players have established themselves outside of the game, making their lives more than football. This goes to show that you can truly chase other dreams whilst balancing football. A prime example of this is Mathieu Flamini. In 2008, whilst playing for AC Milan, Flamini co-founded a business called GF Biochemicals. The key aim of this business is to produce levulinic acid from plant waste to create sustainable, oil alternative products for plastics, fuels, and more.

This interest started long before football. Mathieu Flamini was intrigued about climate change from a young age, having grown up in the sea by Marseille which had made him aware of environmental issues such as ocean plastic and chemical pollution. This passion had remained with him until he was able to take action, like referenced above, in 2008, whilst also balancing football with this. He took advantage of the platform football gave him and leveraged this to build his passions and create a significant business in the green sector.

Since retirement from football, Flamini has further dedicated himself to his business and activism, still using that platform he had built through football, to continue to raise awareness. This is a passion that had remained with Flamini throughout his youth, and he was even able to put this into practice, showcasing the ability to chase other passions you have beyond football, whilst also balancing it with a playing career. Flamini now has an estimated net worth of £10 billion, showing that whilst football might bring you success, passion and ventures beyond football will also bring you success.

Another notable footballer who sparked a remarkable career beyond football is George Weah.

 After retirement, Weah ran for president in his home country of Liberia in the year 2018, becoming the first footballer to become head of a state. He focused on the pivotal issues of education, introducing free university tuition, healthcare, infrastructure, and anti corruption. Weah’s political journey reflects a shift from global sports stardom to national leadership, embodying hope for many Liberians.

Weah’s passion for politics was sparked primarily by his experiences growing up in poverty in Liberia, his deep concern for his war-torn nation, and the humanitarian work he conducted during and after the civil war. A pivotal conversation with Nelson Mandela further solidified his decision to enter public service. Even within his football career, we see Weah act on his strong passion for his home country Liberia. This can be seen through the personal funding of his national team, advocating for peace during Liberia’s civil war, collaborating with many other notable African musicians, becoming a UNICEF ambassador in 1997, and he funded various community projects.

These remarkable actions throughout his playing career and even after his career changed many lives for the better, and it also highlights that the footballers we only see as footballers are able to find their passions outside of the game and affect many people’s lives in a positive manner.

I believe for the young footballers striving to make it and even the more senior footballers who haven’t found themselves beyond football, it’s crucial that you establish what you are passionate about beyond football, because some day those careers are going to end. Find a passion that means something to you ‘more than the game’, to set up goals beyond football. These 2 men are crucial examples that it is possible to balance the game with your passions, so why not find something that resonates with you and makes you passionate?