Modern football is no longer just about what happens on the pitch. The game’s biggest footballers are increasingly building businesses as entrepreneurs: investing in brands, startups, real estate, hospitality, and social enterprises while still playing at the highest level.

What stands out in 2026 is that these ventures are no longer side projects; for many players, they are structured business portfolios.

Below are 10 active footballers who have successfully turned their fame into functioning businesses or investment vehicles.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo remains the benchmark for athlete entrepreneurship. Beyond his playing career at Al Nassr, his CR7 brand operates across fashion, fragrances, gyms, hotels, and lifestyle products. The Pestana CR7 Hotels partnership and his expanding global retail presence show a fully integrated commercial ecosystem built around personal branding, scale, and longevity.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has built a quieter but highly structured business portfolio. His MiM Hotels chain in Spain anchors his hospitality investments, while his broader strategy focuses on real estate holdings and long-term brand partnerships. Messi’s approach is less about product branding and more about stable asset growth and equity-backed ventures.

Neymar Jr

Neymar Jr operates one of the most commercially active personal brands in football through NR Sports, which manages his image rights and sponsorship ecosystem. Outside football, he has invested in gaming, digital entertainment, and fashion collaborations, positioning himself strongly within youth-driven digital economies.

Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé represents a newer generation of player-owners. While still performing at elite level with Real Madrid, he has already moved into club ownership through a controlling stake in SM Caen. His model blends athlete income with strategic sports investment, giving him early influence in football governance and asset ownership.

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has developed a strong commercial footprint beyond football through endorsements, real estate investments, and business partnerships in Egypt and the Middle East. While less brand-heavy than some peers, his portfolio reflects steady diversification into property and long-term wealth preservation structures.

Sadio Mané

Sadio Mané has taken a more community-driven entrepreneurial path. In Senegal, he has funded schools, hospitals, and local infrastructure projects, effectively blending philanthropy with structured investment. His business model prioritizes social impact alongside sustainable regional development.

Héctor Bellerín

Héctor Bellerín has become one of football’s most visible voices in sustainable entrepreneurship. He invests in eco-conscious fashion brands and environmental initiatives, aligning his off-field identity with ethical consumption and climate-conscious business models.

Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy has built the V9 Academy, a platform designed to identify and develop non-league talent into professional footballers. Alongside this, he has engaged in lifestyle and sports-related investments, positioning himself as a developer of talent pipelines rather than traditional commercial branding.

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N’Golo Kanté

N’Golo Kanté has focused his business involvement on football development and grassroots investment structures. His approach is conservative but long-term, supporting academies and sporting infrastructure projects that extend his influence beyond his playing career.

Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has expanded his portfolio while playing in Saudi Arabia, leveraging endorsements and private investments linked to sports, real estate, and lifestyle branding. His business activity reflects the growing trend of elite players using Middle Eastern leagues as platforms for broader financial diversification.(Vanguard)

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