Many elite footballers who own a football club have acquired clubs while still playing or soon after retiring. They opted to invest in the game’s future rather than abandon it. Some have minority stakes, while some have full control. By making direct club investments, these football players have increased their impact off the field.
Here is a detailed look at the footballers who own a football club.
List of the Footballers who own a Football Club
Cristiano Ronaldo – UD Almería
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the footballers who own a football club, as he bought a 25 percent stake in Spanish second-division club UD Almería.
He made the investment through CR7 Sports Investments, a subsidiary of CR7 S.A. The financial details were not made public. Almería is owned by Saudi businessman Mohamed Al Khereiji through SMC Group. Ronaldo has been playing in Saudi Arabia for Al Nassr FC since 2022.
Ronaldo said it had always been his goal to contribute to football beyond playing. He described Almería as a club with strong foundations and growth potential and said he looks forward to supporting its next phase.
He has a strong playing record against Almería from his time at Real Madrid CF. He played seven matches against them and scored seven goals. He also faced them recently in a friendly with Al Nassr, which ended in a 3-2 loss.
Almería is currently third in Spain’s second division and last played in the top division during the 2023-24 season.
David Beckham – Inter Miami CF
David Beckham is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF.
The ownership idea began when he joined the LA Galaxy from Real Madrid CF in 2007. As part of that move, he was given an option to buy an MLS expansion team for 25 million dollars. He did not act on it immediately. After retiring in 2013, he began talks with Major League Soccer, and on February 5, 2014, he secured the rights to launch a Miami-based franchise for 25 million dollars.
Although the deal was agreed in 2014, the club began playing in 2020 because of stadium approval delays. Beckham’s partners include Simon Fuller and five other investors.
Since entering MLS, Inter Miami has mostly finished in the lower half of the table. Recently, the club made major changes, including signing Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets. They also dismissed coach Phil Neville and appointed Gerardo Martino as head coach.
Ronaldo Nazário – Real Valladolid CF
Ronaldo Nazário became the majority owner of Real Valladolid CF in September 2018.
The two-time World Cup winner invested about €30 million to buy a 51 percent controlling stake, becoming the first former player to purchase a club in one of Europe’s major leagues. Over time, his ownership increased to around 82 percent.
Since his takeover, the club has moved up and down between divisions. They were relegated from La Liga after finishing 18th in a 20-team season. They also experienced relegation in 2021, promotion in 2022, and another drop later, earning a reputation as a yo-yo club because they have struggled to stay consistently in the top division.
Kylian Mbappé – Stade Malherbe Caen
Kylian Mbappé completed a takeover of French Ligue 2 club Stade Malherbe Caen in 2024.
The takeover was done through Interconnected Ventures, founded by Mbappé, with the investment made via its arm, Coalition Capital. He reportedly invested around 15 million euros of his own money to secure a majority stake in the club.
Coalition Capital replaces Oaktree, an American investment fund, as the majority shareholder. Pierre-Antoine Capton remains involved as a minority shareholder and continues as president of the supervisory board.
Caen finished sixth last season in Ligue 2 and were relegated from Ligue 1 in 2019. The club said the deal marks an important step in its long-term development and ambition within French football.
N’Golo Kante – Royal Excelsior Virton
N’Golo Kanté purchased Belgian third-tier club Royal Excelsior Virton in June 2023.
He took over from former chairman Flavio Becca on 1 July, the same day he joined Al-Ittihad Club from Chelsea FC. No financial details of the purchase were made public.
Royal Excelsior Virton competes in the Belgian National Division 1, which is two levels below the top-tier Belgian Pro League. At the time of the takeover, the club was working to regain its professional licence and confirmed it was debt-free.
FAQs
Q. Which club did Cristiano Ronaldo invest in?
A. Cristiano Ronaldo bought a 25 percent stake in UD Almería through his company CR7 Sports Investments.
Q. Which Belgian club was bought by N’Golo Kanté?
A. N’Golo Kanté purchased Royal Excelsior Virton in June 2023.
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