- Luka Modric becomes co-owner of Swansea City
- Ronaldo, Beckham, and Zlatan prefer ownership to management
- Active players like Mbappe, Mane, and Zaha also investing in clubs
Real Madrid star Luka Modric has become the latest footballer to pivot toward football ownership, securing a minority stake in English Championship side Swansea City. This move marks a growing trend among players choosing boardroom roles over traditional paths like coaching or management.
Rather than dealing with the intense pressure and stress of managing teams, players like Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham are exploring club ownership as a way to remain in football while shaping its future. Ronaldo, for instance, has expressed zero interest in managing a team, stating ownership is his dream: “Why be a manager when you can own a club?”
This shift includes active players like Kylian Mbappe (SM Caen), Sadio Mane (Bourges Foot 18), and Wilfried Zaha (AFC Croydon), among others, who are investing before even hanging up their boots.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire explains that ownership isn’t always about profit—especially in loss-making clubs like Swansea, which currently loses about £450,000 per week. For players like Modric, it’s more about staying connected to the game they love than about building a brand.
However, club ownership isn’t without its risks. Mbappe’s Caen faces potential relegation, and some clubs backed by high-profile players, like David Villa’s Queensboro FC and Eden Hazard’s San Diego 1904, never got off the ground.
Still, many players are preparing for life after football. From Ajax’s Jordan Henderson to Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, several are taking football business management courses, supported by the PFA’s own business school.
Robbie Fowler, enrolled in a sporting directorship program, sums it up: “There’s more to football than playing and coaching… it’s about helping the game grow from a new angle.”
