Seven footballers who got richer after hanging up boots – including Fowler
It's common knowledge that Premier League footballers rake in some pretty obscene amounts of money during their careers – but some stars have ended up striking rich after calling it a day on the pitch.
In fact, some players have even ended up banking more money in their ventures after football than they did will they were playing. A host of former pro's have found their calling after hanging up their boots in a variety of intriguing ways, including horse-racing investments, property portfolios and professional gambling.
Here, Daily Star Sport takes a look at seven names you might remember from English football who have become richer since quitting the game…
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Robbie Fowler
Fowler enjoyed a pretty successful career on the pitch, but the former Liverpool hitman has absolutely raked it in after entering the property industry.
Fowler also has a couple of other ventures, which include a sports promotion company and a foray into horse-racing alongside his former Anfield teammate Steve McManaman, but it's the property game that has kept Fowler flush in 'retirement'.
The 47-year-old reportedly boasts an impressive portfolio of properties in the north-west of England worth more than £30million. And that whopping sum should go some way to appeasing Fowler after a number of unsuccessful stints in football management overseas.
Michael Owen
Can you think of any other players who have made mega-money after retiring? Let us know in the comments section below.
While he's not watching his daughter, Gemma Owen, on Love Island with his head in his hands, Owen senior can usually be found at a racetrack after getting involved in the horse-racing game.
The former England goal machine is the co-owner of Manor House Stables and has racked up some pretty impressive wins down the years; including triumphs at Ascot and in the Dubai Gold Cup. As a result of bagging some big winners, Owen has raked in some pretty impressive prize money.
Owen has banked millions of pounds over the years to keep the good times rolling after injuries plagued the final years of his playing career.
Dexter Blackstock
Although Blackstock carved out a decent career for himself at a number of clubs in the EFL, the former Nottingham Forest striker has well and truly hit the jackpot since calling it quits with football.
Like many ex-footballers, Blackstock has reaped the rewards of investing in property, with the 36-year-old thought to have a portfolio worth in excess of £5m.
Since hanging up his boots at the tender age of 31, Blackstock's exploits in the real estate game have even enabled him to start his own medical blockchain platform. The former QPR man is the CEO of MediConnect, proving he really is a jack of all trades.
Asamoah Gyan
Perhaps best known for his brief stint with Sunderland, Gyan raked in obscene amounts of money through spells in the UAE and China.
However, Gyan has not been resting on his laurels since he last played professionally back in 2021 and has a whole raft of different income streams away from the football. The 36-year-old has vested interests in transport, real estate and perishable goods such as food and water.
The Ghanian star – who also owned a boxing promotion – even has his own ariline, which he dubbed 'Baby Jet'.
Sun Jihai
Jihai was at Manchester City long before they became one of the wealthiest clubs in Europe – but their former player is also pretty well off nowadays.
The former defender took the plunge into the sports data world after calling time on his career in 2006, and the results have been remarkable for the former Chinese international, who is now a multi-millionaire.
Jihai started his own company with the backing of China Media Capital; an equity firm that is valued at a whopping $60b. Since starting up, Jihai's foray has gone from strength to strength, and HaiQui [HQ] Sports boasts more than 400 million users in China. Not a bad feat for a player who starred for City in far less glamorous times.
Thomas Gravesen
Gravesen was part of the Everton team that banked a fortune after bagging a shock Champions League place under David Moyes – and the former Danish midfielder has kept the money rolling in long after retiring.
After a brief spell with Real Madrid, Gravesen retired at the age of 32 and moved to Las Vegas to pursue a career as a professional poker player. While it may seem like a pretty bizarre decision, it's been a highly successful one for Gravesen.
Now aged 46, Gravesen is a multi-millionaire after raking in more $100m (£84m) in winnings. The former Toffees man even lived in the same Las Vegas estate as Hollywood star Nicolas Cage and tennis icon Andre Agassi with his Czech model wife, Kamila Persse.
Ramon Vega
Vega is another former pro who was knocked around in the 90s who has gone on to make it big after retiring.
The former Tottenham and Celtic man has reportedly made well over £20m in 'retirement' after getting involved in the investment and finance industry. Vega's private equity firm has control over around £650m in client funds – and even tempted him to launch a doomed bid to purchase Portsmouth back in 2009.
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