A former player of Manchester United has achieved an impressive net worth of £4.3 billion since his retirement in 2013, following the establishment of his own business.
Reports indicate that the valuation of this ex-player’s enterprise exceeds Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable £600 million net worth by more than seven times, and is also double the estimated £2 billion cost of Manchester United’s proposed new stadium.
Louis Saha, who played alongside the Portuguese superstar in Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad, retired four years after Ronaldo departed from Old Trafford.
Saha enjoyed a distinguished career, representing clubs such as Newcastle United, Fulham, Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland, and had two spells with Lazio and Metz.
In contrast to many of his retired football peers, the former French striker had a clear vision for his post-football career, launching a highly successful business at the age of 35.
Over a decade ago, Saha founded AxisStars, a community designed to foster connections between professional athletes, entertainers, their colleagues, and trusted partners.
The company’s website prominently displays his image alongside co-founder Kate Hamer.
Since retiring from professional football, Louis has transitioned into the business sector, leveraging his experience to create initiatives that assist athletes and public figures in advancing their careers, as stated in the description.
In the meantime, his former club, United, is planning to invest £2 billion in the construction of a new 100,000-seat Old Trafford, with the goal of establishing the premier football stadium in the world.
The development is expected to take up to five years, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of the Red Devils, has expressed his vision of the ‘New Trafford’ becoming a landmark tourist destination, comparable to the Eiffel Tower.
After his retirement, the Frenchman opted to utilize his football expertise to establish a network that encourages athletes to share their insights while being showcased on the field.
It has been reported that Hamer, a former marketer, along with Patrice Arnera, a former marketing expert and technology executive at United, played a significant role in the formation of this business.
Additionally, various sources indicate that the initiative has already enlisted over 550 former athletes.
“I continue to receive requests for advice from various individuals on a daily basis,” Saha remarked in an interview with The Guardian.
For example, my agent reached out to inform me about a skilled French football player he intends to bring to England and sought my guidance on developing a customized training program. I connected him with former colleagues who could assist.
This type of player could become part of Axis, allowing him to seek a personal coach in his area. Although the process is challenging, it is immensely fulfilling; helping 100,000 individuals would be the most significant achievement of my career.
Only one former football star has achieved an even higher level of success—Mathieu Flamini, who transitioned from the football field to the business world as the co-founder of the first company globally to mass-produce levulinic acid.
Seventeen years after its inception, The Sun reported that the company is now valued at over £21 billion.
In 2018, the Frenchman founded ‘GF Biochemicals’ with his business partner, Pasquale Granata, an economics graduate, with the aim of transforming the energy sector.
In 2016, Flamini and Granata acquired the US-based company Segetis to explore more environmentally friendly alternatives to oil.
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