It’s no secret that Premier League players aren’t short of a bob or two.
If you’re ever lucky enough to spend an evening with the Manchester United squad, drinks should go to club legend Cristiano Ronaldo as he ranks a whopping £ 480,000 a week as the top earner in the league.
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Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the Premier League’s highest earner
And with United’s big derby rivals sitting across from you in the bar, you can expect Manchester City magician Kevin de Bruyne to settle the bill as he likely has disposable income from his wage stake of £ 385,000 a week.
In fact, if you’re ever out with a Prem star, you should be able to put your wallet away, as the average weekly salary in the division was over £ 60,000 last year.
But not all of our top heroes have stepped back and relied on their football earnings in recent years.
And here we take a look at six international stars who have proven that their business acumen was just as impressive as their football skills.
MATHIEU FLAMINI … big in biochemistry
Arsenal’s combative midfielder Flamini, 37, went from professional footballer to environmental entrepreneur as a co-founder of GF Biochemicals.
The company is valued at £ 21 billion for its ability to mass produce levulinic acid, a fuel made from vegetable waste that can be used to make plastics.
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Flamini is a co-founder of the very successful GF BiochemicalPhoto credit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun
ASAMOAH GYAN … great in everything!
Better known for his impressive 51-goal win for Ghana than for his two-year tenure at Sunderland, the 35-year-old is well on his way to a very comfortable retirement.
Gyan’s airline, real estate, bottled water, boxing, gas station, and rice and noodle operations mean his net worth is approximately £ 17 million.
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Gyan has wowed Black Cats fans many times and now he’s wowed shareholdersPhoto credit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun
ROBBIE FOWLER … real estate tycoon
Liverpool’s goalscoring legend hung up his shooting shoes six years ago, but had built a sustainable income outside of football long before that.
He is involved in horse racing and has owned a sports promotion company since the 1990s. But when it comes to real estate, 46-year-old Fowler shines as he allegedly owns more than 100 properties and has a net worth of more than £ 30 million.
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Fowler has proven to be just as adept at collecting items as he is at bagging goalsPhoto credit: PA
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THOMAS GRAVESEN … the player
The Danish hardman delighted Everton fans with his no-captive approach but stopped playing at the age of 32.
He amassed a tidy fortune through shrewd investments and then increased his pot to £ 100 million through poker wins in Las Vegas. Gravesen, 46, is now back in Denmark as a TV expert.
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Gravesen has remained just as colorful a character off the pitch as on itCredit: Rex Functions
SUN JIHAI … tech giant entrepreneur
Still fondly viewed by Manchester City fans, Sun became a cult hero as the first player from China to appear in the Premier League and score in the Premier League.
The retired defender is now worth about £ 20 million after co-founding a sports data company called HaiQui Sports, which has over 400 million users in China.
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Sun (center) met British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015Image credit: AFP
MICHAEL OWEN … horses for courses
The former Liverpool phenomenon ended its football career in 2013 after years of battling injuries.
Since then he has been heavily involved in horse racing and his stable has produced winners at Ascot and the Dubai Gold Cup. Owen, 41, has made a lot from horse sales and prize money and is said to be worth around £ 36 million.
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Owen’s collection of expensive horses is even faster than he wasPhoto credit: PA
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