An ex-Everton striker hung up his boots back in 2013, after enjoying a successful career on the pitch, but he's now a billionaire off it
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Louis Saha
Louis Saha earns more than Cristiano Ronaldo(Image: PA)
Louis Saha boasts a staggering net worth that is over seven times greater than that of his former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Frenchman, who was part of the Premier League heavyweights from 2004 to 2008, had a successful stint at Old Trafford. After leaving the club, he joined Everton where he went on to make 115 appearances and scored 34 goals.
Post-retirement from football in 2013 at the age of 35, following spells with Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and Lazio, the former France forward plunged into the business world. His venture 'AxisStars' has skyrocketed in value, now boasting an eye-watering £4.3 billion valuation.
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Saha's enterprise dwarfs Ronaldo's already impressive £600 million net worth by more than sevenfold. Co-founded alongside Kate Hamer, the company aims to forge connections between "professional athletes and entertainers, their peers and trusted partners".
On their website, there's a snapshot of the ex-striker with Hamer, and the firm's description highlights: "Since hanging up his boots, Louis has moved into the world of business where he has used his experience to develop propositions to support athletes and other people in the public eye, in their careers."
Alongside Hamer, a former marketer, Saha joined forces with tech executive Patrice Arnera to establish the business. According to various sources, over 550 former athletes are associated with the company.
Saha confessed that he often receives requests for advice and candidly stated that founding AxisStars has outshone anything he's achieved in his football career. "I still get asked for advice by different people on a daily basis," he told The Guardian.
"For instance, my agent called me to say he had a talented French footballer who he wants to bring to England, and asked me for advice on how to create a tailor-made training programme. I put him in touch with people I used to work with.
"This kind of player could join Axis as he can then search for a personal coach in his region. It is a hard process but it's so rewarding, because if I can help 100,000 people, it's the best thing I've ever done."
Meanwhile, Ronaldo became the first active footballer to earn over $1billion (£775m). In addition to his lucrative Al-Nassr contract which netted him £220m ($285m) last year, the Portuguese superstar has several income streams, including endorsement deals with Nike, Whoop, and Binance.
The 40-year-old also rakes in a significant amount through his CR7 brand, which encompasses hotels, fragrances and underwear. He recently set the YouTube community ablaze with the launch of his 'UR Cristiano' channel, which now boasts over 74m subscribers.