One former Barcelona star has managed to build a huge quantity of wealth
It came after he initially invested around £617,000 ($850,000) in properties
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By ZAC CAMPBELL
Published: 11:52 EDT, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 12:01 EDT, 2 April 2025
Making it to the top level as a professional footballer not only raises a player's profile but also ensures that they are in a strong financial position.
However, that does not guarantee that players are set for life with a host of notorious names such as John Barnes and David James going bankrupt following their retirement from the sport.
One former Barcelona star has managed to ensure he will not fall victim to the same fate after making business investments.
He made 44 appearances for the Blaugrana during a two-year stint at the Nou Camp from 2020 to 2022.
In 2017, Martin Braithwaite, who also played in England with Middlesbrough, invested around £617,000 ($850,000) in properties across the USA with his uncle, Philip Michael, which grew to be worth £7.2million by the end of that year.
By 2021, business was booming for the pair, as their initial real estate portfolio growing 25 times in size.
The player in question made 44 appearances for the Blaugrana during a two-year stint at the Nou Camp from 2020 to 2022
Braithwaite and his uncle have set up The Temple, a smart home project aimed at business-orientated students and creators
He and his wife's latest money-making idea is a set of ready meals available under the brand name Braithwaite's Kitchen
That saw Braithwaite and Michael own 1,500 apartments while having a further 500 under development as they seek provide affordable housing across Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Speaking about his exploits off the pitch, Braithwaite told The Philadelphia Inquirer: 'I always had this American side, and I think maybe that's why my mindset is maybe more American: dreaming big, doing amazing things, writing goals down'.
'In Denmark, we have an amazing system protecting the people. Everyone is good. No one needs anything. In America, it's not really the same thing.'
Not content with simply purchasing and developing conventional properties as a way to make money, Braithwaite and his uncle have set up The Temple, a smart home project aimed at business-orientated students and creators.
Located near the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, the building is modelled after Silicon Valley's famous 'hacker house' where young entrepreneurs live and work together as they create their own startup companies and projects.
The complex includes a number of innovative features, including virtual reality leasing, AI-powered VIP concierge, and keyless facial recognition.
It was set up with a goal to bridge the Millennial Wealth Gap, a rising economic disparity between white and non-white millennials - with a target of creating 100,000 millennial millionaires by 2030.
Braithwaite also has an interest in fashion and food, which sees him run a clothing label and a restaurant alongside his wife Anne-Laure.
He also has an interest in fashion and food, which sees him run a clothing label and a restaurant alongside his wife Anne-Laure
The couple co-own a restaurant on Barcelona's Gava beach, named Gave, which specialises in vegetarian dishes
Trente is a women's clothing brand that has been successful since launching in Anne-Laure's native France in 2019.
The couple also co-own a restaurant on Barcelona's Gava beach, named Gave, which specialises in vegetarian dishes.
Their latest money-making idea is a set of ready meals available under the brand name Braithwaite's Kitchen for people who want to eat healthily but struggle to find time to cook.
As the business is a new venture, prices are not yet listed - with the success of this idea still too early to gauge.
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