The fate of footballers

16 October 2017:Football players do not have a normal life.They start playing football when they are young and it takes all their time and they only concentrate on the game. Football affects every aspect of their lives and it also effects their education. Many football players finish high school and leave everything behind to focus on their careers.

They focus heavily on their career until their retirement. After retirement they realize that they have to start from zero in another career.

They have to find another way to earn a living after they stop receiving large salaries.

Most football players decide to continue working in the field they love and know best. They choose different roles, work as pundits, commentators, agents or decide to share their experience in the game with new generations.

Some of them start coaching at their clubs or run their own football academies.

This article highlights many examples of career paths taken by former football players beyond the pitch.

Fitness clubs

Aly Mazhar is the official face of fitness in Egypt. he is the founder of BeFit Egypt, a Polar Fitness ambassador, and the Middle East’s first KT Tape-sponsored athlete. Mazhar started his football career with Al Ahly.

He represented the club in his youth until he got a scholarship to study at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he represented its football team.

He returned to play for Arab contractors for two years where his teammates were former Egyptian stars like Mohamed El Neny and Mohamed Salah. However, the political situation forced him to retire, so he decided to start a new career.

Restaurants

Former Al Ahly players Mohamed Barakat and Sayed Moawed, despite everything, are still working in football.

Barakat is a pundit and Moawad is working as an Al Ahly assistant coach. They found a way for themselves out of football.

Together they run a famous restaurant named “Marasy” in Zahraa El Maadi in Cairo.

Former Zamalek stars, Hazem Imam and Ahmed Hossam, (Mido), also opened “Faraya” restaurant together in Heliopolis, Cairo.

Automotive Industry

Investment in the automotive industry was another way footballers used their fame to market their new projects.

Egypt’s former Captains Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan opened a “Cars gallery” in their birth place, Helwan.

Furniture Industry

Essam is a famous Egyptian goalkeeper born in Damietta. Demietta is a city where most people work in the furniture industry. Essam decided to secure his future after retirement by opening up a furniture gallery in his hometown, Kafr el Battikh.

Often footballers try different kinds of businesses with the hopes of maintaining the same lifestyle football afforded them.