A good three years ago he was still playing professional football – now he’s a billionaire: This is the incredible story of Mathieu Flamini (39)!
The Frenchman can look back on a successful sports career, having played for Marseille, AC Milan and Arsenal FC, among others.
After a total of 427 competitive games, the then midfielder ended his career in the summer of 2019.
But then the ascent really started!
Instead of becoming a trainer or even a TV expert, like many ex-professionals, Flamini now devoted himself entirely to the fight once morest climate change and campaigned as an entrepreneur for the production of renewable energy sources.
And it was worth it!
Ex-Arsenal star now billionaire!
During his active career, he had established a second mainstay, co-founding “GF Biochemicals” in 2010. The world’s first company to mass produce levulinic acid. It is one of those chemical compounds that has the potential to completely replace oil as an energy resource.
According to Forbes, Flamini’s net worth is now around 11 billion euros!
He told the platform “Sifted” regarding his drive: “As a child, I had two passions: football and sustainability. Growing up near the sea in Marseille, I was aware from an early age of the environmental issues surrounding plastic in the sea and chemical pollution.”
That’s why Flamini and his business partner Pasquale Granata wanted to start a company committed to sustainability. “We didn’t know if it was going to be energy, chemistry or urban recycling, so we just met with a team of scientists in Milan and started moving in that direction.”
And that successfully!
Incidentally, Flamini, who was Italian champion with Milan and won the Cup four times in England with the Gunners, does not rule out a return to the football business. He told The Athletic: “Don’t ask me how I’m going to be involved in football because I haven’t thought regarding that. But it’s definitely something I’ve always been involved with in my life. I will always want to be part of this community.”