Andrea Agnelli, Al-Khelaifi, Mohammed bin Salman, Sheikh Mansour and Dietrich Mateschitz, The five most powerful football club owners in the world.
It is known that the hidden conflict between Russia and Ukraine generates consequences of all kinds around the world, and the world of football is clearly no exception. the russian Roman AbramovichWho knew how to own Chelsea for almost two decades, he had to sell his shares in the English club after being involved in a scandal that linked him to Russia’s government Vladimir Putin.
Faced with the impossibility of entering British lands, Abramovich was forced to sell, and he did so at the worst possible moment, when Chelsea played their qualifier for the Champions League quarterfinals, as well as their last Premier League chips. The investors who decided to face the purchase? Three businessmen with big fortunesand the profiles have little to do with those commonly seen in football.
Roman Abramovich, who knew how to own Chelsea. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
In a league like the Premier, where millionaire investments are already an everyday thing, and in fact, 5 of the 10 richest club owners have shares in British clubs. In the midst of the pandemic, the news that the Arab public investment fund had bought Newcastle has paralyzed the world, and now, It was the turn of Todd Boehly, Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss, the new owners of Chelsea.
When these names are examined individually, the one that stands out among the others is the sa Todd Boehleywho 9 years ago made a millionaire investment by buying Los Angeles Dodgers, franchise that competes in Major League Baseball MLB. A few years later, Boehly decided to trust, and obviously his investments, in franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA team).
Todd Boehly (in black), in his new box at Stamford Bridge. (Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)
The truth is that a few months before the pandemic, Boehly finally decided to bet on soccer, and focused his vision on Chelsea, which at the time was led by a Roman Abramovich who only a few years later would add his second Champions League command of the `Blues’. Losing power in the West (due to various accusations), Abramovich had to sell against the clock, and Boehly was at the foot of the cannon.
Along with the American businessman, another investor with huge weight in the world of sports has landed in London. mark walterThe 61 -year -old is also part of that investment group that less than a decade ago released more than $ 2,000 million in buying the Los Angeles Dodgers. The lawyer, the founder of the company Guggenheim Partners, will also make his first steps into the world of football under the leadership of Chelsea.
Mark Walter, another of the businessmen chose Chelsea.
Finally, highlight the name of Hansjörg Wyss, who is perhaps the best known of the three, also has the greatest fortune. Considered ‘the most influential Swiss in the world’, Wyss will make his first football weapons at the age of 86. The fact is that the fortunes of these three businessmen amount to 13,400 million dollars, which places them as the sixth richest investment group in football.
With Newcastle at the helm
The list in question was released by British media The Independent, and puts Newcastle above all else, as the Saudi public investment fund has an investment of more than $ 400 billion. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is in the center of all eyes Mohammed bin Salman Al Saudthe crown prince of the powerful Persian Gulf kingdom, president of the PIF and a powerful man in Middle East politics.
The 36-year-old prince is his country’s deputy prime minister and also holds the posts of defense minister and chairman of the Economic and Development Affairs Council and Political and Security Affairs Council. In addition, he was the first in line of succession since June 2017, when his father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, removed his nephew Muhammad bin Nayef from the position of crown prince.
Completing the podium is a Qatari investment fund that heads Paris Saint-Germain-it owns the surroundings $ 275 billion– included Nasser Al-Khelaifi as the visible face of the project; Y Sheikh Mansour (worth approximately $ 26.2 billion)deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and owner of City Football Group, led by Manchester City.
In fourth place on the list, the Austrian businessman appears Dietrich Mateschitz, mostly Red Bull brand investors, and therefore, the main equipment of clubs such as RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg. Mateschitz He has a fortune of 19,600 million dollarsslightly higher than Andrea Agnelli, owner of Juventus and owner of greater than wealth $ 17.5 billion.
The list released by The Independent.
Already below Chelsea’s new owners, appears American Philip Anschutz, founder of several organizations and owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy. The American businessman has more than 10,000 million dollars. In eighth position, back in European football and more precisely in the Premier League, is tycoon Stan Kroenke. The Arsenal owner began investing in the London club in 2008, and his fortune was at 8,500 million dollars.
In ninth position of the list, which was further formed thanks to data provided by Forbes, is Chinese businessman Zhang Jindong, owner of Inter Milan. His net worth exceeded $ 7.7 billion.. Finally, closing the list is another Chinese investor, such as Guo Guangchang. The Wolves owner has approx $ 6.5 billionwhich went to `Wanderers’ in 2018.
Chelsea is starting a new cycle holding hands with its investors. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
In this way, investment in football continues to dominate, and appears as an increasingly common practice in `Old Continent ‘football. This time, the news went through three well-known investors who have owned Chelsea, and hope to maintain the good level shown by Thomas Tuchel’s cast in the final editions of the Champions League, and in the final editions of the Premier League. .
Source: Clarin