From Arsenal player to eco-tycoon: the story of Mathieu Flamini and his €30 billion empire

A person’s life is almost always linked to his passions, but sometimes fate can influence. Professional sport, and more precisely soccer, is usually a gold mine for those who practice it. A footballer throughout his career (from 12 to 15 years) can earn much more money than any doctor, lawyer or any other profession that requires academic training.

However, there is a very curious case: that of Matthew Flamini (39). Many people can relate the footballer’s name to his footsteps through the Arsenal, Milan wave French National. But in this case we won’t talk about his enviable football career, but about his skills as a player ecological businessman. Flamini, with his company, has managed to make more money than any football star.

The former French player’s net worth is much bigger than that of any entire club worldwide. The most expensive football clubs in the world are the real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Monaco, Manchester Utd and the Liverpooll, Flamini could buy more than one if he wanted. How did you get your luck?

His successful life as a footballer

Mathieu Flamini was born on March 7, 1984 in Marseille, France. From an early age he has always had a passion for football, and at the age of 10 he made his debut in the youth team Olympic Marseille. Thanks to his good performances and after spending a couple of seasons in the B team, he made his debut in the First Division when he was less than 20 years old.

Olympique is one of the most followed teams in France, Flamini played a year in the first team and a European giant has his eye on him: the Arsenal English. He arrived there in 2004 and played for four seasons.

In his years in north London, the Frenchman managed to carve out a place in the starting XI and was an essential player in midfield. In 2007 he made his debut for the French national team. One year after the Milan he acquired his token and stayed there for 5 years and then returned to London. and finished his career at Getafe in Spain (2019).

During his sporting career, Flamini won eight league titles and made a turnover of nearly €30 million from his time at various clubs. Incredibly, the big economic difference did not come from his career as a footballer, but after him.

ecological businessman

Mathieu Flamini has always considered himself much more than a footballer and that is why in 2008 founded the biological company GF Biochemicals. produces levulinic acid, a chemical that aims to replace petroleum in both the chemical industry and the fuel sector. Moreover, generates a much lower level of pollution than fossil fuels and has even been named as one of the 12 key molecules for generating a greener world.

As reported BBCIt all started when he met his partner, Pasquale Granata, an entrepreneur with the same environmental concerns, who invited him to invest in a series of laboratories in the city of Caserta, about 40 kilometers from Naples, where this chemical product was produced . In a joint effort with the University of Pisa and the Polytechnic of Milan, they managed to develop their invention.

This product allows the production of biodegradable and ecological plastics, with the clear aim of ending pollution. The player himself has generated patents on more than 200 products created with levulinic acid and has even reached an agreement with a Middle Eastern company to commercialize the product in those latitudes. As reported by vanity fair magazine, Mathieu Flamini’s company is worth 30 billion eurosa figure that exceeds any capital of another footballer in the world.

one of the richest people

According to the magazine Forbesheritage of both Lionel Messi Pleases Cristiano Ronaldo, generated on the basis of money earned from salaries, advertising contracts and even own investments, is close to one billion euros. That is to say 30 times less than what Flamini’s company sells.

Although Flamini repeatedly maintained that football always takes priority at a professional level, he knew what his future was: “I spent wonderful years playing football for the national team and in the big clubs I played for, but I needed to dedicate myself to my great passion,” explained the former player when asked about his million-dollar company, according to Daily star.

Nothing is a coincidence, since Flamini enrolled in Law as a player from the Arsenal. That desire and that strength led him to be what he is today, a successful businessman: “In football, as in life, you have to know how to play in different positions and adapt to everything,” Mathieu told a French newspaper Flamines. , drawing a parallel with his working and sporting life.