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Elite Footballers Who Played Other Sports

Modern professional footballers at the very top are living, breathing and sleeping the sport, especially in a Euro tournament year where the season never ends. However, the world of sport is vast. There have been some players who have dipped a toe in another venture or gone the whole way – with mixed results.

1) Gareth Bale: Golf: Gareth Bale retired from both club and international football after the disappointment of Wales's exit in the Qatar World Cup. Footballers have always been seduced by the thought of 18 holes, but Bale has some serious talent on the golf course. Within a month of quitting soccer, he was impressing Masters champion Jon Rahm in a warm-up for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

When the real business on the course began, the five-time Champions League winner shot an impressive round of 65 alongside playing partner Joseph Bramlett. He has even been included as a playing character in PGA Tour 2K23.

Rory McIlroy was impressed after playing with the Welshman in the BMW PGA Pro-Am "He's still got a bit of time until he turns 50 if he wants to make a go at the Senior Tour, but yeah, he's a good golfer, and we had a good time out there."

2) Petr Cech: Ice Hockey: The former Champions League and multiple title winner with Chelsea has always had a soft spot for ice hockey. Cech grew up in the Czech Republic playing the game and this was pretty evident when he made his competitive debut in the sport for Guildford's second team in 2019. Just like that famous night in Munich for the Blues in 2012, Cech saved shootout penalties to ensure the win for his new team.

In November 2023, the 41-year-old made his professional debut in nets for Belfast Giants in a 5-1 thrashing of Glasgow Clan. He was only on for five minutes but managed to pull off a fine stop for the elite League Champions.

3) Ivan Perisic: Beach Volleyball: Perisic is still playing football for Hajduk Spilt after being loaned from Tottenham Hotspur. The Croatian has played an incredible 129 times for his country, although the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists' Euro odds will be hit by the midfielder's absence in Germany with an ACL injury. Perisic grew up playing in the sand with a ball, but it wasn't beach soccer.

"I have been playing beach volleyball since I was 10. I'm very passionate about this game and every summer I have been practising with my friend."

He finally represented his nation at the Porec Major with playing partner Niksa Dell'Orco but they were beaten in straights 21-10, 21-10 against the established Brazilian pair of Alvaro De Morais Filho and Saymon Barbosa Santos. They lost the other two matches as well but it was worth realizing the dream.

4) Paolo Maldini: Tennis: The legendary AC Milan defender won 25 trophies at his one and only club and reached the finals of the 1994 World Cup and Euro 2000 with his country. The centre-back decided to take up a different sport at the age of 49. "Paolo's gifted with a good serve in addition to some decent shots," Stefano Landonio, his doubles partner, told Il Tennis Italiano. "He's also improving his volleys and, while he may not be catching the eye in any particular part of his game, he does not have any weaknesses, either."

The duo took to a court on the ATP Challenger Tour in the doubles but were soundly beaten 6-1 6-1 in just 42 minutes. Former teammate Clarence Seedorf was there to see the carnage.

5. Clive Allen, American football: Harry Kane has often talked about becoming a kicker for an NFL franchise when he hangs up his football boots, but another former Tottenham legend has already been there and done that. Clive Allen, a striker who almost averaged a goal a game in the 1986/87 season for Spurs, joined up with London Monarchs in the European NFL as a specialist goal kicker.

The striker didn't find it entirely to his liking. "I didn't think a kicker would get hit. I thought it was a case of me coming onto the field, giving the ball a good thump and then going off," said the White Hart Lane legend.

Despite the incredible longevity of certain footballers like Ryan Giggs and Maldini from this list, footballers have relatively short careers. It is no wonder that some have made sojourns into other sports to use their reactions and fitness within another set of skills. The competitive element never dies although the legs and body might not always move as fast. "Stick to the day job" doesn't really apply after retirement from the beautiful game.