Massive is obviously the presence of the big players of the Premier League, undoubtedly the richest league on the planet while at times surprising is the positioning in the standings of 3 companies in a league hides some of the richest men in the world among the balance sheets of other companies. And like any self-respecting ranking, there is the final surprise: the club of the richest owner in the world of football plays in a minor league, the Spanish Segunda B. Here are the ten richest investors of football.
10th Nasser Al Khelaifi (PSG), 6.2 billion
The first name in the list also allows a methodological clarification of the ranking: in fact, the funds in the most “immediate availability” of those who are at the head of the company in question have been taken into consideration. Behind President Nasser Al Khelaifi, for whom The Mirror limits assets to “only” 6.2 billion dollars, there is in fact the Qatar Investment Authority of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, actual owner of the PSG, which, according to Forbes, boasts resources of more than 500 billion.
9th Zhang Jindong (INTER) Dmitry Rybolovlev (MONACO), 6.8 billion
There is a tie in ninth position, where in addition to the Russian magnate of Monaco we find the first “trace” of Italy, with Inter owner Zhang Jindong: both can boast assets of 6.8 billion dollars (Forbes). Founder and president of Suning Commerce Group, Zhang Jingdong has built a Nanjing-based company that has over 10 million products for sale through its e-commerce platform and a network of 4,000 stores in China. In June 2106 he bought 70% shares of Inter at a price of 300 million dollars and in two years the results of his management are there for all to see. In addition to the achievement for the second season in a row of the Champions League qualification, the turnover has grown from 186.8 million euros of the last Thohir management up to 297, Rybolovlev instead entered business with his scientist father in 1990 after studying medicine at the Perm Medical Institute in Russia. Its fortune comes from Uralkali, the largest Russian potash fertilizer producer.
8th Stanley Kroenke (ARSENAL), 8.8 billion
Stan Kroenke is a real estate and sports magnate; As reported by Forbes, who values his assets at around 8.8 billion, much of the 30 million square meters of land he owns are located near the Walmart malls, which his wife owns. His sports empire also includes the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the Colorado Rapids football team and Arsenal, of which he became sole owner in August 2018 after buying the minority stakes of Alisher Usmanov. The deal led to the team’s valuation at 2.3 billion.
7th Philip Anschutz (LA GALAXY), 11 billion
For more than fifty years, Philip Anschutz (worth 11 billion, Forbes) has been active in the oil, railways, telecommunications, real estate and entertainment sectors. It owns the NHL Kings a third of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, and the same facility that houses them, the Staples Center. Owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy since its foundation year (1994), he has brought established champions such as Gerrard, Keane, Ashley and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to his ranks. Relying on the vastness of the real estate assets, he also created an Alliance Clubs for small Californian football clubs, making the company’s facilities available in exchange for control over their players.
6th Roman Abramovich (CHELSEA), 12.4 billion
He is perhaps the first on the list that really needs no introduction: since becoming the owner of Chelsea, the club has had an era of unprecedented success thanks to five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, a Champions and a Europa League. Oligarch active in the oil, gas and metals sector, Roman Abramovich, who according to Forbes has assets of 12.4 billion, earned much of that when he sold a 73% stake in Sibneft to Gazprom in 2005 2 billion they were instead spent “only” to reinforce the team with champions like Torres, Drogba, Lampard and Terry). His British investor visa expired in April 2018 as he failed to get a new one, he gained Israeli citizenship instead.
5th Andrea Agnelli (JUVENTUS), 15.9 billion
The heir to the Agnelli throne is the 43-year-old Andrea, director of Exor and since 2010 president of Juventus. The figure indicated refers precisely to the evaluation that Forbes makes of the market cap of the company managed by Andrea, which in addition to Juventus, operates through the Fiat Group, the Fiat Industrial Group, the CW Group, the Alpitour Group and Sistema Holdings. In particular, the latter aims to maintain liquidity, short-term deposits, money market instruments, bonds and equities. In addition to these duties, Andrea Agnelli is particularly committed to the mission of revolutionizing the world of football by exercising the functions of president of the ECA, a position he has held since 2017: since then he has prepared a model of European super-competition, destined, at least on paper.
4th Dietrich Mateschitz (NEW YORK REDBULL), 18.9 billion
Billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz is the owner of the New York Red Bulls, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and Red Bull Brasil (born in 2007, currently playing in the Brazilian second division). He owes his fortune to the ubiquitous energy drink, invented in 1987 together with Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya (who passed away in 2012). Prior to Red Bull, Mateschitz was a marketing executive for German consumer products company Blendax, known for the shampoo of the same name. He decided to enter the energy drinks market after tasting Krating Daeng, another drink invented by Yoovidhya: the strategy of the two was clear right away, aiming to create a brand synonymous with extreme companies through aggressive marketing campaigns.
3rd Mansour bin Zayd Al Nahyan (MANCHESTER CITY), 23 billion
Also in this case, the evaluation that Forbes makes of the assets of the owner of Manchester City turns out to be reductive when compared with the possibilities of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority(which can boast resources of 630 million euros), which turns out to be a fund owned by Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi and brother of Mansour. After the brief ownership of former Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra, in 2008 the Citizens passed under the control of Mansour, who bought the club for 250 million pounds and to give a concrete signal immediately hired Robinho for 42 million euros shortly before. of the closure of the transfer market. In subsequent seasons, the sums spent in the transfer market will be substantial (over 1 billion) but the property has also made investments in the city fabric, in the airport and in infrastructure for the youth sectors.
2nd François Pinault (RENNES), 31.7 billion
You may have heard this name in recent times: animated by a philanthropic spirit and an excellent choice of time, the Pinault family has pledged 113 million dollars for the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral following the fire in April 2019. Breton François Pinault, is the head of Kering, a group founded in 1963 which includes the luxury brands Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Gucci. At the beginning he was dedicated to the production of construction materials and wooden supports: the turning point came in 1999, when Pinault decided to move towards luxury goods by purchasing a stake in the Gucci Group. He has seen his fortune grow considerably especially in recent years: today he and his family own an art collection of 3,000 pieces, with works by Picasso, Mondrian and Koons.
In 1998 Pinault invested a substantial amount of funds in Rennes, always aiming at the production of young talents by building a new training center completed in 2000: the surprising victory in the French Cup on penalties, against the most famous PSG, dates back to the season just ended.
1st Carlos Slim (REAL OVIEDO), 59.2 billion
According to Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of 59.2 billion, he is the 5th richest man on Earth. First in Mexico, together with his family he heads America Movil the largest telecommunications company in Latin America. He also owns stakes in Mexican construction, consumer goods, mining and real estate companies, as well as 17% of the New York Times, while his son-in-law Fernando Romero designed the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City, home to the vast and eclectic collection of slim art.