Top 10 Successful Retired Soccer Players

1. David Beckham (England)

David Beckham has had the most promising and successful career both on and off the field. He was insanely popular during his career and perhaps even more popular now. From his endorsements worth millions of euros to him being a fashion icon, Beckham has had it all. His notable charitable work, his appearances on the TV and being the global ambassador of Chinese football has made him the most successful retired footballer ever.

2. Eric Cantona (France)

After retirement, the former French striker became involved in media. He performed in various movies and TV commercials. He was also named the captain of the French national beach football team. He also performed a short role on an album of the French rock band Dionysos. In 2011, Cantona returned to the football world when he was appointed by the New York Cosmos as the director of soccer. He was also involved in a number of political activities and has endorsed two football video games.

 

3. Luis Figo (Portugal)

The Portugal international star that played for numerous big names which include Real Madrid and Internazionale is quite successful even though his football career is now over. He was the joint seat holder for Team Portugal in A1 Grand Prix during 2005-2006. He is an ambassador for Internazionale and an organization “Stop TB Partnership.” Furthermore, he is the founder of Network 90 and a bar in Portugal.

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4. Sir Bobby Charlton (England)

Perhaps the most celebrated midfielder of England Manchester United, Sir Bobby Charlton took the position at Preston North End club as the manager. He then became the director of Wigan Athletic and now serves as a member of the board of directors of Manchester United. He was the inaugural inductee of the Hall of Fame of English football. He also won the BBC sports personality of the year lifetime achievement award in 2008. Furthermore, he is involved in some reputable charitable activities and organizations as well as a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

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5. Zinedine Zidane (France)

Zidane was one of the best of his time. He was extremely popular for his skills and even more popular for his famous headbutt to Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. Since retirement, Zidane has been playing frequently for Real Madrid Veterans. He also joined the coaching panel of Real Madrid under the reign of former boss Jose Mourinho and now serves as an assistant coach under Carlo Ancelotti. Apart from all that, he has endorsements worth millions of dollars.

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6. Gary Neville (England)

Since retirement, Neville has begun a coaching career. He holds UEFA coaching license and was appointed to the England team’s coaching staff in 2012. He was awarded an honorary degree by University of Bolton for his outstanding contributions to football. He frequently appears on the media, writing columns and working as an analyst for various TV channels.

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7. Ronaldo (Brazil)

The former Brazilian striker has had some issues but has since sobered up. He is the co-owner of the the Brazilian A1 team. Ronaldo is also expected to become the President of Brazilian Football Confederation in 2014.

8. Pelé (Brazil)

The 72 year old former Brazilian star is notable for his ambassadorial career. Pelé has been UNESCO’s goodwill ambassador and UN ambassador for ecology and environment. He has several autobiographies and has participated in documentaries too. He was also named the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos in 2010.

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9. Gerd Muller (Germany)

Muller was the most celebrated German striker. After retirement, he had alcohol issues, but he went into a rehabilitation program and came out clean. Since then, he is the coach of Bayern Munich II to this day. Muller also has a collection of apparel by Adidas under his belt.

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10. Gianfranco Zola (Italy)

Since his retirement, Zola has sparked a successful managerial career. He was the coach of Italian under 21 team from 2006-2008. He became West Ham United’s manager in 2008 before being terminated at the end of 2009-2010 seasons. Zola then signed a 2 year contract with Watford.