On the soccer field, many stars are known for their ball skills and competitive team spirit, but outside of games and training practices, soccer players also have hobbies they enjoy in their free time that go beyond the ball.
Video games are the #1 hobby of some stars
It is well known that some players think about soccer 24 hours a day, as is the case of Lionel Messi. The Argentine star constantly appears on the covers of these video games. He says that since he was eight years old, in his native Rosario, Argentina, he has been a fan of soccer video games, and nowadays, he does not spend a day playing online. For his part, the Colombian James Rodriguez has demonstrated on multiple occasions his passion for soccer video games and is known for organizing tournaments and competitions with his teammates in the teams in which he plays. In the case of Brazilian Pepe, his hobby goes beyond soccer games, and he has shared photos of his games of shooting and strategy while playing online on multiple occasions.
Footballers who love horses
The currently retired Michael Owen was always known for his love of horses and attending their races. Today, the Englishman runs his own business as a racehorse breeder, and his steeds have already won competitions at Irish racecourses. Meanwhile, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is a fan of Arabian show horses. So in 2013, he became the owner of six Arabian mares from the Complutum Arabians stud farm to take them to his 10-hectare estate in Seville, along with the other 15 horses he already owned.
Other sports beyond soccer
French national team player Antoine Griezmann is an assiduous NBA basketball fan. Every time he has the opportunity to watch a game, he makes the trip to the stadiums to make friends with professional basketball players or to show off his ball skills on social networks.
In the case of the Italian "Super Mario" Balotelli, his sporting hobby is also shared with table tennis, which he plays whenever he has the opportunity. For his part, the star of the Portuguese national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, has commented on multiple occasions that after soccer, table tennis is his favorite sport and that none of his teammates can beat him in that game.
Finally, in the case of Chilean Arturo Vidal, his hobby has been the pool tables since the beginning of his career in Chile.
Online games for leisure time
Spanish national team players Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina are known for their love of poker. Moreover, they even shared their passion for the game in an advertising campaign for Mahou beer, which appeared in their country's media during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Spanish national team won the World Cup.
For his part, the historic striker of the English national team, Wayne Rooney, is known for his fondness for roulette and has been seen betting in casinos such as Manchester 235.
Although roulette has a reputation for being a game of luck, savvy players use strategies to increase their chances of winning, either by increasing their chances of winning by betting with no deposit bonus casino, which can be useful for Rooney to maximize his winnings and reduce his losses.
These bonuses are easy to claim and risk-free because you will not lose your own money if you don't win the game.
Finally, in the case of Gerard Piqué, the ex-Spanish defender competes professionally in Poker tournaments worldwide, where he has even won up to 129,000 Euros.
Wine is productive off the courts
football players wine production
Two world stars have made their passion for wine grow more than just a hobby. Italian international Andrea Pirlo began his interest in wine as a child helping his grandmother with the grape harvest. He now has his vineyard in Brescia, producing four types of wine under the Pratum Coller brand. In the case of Spaniard Andrés Iniesta, the player participates in the winemaking culture of his family, which produces wines with the Manchuela appellation of origin in Albacete (Spain) and began operations in the 1990s as Bodegas Iniesta.
In addition to being talented and dedicated to soccer, elite soccer players dedicate their free time to becoming the best in the hobbies they practice, some thinking about their future retirement from the field and others to having a good time.
