Arsenal icon Mesut Ozil has amassed an incredible fortune off the field – with the help of another former Premier League whose net worth completely dwarfs the German’s
Mesut Ozil’s net worth is massive(Image: Getty Images)
Mesut Ozil will forever be remembered by Arsenal fans for his jaw-dropping assists, unparalleled vision and that magical left foot. But the World Cup-winning playmaker has been just as creative away from the pitch.
Since hanging up his boots, the former Germany international has shifted his unwavering focus to the boardroom. And he hasn’t embarked on this entrepreneurial journey alone, teaming up with former Gunners team-mate and modern-day billionaire Mathieu Flamini to launch their eco-friendly grooming brand, UNITY, back in 2018.
While the exact financial figures and revenue for the UNITY brand have been kept strictly under wraps by the pair, Ozil certainly isn’t short of cash. The 37-year-old boasts a staggering estimated net worth of around £100million, cementing his status as one of football’s wealthiest and most business-savvy retirees.
Ozil’s eye-watering personal fortune was largely amassed during his glittering playing days. After arriving at the Emirates from Real Madrid in a blockbuster £42.5million transfer back in 2013, he quickly became the poster boy of Arsene Wenger’s side.
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At the peak of his financial powers in north London, Ozil was earning a staggering £350,000-a-week, making him the highest-paid player in Arsenal’s illustrious history.
But his astronomical income wasn’t restricted merely to his club salary. The midfield maestro also raked in millions through mega-money boot and endorsement deals with sportswear giants like Adidas and Puma.
Always keeping an eye on life after football, Ozil diversified his portfolio early. He launched his own highly successful M10 esports team, a popular streetwear apparel brand, and invested heavily in a sprawling real estate portfolio across Europe and Turkey.
Ozil and Mathieu Flamini launched UNITY together in 2018(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
However, it’s his ambitious venture with former midfield colleague Flamini that has recently caught the eye. The duo, who formed a close bond during their playing days, joined forces to create UNITY. The brand was born out of a shared passion to produce sustainable, environmentally friendly men’s skincare products in packaging that actively reduces plastic waste.
When Ozil joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, he struck up an immediate bond with Flamini, who Ozil nicknamed “the businessman,” since he would often talk to colleagues about his entrepreneurial interests and business ideas.
“As soon as I arrived in London, Mat helped me a lot,” Ozil said in 2018. “The most interesting thing about Mat was that he was the businessman. He spoke about business before training, after training, whenever.
“When we trained hard and went to the cold water area afterwards to spend a little bit of time there recovering, we always spoke about his business, his ideas, me and whether we could do something together in the future.”
Flamini is the founder of GF Biochemicals and a self-made billionaire(Image: © 2017 Bloomberg Finance LP)
Compared to Ozil, Flamini is operating in a financial league entirely of his own. The Frenchman’s incredible transition from a combative, hard-tackling midfielder to a global environmental tycoon is the stuff of legend.
Today, the 41-year-old is a bona fide billionaire, boasting an almost unfathomable estimated net worth of over £10billion. However, his vast, world-beating fortune doesn’t come simply from selling face wash alongside Ozil.
Instead, Flamini struck the ultimate goldmine by secretly co-founding GF Biochemicals back in 2008 while still playing for AC Milan. The pioneering company became the very first in the world to mass-produce levulinic acid – a completely sustainable, bio-based alternative to harmful oil-based products.
Ozil is completely uninvolved in GF Biochemicals or its colossal profits. The German’s business relationship with Flamini is strictly confined to their shared vision for UNITY and their mutual desire to offer sustainable grooming options.
But while Ozil might not quite have the 10-figure billionaire status of his former team-mate, his own staggering £100m empire proves he was just as sharp with his finances as he was with a football.
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