If we hear or talk about Olympians, we picture great athletes, great determination, and of course, the spirit of the Olympics. However, in addition to the achievements and fame, some athletes are incredibly lucky to become real millionaires and even billionaires. In this article, we will uncover the lives of the wealthiest Olympians who have not only dominated their sport but also other aspects such as wealth.
Anna Kasprzak
We can begin with an unknown female Olympian whose net worth should be under consideration. If there was a dream come true, then Anna Kasprzak the Danish dressage rider is living it though it’s not horses that made her famous and rich. Ecco, the famous brand of shoes, was founded by her grandfather Karl Toosbuy. Thanks to this family legacy, Anna has an astounding net worth estimated to be approximately $1.3 billion (£1bn). She is not only riding horses; she is riding an inheritance both herself, her mother and her brother too. This is of course as if she has scooped a golden ticket of the business world.
Michael Jordan
I have not seen any Olympian with a golden ticket other than MJ who has two Olympic gold medals besides being worth billions. Jordan proved that he has mastered his trade at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and then at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He made quite a number during his playing years with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards but his real wealth came from ventures.
Anyone who read Forbes magazine would surely know, Jordan has a net worth of roughly £2.5 billion. Majority of this wealth results from endorsing brands, including Nike, Gatorade, and Hanes. When he started the Air Jordan brand, his resources increased to a league of their own in terms of value. It’s rather close to saying that he just sank a three-pointer from the business world and made a huge basket. Earlier, he launched an IPO for a controlling stake of a Basketball Team- Charlotte Hornets, which cost £2.3 billion. Conclusively, what one gets from observing MJ on the floor is not simply a man playing games; he is also a specialist in the trading world.
There is more to basketball than Michael Jordan. Other legends of the NBA have also excelled on the field and off it as well.
Others have also joined teams and players from other leagues around the world and have also excelled there. Magic Johnson, with an estimated worth of £940 million, and LeBron James are good example of athletes who just turned their Olympic fortunes into a business empire. In this league, many retired basketball players have been able to invest their talent into wealth Through wise business investments, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon are worth £390 million and £234 million respectively.
Through such basketball personalities, one learns that all one needs is a little talent, some measure of fame, and a good share of enterprise, and the world is yours.
Lionel Messi
Now let’s turn our attention to the lighter side of things – the world of football, which the world adores largely because of Lionel Messi. While his current fortunes stand at £470 million, which does not even come close to touching the heights of some of his NBA counterparts, Messi has no shortage of soccer accomplishments . Messi is another highly decorated footballer who has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award for nine times and also has a World Cup to his credit, as well as having won Olympic Games gold for Argentina in 2008 Beijing Olympics. But 37 is not an immature age yet, so he still has time to increase the size of his accolades, and thus gradually rise to the level of other business tycoons in the NBA.
