Fans can have a unique relationship with football players – they may watch them a couple of times every week for years and then they leave the club and…nothing. Especially if the player goes on to do something outside of football or goes to play for a smaller club (or a club abroad).

Sometimes it is really interesting to look into what players are doing now and it can be a big surprise. Former Premier League player Mark Viduka is an example a lot of people have discussed in recent years – he made headlines when people realized he now runs a coffee shop in Croatia. Quite a change from pulling on the Leeds shirt. So what about former Arsenal players? Several ex-Gunners have taken unique paths post-retirement. Let’s take a look at what some of Arsenal’s former stars are doing now.

Ray Parlour

The Romford Pele is one that people might have come across a lot since he finished playing. He is an example of somebody who doesn’t mind being in the spotlight.

Lots of Premier League players engage in gambling games and this is something that has become much more straightforward as players can log in and play live blackjack without having to go to a casino. Blackjack is known to be one of the games Parlour plays and he has even done so publicly in competitions or for television shows (one he made with TV star Amy Childs).

Lots of Premier League players are into playing blackjack games but some do so privately through their devices – certain players are more public about it such as Ray Parlour and Gunners rival player James Maddison.

Parlour is also a TV and radio personality. He is a regular on sports radio – particularly on talkSPORT. Parlour is a cheeky chappy and a popular presenter/host. He is known for storytelling and anecdotes from his playing days offer a glimpse into the football culture of his era. Arsenal-related media platforms (podcasts) give him another way to contribute to pre- and post-match analysis for various broadcasts so he’s never too far from Arsenal. It is exactly what we would expect from the Romford Pele.

Mathieu Flamini – The Footballer Turned Environmental Entrepreneur

French midfielder Flamini has a post-football career that is one of the most unexpected and impressive of any former Arsenal player. He made a dramatic left-turn out of the Arsenal gates and founded GF Biochemicals – not many would have predicted he would found a company focused on sustainable energy. GF specializes in producing levulinic acid which is a substance derived from plant waste that has the potential to replace petroleum-based chemicals.

Quite a lot of players use their wages to invest in companies but this is one of the more high-tech examples – Flamini co-founded the company using some of the funds from his football career and making a positive impact on the planet and his efforts have made him a leader in the eco-business world. Flamini’s company aims to help combat climate change by offering greener alternatives to harmful chemicals used in everyday products.

Not many players could mastermind something like this and the dramatic career switch showcases a side of Flamini that few knew about during his playing days. His passion for the environment and dedication to sustainability have made him an inspirational figure for footballers looking to make a difference off the pitch.

Lukas Podolski – Kebab Restaurant Entrepreneur

Lukas Podolski is still beloved by Gunners fans. The German international who won the World Cup in 2014 actually had a relatively short stay at the club between 2012 and 2015. He scored some stunners in that time and was often an important match-winner for the club.

Podolski has embraced life as an entrepreneur and has ventured into various business projects – all while still playing. One of his most notable ventures is his chain of kebab restaurants, Mangal Döner, which he launched in his hometown of Cologne, Germany.

Podolski has expanded his business interests into ice cream parlors and clothing lines. His businesses have been well-received and his ventures reflect his playful side as well as being a career after playing – which he is still doing! Podolski has also been active in football, playing for various clubs after leaving Arsenal and even moving into eSports with his own FIFA gaming team – his football testimonial is taking place in 2024 after over 20 years in the game.

Conclusion

Some of the stories of what players do after they leave Arsenal are absolutely unexpected. Footballers can take some pretty interesting paths after they play the game but nobody could have predicted what Mr. Flamini would go on to do! Every player has a story both on and off the pitch and these are some of the most interesting from players most Arsenal fans liked.