8 Top Footballers With Unusual Hobbies You Probably Didn't Know About
8 Footballers With Strange Hobbies You Probably Didn't Know About
Footballers spend much of their lives training, travelling and competing, but what do they get up to when they are away from the pitch? While some players enjoy fairly familiar pastimes, others have developed hobbies that are rather more unexpected.
From bingo and chess to fishing, mushroom collecting and even camel racing, these unusual interests offer a glimpse into the lives of footballers away from the pressure of professional football. Here are eight footballers with hobbies that you might not expect.
Top 8 Footballers With Unusual Hobbies
1. Xavi Hernández – Mushroom Collecting
Xavi Hernández developed a passion for mushroom collecting away from football. The Barcelona and Spain legend has spoken about his love of searching for mushrooms, a pastime that has strong cultural roots in Catalonia.
It is an unusually peaceful hobby for one of the best Barcelona midfielders of all time, a player who spent his career controlling the tempo of football matches.
Xavi's interest in mushrooms was well known at Barcelona, with the club itself once describing it as his great passion away from football.
2. Phil Foden – Fishing
Phil Foden discovered fishing as a child after his father introduced him to the hobby. What began as something they could enjoy together developed into a long-standing passion that Foden still enjoys away from football.
The Manchester City midfielder has described fishing as a way to relax and spend time with his father. He has also landed some impressive catches, including a 130lb catfish during a fishing trip in Spain.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – Bingo
Cristiano Ronaldo is known for his extraordinary dedication to fitness, but during his Manchester United days he revealed an altogether different interest: bingo.
The Portuguese forward spoke about enjoying the suspense of waiting for the final number needed to complete a game.
Ronaldo developed a fondness for bingo after moving to England and later described the game as exciting because of the anticipation involved.
It makes for an amusing contrast with the image of one of football's most intensely competitive athletes.
4. Paul Pogba – Camel Racing
Paul Pogba's interest in camel racing has gone considerably further than simply watching the sport.
The French World Cup winner became an ambassador and shareholder of Saudi Arabia-based Al Haboob, a professional camel racing team.
Pogba has spoken about watching camel races and researching the techniques and strategies involved.
His interest reflects his wider fascination with sport and competition, while his involvement with Al Haboob has taken an unusual hobby into the world of sports business.
5. Aaron Ramsdale – Dog Training
Aaron Ramsdale has a very different way of unwinding away from football: spending time with dogs. The goalkeeper has spoken about how connecting with animals helps him relax and provides a welcome break from the demands of professional football.
Ramsdale's interest in dogs goes beyond simply owning a pet. He has enjoyed training dogs in his spare time and has spoken about the sense of peace he gets from being around them, showing a much quieter side to a goalkeeper whose personality on the pitch can be considerably more animated.
6. Eberechi Eze – Chess
Eberechi Eze has developed a serious interest in chess, having been introduced to the game by former Crystal Palace teammate Michael Olise and his brother.
What started as something to play away from football eventually became a competitive pursuit.
Eze won Chess.com's four-day PogChamps tournament, defeating American content creator Sapnap in the final.
His success at the chessboard adds another dimension to a player already known for his creativity and technical ability on the football pitch.
7. Axel Tuanzebe – Hungry Hungry Hippos
Axel Tuanzebe might have spent his professional career defending against some of football's best attackers, but his most unusual competitive achievement came on a board-game table.
While with Manchester United, Tuanzebe broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to clear the Hungry Hungry Hippos game.
He completed the challenge in just 17.36 seconds during the club's pre-season tour of California, turning a children's game into a rather serious sporting achievement.
8. Matt Oakley – Collecting Piranhas
Former Leicester City midfielder Matt Oakley had perhaps the most unusual hobby on this list. During his playing career, he collected South American red-bellied piranhas.
Oakley once explained that he wanted something unusual and that feeding time certainly made keeping them interesting.
Collecting piranhas is certainly a long way removed from the more conventional hobbies associated with professional footballers, making Oakley's interest one of the more memorable examples of a footballer having an unexpected passion away from the game.
Table: Footballers With Strange Hobbies You Probably Didn't Know About
Rank | Footballer | Hobby / Interest |
1. | Xavi Hernández | Mushroom Collecting |
2. | Phil Foden | Fishing |
3. | Cristiano Ronaldo | Bingo |
4. | Paul Pogba | Camel Racing |
5. | Aaron Ramsdale | Dog Training |
6. | Eberechi Eze | Chess |
7. | Axel Tuanzebe | Hungry Hungry Hippos |
8. | Matt Oakley | Piranha collecting |
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