From the pitch to the court: Footballers who played other sports
Footballers are often seen as masters of a single craft. To the world, they live and breathe on the pitch. You’d picture them chasing goals and trophies, locked into one path since day one, yet for some, football wasn’t their only calling.
A few found their talents stretched far beyond the field between two nets. Some had other passions before entering the game, while others chased new careers after retiring. Either way, they proved that athletic skill is neither tied to one field nor one ball. So, who traded their boots for something unexpected? Here are eight footballers who stepped into a new sport and thrived.
Jerzy Dudek → Motor racing
Jerzy Dudek is best known as Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League hero. During their final match against AC Milan, his iconic double-save helped seal one of the club’s greatest wins. He stood out as a goalkeeper for top clubs like Feyenoord, Liverpool, and Real Madrid before he retired from football in 2011.
After leaving the pitch, Dudek shifted his focus to something faster—motor racing. In 2014, he completed his first full season of the Volkswagen Castrol Cup. Since then, Dudek has raced across Europe and treated each circuit with the same passion he had on the football pitch. In a Liverpool special report, he shared how motor racing had always been his passion before football.
Time Wiese → WWE
Tim Wiese made his name as a strong keeper for Werder Bremen and the German national team. He stood out on the pitch for his towering frame and muscular build. He retired from football in 2014, but didn’t step out of the spotlight for too long.
After ending his football journey, Wiese made headlines when he signed with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He trained under WWE’s care and debuted in November 2016. His first and only match was a tag team event in Munich, with Sheamus and Cesaro against The Shining Stars and Bo Dallas.
Shortly after his debut, Wiese left WWE in 2017. Even though his run was brief, it was loud and bold. His career shift just showed how far athletes can go with their skills beyond the pitch.
Clive Allen → American football
As one of the most reliable strikers in English football, Clive Allen was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s. He carved his legacy with Tottenham Hotspur after bagging 82 goals in 133 games with the club. Allen also played for top English clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City before retiring from football in 1995.
Two years after leaving the pitch, he entered the National Football League (NFL) Europe as the London Monarchs’ kicker. His skills honed from years of playing pro football paid off in American football. He even urged England’s Harry Kane to play as one after retiring. He shared, ‘Former strikers are the ones that can do it (NFL) well…I wouldn’t be surprised if in years to come [Kane] will be kicking an NFL football’.
Petr Čech → Ice hockey
From the scorching heat on the pitch, Petr Čech found solace in the coldness of an ice rink. Čech was a Chelsea legend and one of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers. He’s won multiple English Cup titles and a Champions League trophy with the Blues. Čech spent a fruitful 11 years playing for Chelsea before he left in 2015 and then retired in 2019.
After football, Čech returned to his first love—ice hockey. He signed with Guildford Phoenix in the UK’s National Ice Hockey League (NIHL). He took on the role of a goaltender, a position not far from his roots. Čech shared that he had loved the sport since childhood.
Geoff Hurst → Cricket
Geoff Hurst is celebrated as one of the most iconic strikers in football history. He is best known for being the first player to score a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final. Yet, before that, he had another sport on his radar: cricket. Hurst was one of the first-class cricketers who played for Essex in 1962 as a wicket-keeper.
As a young athlete, he showed great prowess on the field—both in football and cricket. He’s played over 23 matches in Essex before thriving on the football pitch. He later took managerial roles for clubs like Chelsea.
Paolo Maldini → Tennis
Paolo Maldini spent 25 years of his football career defending AC Milan’s backline with skill and grace. He helped the club win 26 trophies from multiple leagues and cups, including the Champions League and Serie A. He soon retired in 2009 at the age of 41. Clubs offered him coaching roles and work behind the scenes, but he turned them all down.
In 2017, he surprised everyone at a pro tennis event. Joined by Stefano Landonio, they qualified for the Aspria Tennis Cup in Milan in the doubles category. Though they were knocked out in the first round, his tennis attempt made headlines.
Gareth Bale → Golf
During his time at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale's love for golf was no secret. He was often seen on the course, which led to the well-known meme flag: ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’. No matter what was going on, he always made time to play. Some headlines even called it his ‘love affair’ with golf.
Since his retirement in 2023, Bale has stayed close to the sport. He’s played in events like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and joined Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Pro-Am.
From scoring goals to new goals
These players prove that one’s career doesn’t end once they leave the pitch. Let their stories be a reminder that talent can take on many shapes and that sometimes, the real game starts after the final whistle.
