The lives of top-tier football stars have always been associated with vast wealth and extraordinary luxury. With multi-million dollar contracts, an entire world of employees is built around the player to ensure they focus on their primary mission on the pitch.

However, the lives of some stars do not stop at luxury cars, opulent mansions, and expensive possessions. Their daily details sometimes turn into independent “jobs” handled by others, ranging from organizing clothes, caring for pets and fish, to regulating sleep and even accompanying the player during celebratory moments.

According to British reports, the football world has witnessed remarkable examples of unusual jobs associated with big stars over the past few years. These stories reveal how far luxury can reach when the smallest details of a player’s life become part of an integrated work system.

Zirkzee’s fashion coordinator

Although Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee has not made the impact expected in terms of scoring, his interest in his appearance off the pitch is quite evident. Reports have noted that he hired a personal fashion coordinator to manage his wardrobe.

According to reports, Sidney Luchieswould travel from the Netherlands to England specifically to care for the player’s clothes. Her mission was to rearrange his wardrobe, dispose of items he no longer needed, and make room for new acquisitions, before returning to the Netherlands.

This job might seem normal for celebrities, but it becomes stranger when the employee’s flights between two countries are dedicated to a single task: managing a football star’s wardrobe.

Neymar — friends on monthly salaries

If money cannot buy friendship, Neymar provided a completely different model for this equation.

The Brazilian star has surrounded himself for years with a group of close friends known as “Toiss,” a word that means “us.” However, their relationship with Neymar was not based on friendship alone. Reports indicated that some of them received monthly salaries in exchange for a set of tasks that accompany the player’s daily life.

These tasks include photography, managing digital accounts, organizing events and parties, arranging housing affairs, as well as accompanying the Brazilian star and providing a social and entertainment atmosphere around him.

Thus, the circle of close friends turned into a private team working around the clock for one of the world’s most famous football stars.

Defoe’s a personal assistant doesn’t know the meaning of ‘working hours’

When Jermain Defoe moved to Sunderland, the details of the job description for his executive personal assistant revealed the volume of tasks that could be placed on one person.

The suggested annual salary ranged between $67,000 and $81,000, but the expectations were not simple. The list of responsibilities included stocking the fridge, paying bills, watering plants, organizing birthday parties, and planning holidays.

The list did not stop there, but also included taking care of Defoe’s family and pets, and sending clothes to the laundry, which made the job more like a full-life manager than a traditional personal assistant.

Balotelli’s supervisor

As for Mario Balotelli, his story was even stranger, especially during his time with Manchester City, where his name was associated with a number of controversial behaviors and humorous situations off the pitch.

After a famous incident inside his house involving fireworks, the club hired an elderly woman to visit the player’s house regularly, help with cleaning and ironing, and also monitor his behavior to try to keep him away from any new adventures.

For the amusement of the task, Balotelli’s teammates nicknamed her “Mrs. Doubtfire,” referring to the famous cinematic character played by the late actor Robin Williams.

Ronaldo’s sleep expert

For Cristiano Ronaldo, there are no small details when it comes to maintaining physical readiness.

The Portuguese star hired sports sleep expert Nick Littlehales, who worked on developing a special sleep system to help the player regulate his biological clock and enhance the recovery process.

Instead of relying on long, traditional nightly sleep, the system associated with Ronaldo became famous for distributing sleep over multiple periods during the day, in addition to paying attention to mattresses, sleeping positions, and surrounding conditions.

In Ronaldo’s world, even the hours he spends away from the pitch have become part of a precisely calculated athletic program.

Antony’s photographer — never miss a beat

Brazilian player Antony did not just settle for celebrating his goals with his teammates and fans; he hired a personal photographer to document his moments on and off the pitch.

On one occasion, the player moved during his goal celebration towards his private photographer so his lens could capture a moment that became remarkable in the player’s career, especially with the appearance of the “Sonic” doll in the scene.

The idea of having a personal photographer might seem familiar to stars, but his presence even on the pitch grants the task a different character, especially when the mission is to document rare moments that are worth keeping.

Pogba’s fish employee

As for Paul Pogba, his name was associated with a completely different story after he built a huge, luxurious aquarium in his home in Cheshire during his time playing for Manchester United.

Due to the complex nature of caring for large tanks, British reports noted that the player hired a specialist to take care of the fish, from cleaning the tank to feeding them and maintaining the appropriate environment inside this miniature aquatic world.

While players run after the ball in search of titles and glory, there was someone working behind the scenes to ensure that Pogba’s fish remained in the best condition.

An entourage always sticks around the stars

These stories reveal an unusual side of the lives of football stars. The wealth that comes with fame does not only grant the football player greater luxury; it sometimes creates an entire system of employees, assistants, and specialists around him.

Between those who travel across borders to arrange clothes, those who manage friendships, those who monitor the house and animals, those who plan sleep, and those who take care of fish, it seems that some football stars do not live a normal life off the pitch.

In the world of millions, it does not seem strange that the simplest details of daily life become a full-time job.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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