Messi and Ronaldo invest in tech startups as Salah takes a traditional path

In short: Top football stars are planning for life after playing, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo investing in tech companies while Mohamed Salah sticks to more traditional business choices.

What's going on

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mohamed Salah are all nearing the later stages of their playing careers, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a major milestone. Wired reports that Ronaldo has said this World Cup will be his last. At the same time, all three players are building financial plans for the years after football.

Messi and Ronaldo are increasingly choosing equity stakes, which means owning a piece of a company (like having a slice of a pizza, not just getting paid to hold the box). Messi launched an investment firm called Play Time HoldCo in 2022 to back companies across sports, media, and technology. Its portfolio includes several AI-related bets, plus sports projects like the FIFA-licensed mobile game Matchday.

Ronaldo’s tech focus is mostly health. He became an investor in the fitness wearable company Whoop in 2024. In February 2026, he paid $7.5 million for a 10 percent stake in HBL Pro2col Software, a Herbalife unit working on personalized health and wellness tools.

Salah has taken a different route. Public UK filings show business interests centered on holding companies and real estate, along with brand endorsement deals and his charitable foundation.

What to watch

More startups and investment firms are seeking celebrity investors who bring both money and attention. The key question is whether these ownership stakes turn into long-term income after retirement, or if they end up being riskier than traditional deals.

Source: Wired