- Shamser Khalid
6 Footballers Who Tried Their Luck in Music
Many footballers are known for their skills on the field. However, some players have shown skills in other areas off the field. One non-sports field that some footballers have shown talent in, is music. While there are a few footballers that retired to pursue this talent, some players tried their luck while still playing the field. Not all players who tried their hand at music made it far though. Still, some footballers have tried their luck in music and left a mark. These are some of those players:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Anyone that loves football will know Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo has been a prominent name in the football community for years. Not only is he a formidable player with plenty of records and awards under his name, but he is known as the rival of another football great, Lionel Messi. As a player, he has won 32 trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship, and the UEFA Nations League.
Over the years, Ronaldo has reportedly tried his hand at different things and has been featured in the news and social media for different activities. Back in 2011, Ronaldo tried his hand at music and released an album titled ‘Ronaldo.’ It had several tracks, such as "Hala Madrid" and "Champagne Showers."
Unfortunately, the album did not perform as well as expected and only sold 5,000 copies worldwide. Due to the poor sales figures, the album was eventually taken out of sale on iTunes and Amazon MP3 stores.
Neymar Jr.
Neymar (Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior), is another well-known name in the football community. Among many famous figures in the community, Neymar is considered one of the greatest Brazilian footballers of all time. During his career, Neymar has scored 77 goals in 124 matches for Brazil since he made his debut at the age of 18. As a result, he shares the position of top scorer for the Brazilian national team with Pelé.
When the player tried his luck in music, Neymar released two albums, O Fenômeno (The Phenomenon) and MC Neymar Jr. in 2010. He recorded an acoustic song, “Ai Se Eu Te Pego,” with Michel Teló. In 2013, he released another album titled ‘Seja Forte,’ which means ‘Be Strong’ in Portuguese. It featured collaborations with artists like Jennifer Lopez, David Guetta, and Lil Wayne.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a Swedish professional footballer known for his acrobatic strikes and volleys, powerful long-range shots, and excellent technique and ball control. With over 570 career goals, including more than 500 at the club level, and a scoring record spanning four decades, he is widely recognized as one of the greatest strikers of all time.
The Swedish striker had released three studio albums when he tried his hand at music. He had also written two books and penned songs for singers such as Madonna.
Ibrahimovic’s debut album, “Just Getting Started,” reached no. 1 on the Swedish album chart in 2011. His second album, “Stranger,” had topped the chart in 2012, and his third, “Zlatan,” had reached no. 2 in 2013.
The 35-year-old had also released two singles: “Gone Too Soon” (with Emeli Sande) and “How We Do It” (with David Guetta).
David Luiz
David Luiz Moreira Marinho is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Flamengo. Having made his full international debut for Brazil in 2010, he went on to earn over 50 caps for his country, playing a pivotal role in the Brazilian team's victories at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and their impressive run to the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, he represented his nation in two editions of the Copa América.
In addition to his football skills, Luiz is known for his passion for music. He has shared multiple tracks on his YouTube channel and even released an album in 2014, titled ‘The Beautiful Game,’ which boasted collaborations with artists such as Snoop Dogg and Ludacris.
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli Barwuah is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker. As a player, he is known for being a versatile forward with strength, pace, and an eye for goal. He is also regarded as one of the best penalty kick takers in world football. During his career, Balotelli amassed over 30 caps and represented his country at UEFA Euro 2012, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
When it comes to music, he released two albums, ‘Un Mito Diverso da me’ (A different myth than me) in 2010 and ‘Super Mario’ in 2015. His music mostly comprises R&B and hip-hop-influenced tracks, and he writes lyrics in Italian, English, and French.
Memphis Depay
The Dutch professional footballer is a player who has represented the national team at every professional level from early developmental stages under the tutelage of iconic Dutch coaches and players alike.
Having made his senior debut in 2013, he quickly became a vital member of the squad and played an integral role in their third-place finish at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he made a name for himself on the international stage. He also represented his country at the UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup tournaments.
The music of the French forward landed him in some trouble, not with music critics, but within the football world. The flashy imagery portrayed in his music videos clashed with his responsibility as Olympique Lyonnais club captain. Despite this, Depay seems unfazed, as his carefree attitude is reflected in his hip-hop singles, such as 'LA Vibes' and 'Fall Back'.
Conclusion
Footballers exploring the world of music is nothing new. While not all footballers actively pursue music, the players listed above showed that their is more to a footballer than their skills on the field. Whether they made it far with their music or not, there are more than a few footballers that have tried their luck in music and showed that they have a chance to go big in that department should they ever choose to hang their boots.
