There is a scattering of top soccer players all around the world. Many fans wonder where they might be living and spending most of their time during their playing career. While some players are relatively open about where they live, others keep things private.
Where do pro soccer players live? A lot of established players own a home in the same metropolitan area as their club team. On top of that, players who can afford it own a home in their home country or a tax haven area that they retreat to from time to time. Younger players, or those temporarily with new teams, will opt for renting close to the training facility.
How Young Players Live In Professional Soccer
As soon as a player goes off to an academy and shows signs of being a professional player, they have their accommodations handled for the most part. The top academies provide places for their younger players to live, and they also help with accommodations for professionals who might be by themselves without any family nearby.
Players just starting usually do not make a ton of money, and they do not need a lot of space either. Living right around the training facility in a place they own or rent is usually the way to go. It keeps the young players disciplined since they are nearby, and they get a chance to live in a pretty urban area for the most part.
Some younger players decide to live with their families during the first few years. Those who have the opportunity to do so feel like it can bring some normalcy to the day-to-day routine. It is important to note that some of these young professional soccer players are under the age of 20, so living with a family is pretty normal for that age group.
Teams try to do whatever they can to steer their younger players away from some trendy areas with a vibrant nightlife. This keeps them out of trouble as much as possible, even though players will always find a way to go out from time to time if they want to.
How Older, Established Players Live
Older players are much more likely to think long-term in general. There are a few reasons why they can do this in the first place. For starters, they have made some decent money and started saving to the point that they can be a little more open with ideas.
Second, many players who are older are starting to settle down with a significant other, and maybe children. This all means a higher chance of buying a home and having a permanent place to live instead of bouncing from rental to rental.
Older players who might not live in the same city they play in will usually leave the rest of the family home during the season. Maybe they have children who are in school, and they want to give them some level of normalcy. There are still times throughout the season where they can go back home, but they might have a second place to stay nearby that is a rental.
Some older players do not feel like making any long-term investments as they go from club to club, but they might establish a home base somewhere. It really depends mainly on a soccer player’s financial situation, as not everyone has massive amounts of money to mess around with.
Why Some Players Live Away From Their Club
Soccer players earn enough money to have the opportunity to live virtually anywhere in the world. What can be puzzling is when people see that players live in a country with no connection to growing up or playing in. What causes this type of move?
This usually comes down to one of two reasons. For starters, there is always a chance of a person really wanting to live in a particular area because they like it. For example, living on the beach in Miami might not be convenient for a soccer player in Europe, but they love the area’s look and feel. They might have friends or family with some loose connection to the area, but they mainly just like all it offers.
The other main reason is for tax purposes. Soccer players are bringing a lot of money, which could mean a high tax bill depending on where they live. Some will move to Monte Carlo, perhaps known as one of the best tax havens in all of Europe. In the United States, states like Florida and Texas have no state income tax. That can save professional athletes a ton of money just by making that the main place of residency.
Soccer players still end up paying a lot of tax, since they must pay in every location they earn money. Still, it is better to live in an area that is lighter on taxes overall, even if it is slightly inconvenient to get to.
Do Soccer Players Live In The City They Play For?
One of the harsh realities in sports is that a player can go from one team to the next in a hurry. There are different windows during the year for transfers, loans, trades, and more. When a player goes from one team to another, they are expected to be good and ready to go within days. Finding a place to live is a crucial part of that.
Most teams have at least one person, and sometimes several people who serve as Player Liaison Officers. This is a person in charge of making sure that all the players are taken care of to focus more on soccer. For new players, that means getting them a place to rent, or a hotel to live in while things get settled.
Every player is different, and some arriving on a new team may only be there for less than a year. If that is the case, it does not make much sense to buy a home, as it becomes a hassle to sell it later on. Some players will be fine with temporarily living in a hotel for a few months at a time instead of having to handle anything else.
How Soccer Housing Has Changed
Players are making more money than ever, especially in the top leagues. That means more financial flexibility than ever before. It is very common for veteran pro players to own multiple homes scattered all around the globe.
Every player has their own situation, but soccer players live a life of luxury now more than ever. Some opt for convenience, while others want peace and quiet away from the pitch.
