I played for Arsenal in Premier League – now I run business with a well-known billionaire

A former Arsenal star has amassed an incredible fortune off the field - with the help of another ex-Gunner whose net worth completely dwarves his

Mesut Ozil will always be cherished by Arsenal supporters for his jaw-dropping assists, unrivalled vision and that magical left foot. Yet the World Cup-winner has proved to be equally inventive away from the pitch.

After calling time on his playing career, the former Germany international redirected his full attention to business. He did not set out on this entrepreneurial path by himself, instead joining forces with ex-Gunners team-mate and present-day billionaire Mathieu Flamini to launch their eco-friendly grooming company, UNITY, in 2018.

Although the precise earnings and turnover of the UNITY brand remain tightly guarded by the two founders, Ozil is far from struggling financially. The 37-year-old reportedly has an extraordinary estimated net worth of roughly £100million, reinforcing his place among football's richest and most commercially astute retirees.

A significant portion of Ozil's remarkable wealth was accumulated throughout his decorated years on the field. Following his move to the Emirates Stadium from Real Madrid in a headline-grabbing £42.5million deal in 2013, he swiftly became the face of Arsene Wenger's squad.

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During the height of his earnings in north London, Ozil earned an astonishing £350,000-a-week, which made him the best-paid player in Arsenal's distinguished history.

However, his vast wages were not limited solely to his club contract. The midfield playmaker also secured millions through lucrative boot agreements and sponsorship partnerships with global sportswear brands such as Adidas and Puma.

With one eye firmly on retirement, Ozil expanded his investments early on. He established the thriving M10 esports organisation, developed a fashionable streetwear clothing line, and poured substantial funds into an extensive property portfolio spanning Europe and Turkey.

Still, it is his bold collaboration with former midfield partner Flamini that has drawn fresh attention. The pair, who developed a strong friendship during their time as players, combined their efforts to launch UNITY. The label emerged from a mutual ambition to create sustainable, environmentally conscious men's skincare items packaged in a way that helps cut down plastic waste.

When Ozil signed for Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, he quickly built a rapport with Flamini, whom Ozil nicknamed "the businessman," because he frequently discussed entrepreneurial ventures and commercial plans with team-mates.

"As soon as I arrived in London, Mat helped me a lot," Ozil said in 2018. "The most interesting thing about Mat was that he was the businessman. He spoke about business before training, after training, whenever.

"When we trained hard and went to the cold water area afterwards to spend a little bit of time there recovering, we always spoke about his business, his ideas, me and whether we could do something together in the future."

In comparison to Ozil, Flamini competes on an entirely different financial scale. The Frenchman's astonishing evolution from a tenacious, tough-tackling midfielder into an international environmental magnate reads like fiction.

At present, the 41-year-old stands as a bona fide billionaire, with an almost unimaginable estimated net worth exceeding £10billion. Yet his enormous, industry-leading wealth is not derived merely from marketing facial cleansers with Ozil.

Rather, Flamini uncovered a monumental opportunity by quietly co-founding GF Biochemicals in 2008 while he was still turning out for AC Milan. The ground-breaking enterprise became the first worldwide to manufacture levulinic acid on a large scale - a fully sustainable, plant-based substitute for damaging petroleum-derived products.

Ozil has no involvement whatsoever in GF Biochemicals or the immense returns it generates. The German's professional ties with Flamini relate solely to their joint project with UNITY and their shared commitment to providing greener grooming solutions.

Even if Ozil does not possess the 10-figure billionaire ranking of his former colleague, his own impressive £100m fortune demonstrates that he handled his money with the same intelligence he displayed with a football.