10 footballers who played other sports: A WWE wrestler in goal, the reason why fell out at Real Madrid

You might be surprised to learn that within this elite circle of footballers who played other sports, there are legends who viewed football merely as a professional obligation, a way to fund and sustain their true athletic callings.

In reality, seeing professional players engage in multiple disciplines is far from rare. Engaging in a second sport often provides a mechanical advantage, cross-training the body in ways that improve core strength, hand-eye coordination, and tactical flexibility. However, this Nowgoalpro report focuses specifically on those who didn't just play for fun but actually stepped into the professional or highly competitive realms of their secondary crafts. 

Top 10 footballers who played other sports

10. Bruce Arena (Lacrosse) 

Before becoming the most decorated coach in U.S. soccer history, Arena was a dual-sport phenom. While he earned 1 cap as a goalkeeper for the USMNT and played for the Tacoma Tide, his prowess in Lacrosse was equally formidable. Arena played professionally for the Montreal Quebecois in 1975 in the National Lacrosse League. 

Lacrosse, a high-intensity contact sport requiring immense spatial awareness and agility, served as a perfect parallel to his goalkeeping duties. Although the league folded, Arena’s multi-sport background at Cornell University laid the foundation for his tactical brilliance, leading him to 5 MLS Cups and 2 stints as the U.S. national team head coach.

9. Clive Allen (American football) 

Allen was a clinical predator in the box, most famous for his staggering 49-goal season with Tottenham Hotspur in 1986/87. Over a career spanning clubs like QPR, Manchester City, and Bordeaux, he netted nearly 200 goals. However, his "golden boot" found a second life in 1997 when he joined the London Monarchs in NFL Europe as a specialist goal-kicker. 

American football requires a kicker to possess nerve and pinpoint accuracy, skills Allen had refined over decades of taking set-pieces. His transition was so successful that he remains a vocal advocate for other strikers, like Harry Kane, to make the jump to the NFL gridiron after their football days are over.

8. Jerzy Dudek (Motor racing) 

The hero of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph, Dudek, always had a need for speed that the penalty box couldn't satisfy. After retiring from professional football in 2011 following a stint at Real Madrid, Dudek traded his gloves for a racing suit. 

He once remarked, "Motor racing was my passion before football." In 2014, he competed in the Volkswagen Castrol Cup, a professional touring car championship. The sport demands split-second decision-making and high-pressure focus, traits Dudek famously displayed during the "Miracle of Istanbul." 

7. Tim Wiese (Professional wrestling) 

Wiese, the former German international goalkeeper who made 194 appearances for Werder Bremen, underwent perhaps the most radical transformation in sports history. After retiring in 2014 at age 32, Wiese bulked up significantly to join the WWE. 

Known as "The Machine," he made his professional wrestling debut in a high-profile tag-team match in Munich in 2016. Wiese viewed wrestling as a way to maintain his competitive edge, stating it was better than "sitting on the couch." 

6. Gabriel Batistuta (Polo) 

"Batigol," Argentina’s legendary number 9 who scored 56 goals for his country and became an icon at Fiorentina, had a complex relationship with football. He famously stated, "I don’t like football, it’s only my job." 

Following his retirement in 2005 at age 36, plagued by chronic ankle pain that nearly left him unable to walk, Batistuta turned to Polo. The sport allowed him to compete without the heavy impact on his joints. His dedication led his team to win the Copa Stella Artois in 2009. The tactical depth of Polo resonated with Batistuta’s perfectionist nature.

5. Ivan Perisic (Beach volleyball) 

While still an active elite winger for clubs like Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, Perisic took the "multi-sport" tag to a professional level. In 2017, the Croatian international represented his country in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. 

Perisic has played the sport since age 10, utilizing the jumping ability and lateral quickness that make him such a threat on the football pitch. Sadly, he and his partner lost their opening professional matches.

4. Petr Cech (Ice hockey) 

Cech holds the record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history (202) and won every major trophy with Chelsea. Upon retiring in 2019, he immediately signed with the Guildford Phoenix as an ice hockey goaltender. By 2023, he had progressed to the Oxford City Stars in Division 1. 

Cech noted that playing the game he loved as a kid was a "wonderful experience" after 20 years of football. The reflexes and positioning required in hockey are strikingly similar to football goalkeeping, allowing Cech to win Man of the Match awards in both sports decades apart.

3. Paolo Maldini (Tennis) 

Commonly cited as the greatest defender to ever play the game, Maldini spent 25 seasons at AC Milan, winning 5 Champions League titles. In 2017, years after his retirement, the 49-year-old Maldini qualified for a professional ATP Challenger tennis tournament in doubles. Although he lost 6-1, 6-1, the achievement of qualifying for a pro-level event in a technical sport like tennis at nearly 50 years old is staggering. 

Maldini compared the transition to "writing a poem after studying years of maths," highlighting the massive shift in technical requirements between the 2 disciplines.

2. Gareth Bale (Golf) 

Bale’s love for golf became a cultural phenomenon during his time at Real Madrid. A 5-time Champions League winner and Wales’ greatest-ever player, Bale’s "Wales. Golf. Madrid." mantra defined his final years. 

Since retiring in 2023 at age 33, he has competed in several Pro-Am events, including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Bale's explosive sprinting and coordination on the pitch translated into a powerful and precise golf swing, earning him praise from professionals like Rory McIlroy.

1. Lev Yashin (Ice hockey & Bandy) 

Before Yashin was the "Black Spider" of the Soviet Union, he was an elite ice hockey and bandy player. Yashin won the USSR Ice Hockey Cup in 1953 with Dynamo Moscow. He eventually chose football, leading the USSR to the 1960 European Championship and appearing in 4 World Cups.

List of 10 famous footballers with secondary sports:

Lev Yashin - Ice hockey & bandy

Gareth Bale - Golf

Paolo Maldini - Tennis

Petr Cech - Ice hockey

Ivan Perisic - Beach volleyball

Gabriel Batistuta - Polo

Tim Wiese - Professional wrestling

Jerzy Dudek - Motor racing

Clive Allen - American football

Bruce Arena - Lacrosse

Despite being untouchable icons on the green grass, many names on this list of footballers who played other sports discovered they were merely talented amateurs when facing life-long professionals in their secondary fields. 

However, the courage of these footballers to step out of their comfort zones is precisely what makes them legendary. We invite you to visit Nowgoalpro.net to explore more fascinating statistics and hidden histories that you may have never encountered in the world of sports.

Alongside our detailed reporting, we are dedicated to providing a premier live-score and stats experience for every game on the planet. By offering objective and varied expert predictions, we help you stay fully informed. Make sure to check our home page frequently for the latest narratives surrounding the athletes you love.