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Football the way it’s played nowadays, is an intense business and the players definitely need some off time to relax. This is where a hobby comes in handy. Some may have hobbies to just recharge themselves while for some it could well be a career after they’re done with their playing days. The likes of Petr Cech, who his known for his drumming skills have revolutionised the way we look at footballers. It has highlighted the fact that they are normal human beings, who do have a life outside football. So, let’s go beyond the stereotype and find out what they do in their free time. Here are 10 mostly unknown hobbies of footballers:
#1 Petr Cech Drumming
While he protects his team from being drummed on the football pitch, Petr Cech is more than a half decent drummer off it. The Chelsea shot-stopper posts covers of various songs in, which he performs on his own YouTube channel.
In 2013, he even performed Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' at a Czech Republic music festival and later that year met up with Queen drummer, Roger Taylor for a jam session in a BBC feature.
With Cech not getting much playing time this season, since the return of Belgian, Thibaut Courtois, he might want to be invest more time in his drumming instead.
Here is Cech performing ‘Clocks’ by Coldplay:
#2 Robin van Persie Table Tennis
In an interview during his Arsenal days, Van Persie spoke about his love for the indoor sport of table tennis.
“When I was younger, always played table tennis or football. When I was 10 or 11, that’s when I started focussing on football,” he revealed.
He also said that there was a table tennis table at Arsenal and that he would often play there during training. “I am definitely the best table tennis player at Arsenal,” added the Dutchman.
Perhaps this could be down to the fact that, he was injured so many times for so long when an Arsenal player and this would have allowed him to hone his Ping Pong skills up a few notches.
See the interview here:
#3 Michael Owen Horses
Many know that former Manchester United striker, Michael Owen enjoys a good jigsaw puzzle or two. Not many things better to get your cognitive, spatial, and perceptual senses tingling are there?
But, there is another hobby that Owen enjoys – horses and horse racing. He used to place small bets with his dad in his formative years,\ until the football life caught up with him.
"When you breed one yourself and your kids pat him every morning, and the son wins at Royal Ascot, never mind another race, I don't think anyone else - unless you've done it - would believe the feeling,” he said about this hobby of his.
Owen now co-owns Manor House Stables in Cheshire, England from where racehorse trainer Tom Dascombe operates. One of Owen’s horses won the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascott in 2011.
#4 Paul Scharner Extreme Sports
The Austrian has been known for his versatility on the pitch as a defender and midfielder and also for his haircuts. What most people don’t know about Scharner, is that he is a big time adrenaline junkie.
He has been engaging in extreme sports like water-skiing, bungee jumping, skydiving, etc. In fact, in 2006, Scharner even revealed that extreme sports helped him mentally prepare to play at a higher level on the pitch.
Let’s just say Scharner is one of the adventurous footballers in the world’s sporting landscape.
#5 Clint Dempsey Rapping
One of the most successful US imports to the Premier League, Clint Dempsey already has a backup career waiting for him, when he is done with his playing days. His hobby of rapping is well known by many, and he is pretty good at it too!
Going by the stage name of Deuce, the midfielder has had a passion for rap music for a long time. Ahead of the World Cup 2006, he even collaborated with Nike for a track called ‘Don’t Tread’.
His most recent performance was int the FIFA 15 launch in September, 2014. He has even released his debut album called ‘The Redux’.
Mike Chehade, a friend of Dempsey’s said, “He'll just call you sometimes and start freestyling – he doesn't even say hello … I’m not saying he’s Eminem, but he’s definitely qualified."
Here is the music video of ‘Don’t Tread’ performed by Clint ‘Deuce’ Dempsey:
#6 Gabriel Batistuta Polo
Gabriel Batistuta has been a menace, in front of goal while playing in the Serie A and for Argentina. After retirement, he even managed to complete his coaching badges from Argentina but still remains away from the sport at present, after quoting, “I don't like football, it's only my job.”
Instead in his free time he likes to sit on a horse and play the sport of polo, something which is very popular in his homeland. He started playing it while he was plying his trade for Fiorentina.
"Playing polo gets my adrenaline going; it's a similar sensation to the one I used to get when I walked onto a football pitch in Serie A or for Argentina."
"Every time I went back to Argentina on holidays, friends would invite me to play polo," he said in 2010. "I tried it out, and I ended up loving it. It's a hobby, but I always try to improve my standard, because the better I play, the more fun I have.”
#7 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Hunting
It seems like Zlatan likes to continue the things he does on the pitch, off it as well. While he hunts down defenders and scores jaw-dropping goals for fun, he likes to hunt down animals in his leisure time.
Ibrahimovic detailed about his liking for hunting in his autobiography, ‘I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic’. Reportedly, he even bought an entire island - Davensö island situated in the centre of a lake solely for the hunting grounds present there.
The island is 500 acres big and offers the chance to hunt wild boar and deer, as well as fish for pike and perch.
Zlatan also came under fire from animal rights activists in 2014 for shooting down a 500kg moose on one of his hunting trips. Apparently, he killed it with “one shot through its heart.”
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#8 Les Ferdinand Flying
If you were a football fan during the early days of the Premier League, you will remember Les Ferdinand as a legendary striker. But what you might not know is that Ferdinand is an avid flier and even has his own pilots license.
It was revealed by Ferdinand that when he made the move to Newcastle United from QPR, he tried his hand at several activities to keep himself entertained. He eventually started learning how to fly a helicopter and got his full license in 2004.
"It's a real release. When youre up there, you can completely disappear for a couple of hours nobody bothers you. I'm not a big drinker and I dont spend my money down at the bookies, but I do like to spoil myself from time to time and this is my indulgence."
Les Ferdinand soared high, when he became the first player in the PL to score for 6 different clubs, and now he soars high, literally!
#9 Lionel Messi PlayStation Online
All you people who play FIFA on their PlayStations over the internet – you might have played a game against Lionel Messi and wouldn’t have even realized it!
"I love playing PlayStation online with people who don’t know who I am," he said. “You get messages in English, in Japanese, from any other language. I’ve never sent anything bad but a got a couple of messages like that," he revealed.
For a man, who has won numerous accolades and awards, you would not expect him to get upset, over losing a football match in the virtual world. But on the contrary, he has admitted to the situation being quite the opposite. “Of course I get angry when I lose but I just disconnect and that’s it,” he said.
The Barcelona man also said that he likes to take the Barcelona philosophy on the PlayStation too wherein he retains possession to frustrate his opponents.
“When the match is complicated I keep the ball in defence. I play from one centre-half to the other and the opponent gets angry. I do it to kill time on the clock.”
Lionel Messi always chooses to play as either Argentina or Barcelona.
#10 Thomas Mueller Golf
He might have broken World Cup records at a relatively young age, but beneath all that is a man who likes his relaxation time. Golf helps him do just that and it is a fond hobby of his.
Mueller has even played golf for a charitable cause as brand ambassador for the Young Wings Association.
“It’s more fun to go with people and to enjoy the nature while playing golf. Golf is a nice hobby because one can switch off really well,” claimed Mueller.
After working hard on the pitch to give his oppositions problems, a good game or two of golf works perfectly for him.
See this video of Mueller gatecrashing a Bayern Munchen training session, by riding a golf-kart on the pitch.
