Martin Braithwaite is now one of the richest footballers in the world

Football is looking to be more of a hobby for this business giant

Martin Braithwaite has come a long way since his days with Middlesbrough in the Championship back in 2017. He is now one several burning a hole through Barcelona pockets and helped see Denmark through to the Semi-finals of this year's Euros.

According to the Sun, Braithwaite is actually joint 14th for the highest-paid players, with Messi and De Long dominating the top spots. But with only being paid £85,000 a week (such a tiny amount), how has Braithwaite secured himself as one of the most wealthy footballers in the world? https://www.instagram.com/p/B9B8kO5htE1/ Back in 2017, while he was still with Middlesbrough, Braithwaite invested $850,000 into the US real estate market with his uncle, Philip Michael. Through NYCE Companies, their business grew to $10m by the end of the year, but four years on, it is worth a staggering $250m. Braithwaite and his uncle reportedly own 1,500 apartments and have 500 more in development. “It started with our family having been in the real estate business for a long time. Here you will find that one of the ways you can build a fortune and secure your future financially is by investing in real estate. And that's what I've been doing with my dad and Martin since I came over here,” says Michael. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OE_DjBLh3/ “Martin’s role is very much about how we do in terms of strategy and vision in the long run. He is involved, but not so involved that it distracts him from football." Though Braithwaite's success on the pitch is undeniable, he proves that true success lies off the pitch. Some of the greatest players in history retired from football and refused to fade into obscurity. Whether through business, modelling, fashion, or partnerships, such players prove their true value is not inherently linked to just ninety minutes. But while Braithwaite may own real estate and a successful restaurant, his wife also is enormously successful in the realm of fashion. Her brand Trente does enormously well in France, which only adds to the Braithwaite fortune. We love a modern power couple. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMK63nuhp--/ So, while he may not be getting major minutes at Barca, they've been struggling to shift him since last year - meanwhile, he picking up pay packets left, right and centre. Not bad for a 'flop'.