14 footballers that played a different sport as Gareth Bale becomes playable on PGA

Former footballers are finding new challenges in different sports, showcasing their exceptional skills and versatility.

Examples include Petr Cech excelling in ice hockey, Clive Allen trying his hand at American Football, and Lev Yashin pursuing success in bandy and ice hockey.

These athletes demonstrate that with determination and the right mindset, even after retirement from one sport, there are opportunities to continue competing and achieving greatness in other sports.

Becoming a professional footballer is a hard enough dream as it is, and only the elite really make it to the highest level. But what do you do once you call it quits? Do you follow the new trend and head into a comfortable job on TV and do some punditry? Or do you take a risk and really challenge yourself even further?

For those players who chose to flip things upside down and really test their mettle, a new sporting career was chosen as the way to go. Not content with succeeding in just the one sport, the players on this list embarked on a new challenge to master a second, and in the case of a few, even juggled both at the same time…

After several years at the top of the game and winning everything, Petr Cech wasn’t content with being one of the best goalkeepers of the modern era in football, and so decided to take his talents to ice hockey after his retirement. The former Czech Republic international signed for Guildford Phoenix of the National Ice Hockey League Division 2 back in October 2019 as a goaltender, and it was no surprise that he took to that position like a duck to water.

On his debut, the former Chelsea star was named man-of-the-match for stopping two penalties in a shoot-out victory – wonder where he learned that skill from – while he would go on to win the treble with Guildford in the 2021/2022 campaign. After then moving to Division 1 side Chelmsford Chieftains in November 2022, Cech would make the move to Oxford City Stars earlier this summer. Considering he’s also a keen drummer too, the 41-year-old has just been blessed with a wide range of talents.

A legend at Tottenham, Clive Allen also tried his hand at American Football, becoming a placekicker for the London Monarchs. The former striker bagged 60 goals in just 105 games for Spurs, and would also play for the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and West Ham in his illustrious career. Then, after hanging up his footballing boots, Allen played as a kicker for the Monarchs in NFL Europe. Given the kind of technique and skill honed over the years playing football, it’s no surprise the now 62-year-old did decide to go in that direction. In fact, Allen has even tipped England star Harry Kane to become a success in the NFL as a kicker once he does decide to retire from football.

“Former strikers are the ones that can do it well. Kane has a great interest in it and I wouldn’t be surprised if in years to come he’ll be kicking an NFL football. I’m sure he could adapt his style to do the job and I wouldn’t put it past him being very successful at it.”

Hands up if you knew bandy was a sport? Incredibly similar to ice hockey, bandy is played with a ball instead of a puck, has 11 players on each side like in football, and is usually played on bigger ice rinks than the ones used for ice hockey. Widely talked about as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Lev Yashin – yes, the man who played for a while with a cap – tried to conquer not one sport, not two, but three as he chased success in bandy and ice hockey too.

His footballing career saw him amass 326 appearances for one club, Dynamo Moscow, while also adding another 74 international caps playing for the Soviet Union. Given his super-quick reflexes and agility, it was no surprise that Yashin decided to put those goalkeeping skills to further use by playing bandy and ice hockey too. In fact, as he was trying to break into the senior squad for Dynamo’s football side, he was also playing goalkeeper for the organisation’s ice hockey team too. In fact, it was only after having managed to win the USSR ice hockey cup back in 1953 – three years after he had started with Dynamo – that he stopped playing a year later so he could concentrate on his football.

After getting tired of banging in the goals for the likes of Celtic, Barcelona and Sweden, Henrik Larsson turned his hand to floorball – essentially, a version of floor hockey played indoors. In fact, the former striker actually started off his career in the game back in 1989, playing at a competitive level. Then, in November 2008, he restarted his floorball career, playing for Swedish Super League side Helsingborg. On just his second game for the club, he would bag two assists and would be subsequently voted as man of the match.

Indeed, following his debut game, reports claimed 210,000 people followed the match on TV, with the previous record being 70,000. That is what you call the ‘Henrik Larsson effect’ with the Swede clearly a fan favourite following his incredible and illustrious footballing career.

Most famous for being manager of the USA’s football team, Bruce Arena also picked up one senior cap for the USMNT, and showed his multi-sports skills by playing for his country’s lacrosse team too. In fact, the now 71-year-old didn’t just compete for them, but actually achieved significant success too. He was a part of the team that won the 1974 World Lacrosse Championship, and would also be involved when the USA finished runners-up in the following edition of the tournament.

Arena’s name is also enshrined at collegiate level due to his lacrosse and footballing days, with Cornell Big Red putting him in the Hall of Fame back in 1986. A team MVP back in 1973, he was also named the team’s most valuable player the year before when Cornell reached the semi-finals of the NCAA championships in football
Hurst – Cricket

Part of England’s only World Cup winning squad back in 1966, Sir Geoff Hurst actually balanced his footballing career with some cricketing commitments too. The hat-trick hero of 1966, the former striker actually played one first-class cricket game with Essex, although it wasn’t the most memorable of outings. After being 0 not out in the first innings, Hurst was clean bowled by Colin Hilton for a duck in the second.

The former West Ham star did however feature 23 times in the Essex Second XI between 1962 and 1964 as a wicket-keeper, but would then make the decision to dedicate his sole focus to football. Given how his career went following on from that, England fans certainly will be delighted that he chose to pursue footballing glory.

From winning Champions Leagues and Serie A’s, to losing in straight sets in the Aspira Tennis Cup, Italy legend Paolo Maldini took quite the career change. After retiring from the game following an incredible career with club and country, Maldini faced the question that all new retirees have to deal with: what to do after life in football? For the former defender, the answer was clear. The Italian and his coach, Stefano Landonio – a former world number 975 – entered into the Aspira tournament, but lasted only 41 minutes before they were defeated 6-1, 6-1 by Poland’s Tomasz Bednarek and the Netherlands’ David Pel. Despite the defeat, the legendary Italian star talked up the experience.

“We tried to enjoy the moment, also because I didn’t expect I’d be able to experience something like this at the age of 49​​. Ironically, on the very first point of the match I pulled a muscle. It was a unique and unrepeatable experience; I have lived it as a game and there will be no other experience like this. We could have played better on a few points, but no problem. It could have ended 6-0 6-3, we lost 6-1 6-1 and that’s fine.”

Arguably the most surprising entry on this list, Ivan Perisic decided that using the summer break to take a long holiday after the footballing season ends wasn’t the thing for him. Instead, in 2017 while he was with Serie A side Inter, the now Tottenham star made his debut in a professional beach volleyball tournament. The versatile winger partnered with international compatriot Niksa Dell’Orco to represent Croatia at the Porec Major event, but lost in straight sets in their opening game of the tournament. Perisic also suffered defeat in the competition’s second game, but was adamant afterwards that he did not regret the experience having always wanted to get involved while growing up.

“This was always my dream. I have been playing beach volleyball since I was 10. I’m very passionate about this game and every summer I have been practising with my friend. I’d like to thank everyone who has given me the opportunity to play with the best beach volleyball players in the world. It felt amazing — even though I lost.”

A former Premier League footballer turned professional boxer, Leon McKenzie started his sporting career with Crystal Palace in the mid-1990s, and would go on to make 85 appearances for the club. The striker would really enter prominence with his stint at Norwich City though, where he played 40 games in the Premier League and even netted seven times. January 2013 would see him officially retire from the game, and within six months, he would already embark on his boxing career.

The son of former British and European boxing champion Clinton McKenzie, Leon would win his first title by beating Ivan Stupalo to win the International masters belt, and eventually earned a shot for the British super-middleweight title. However, he would suffer his first loss of his professional career in that fight against Jahmaine Sm