Barcelona fans may still be reeling from the $20 million transfer for striker Martin Braithwaite back in February 2020. But doubts on the pitch never got in the way of Braithwaite off it.
The 33-year-old Dane is an astute businessman, amassing a fortune of $250 million from his various real estate and fashion businesses. His wife, Anne-Laure, is a journalist and budding entrepreneur.
Instead of examining how famous footballers spend their multi-million-dollar salaries on material goods, let’s explore how Braithwaite makes millions off the field because that’s where Braithwaite makes serious money.
Braithwaite was once Barcelona’s 20th highest wage earner at $100k/week. The free-agent striker spent the last two seasons at Espanyol before triggering his own release clause for mistreatment in summer 2024. He flexed to buy the Catalan club as vengeance, before inking a deal with Gremio. The striker brings his entrepreneurial acumen and goal-scoring talents to Brazil.
Property Empire
In 2017, Braithwaite co-founded the real estate investment firm NYCE Companies with his uncle Philip Michael. They started off with a mere $800,000 investment, which has since ballooned into the millions.
They invested $10 million in a tech-powered student housing complex for Temple University in Philadelphia. The smart tech apartment opened in 2000, followed by similar collegiate properties at Mercer and Summit in New York.
Noting the significant economic disparity between white and non-white millennials, the Millenial Wealth Gap, the two were focused on building affordable homes in developing areas.
In addition, they’ve built an online real estate NYCE app that allows anyone to invest in real estate for a few hundred bucks. As of July 2020, the app, dubbed “the Robinhood of Real Estate,” had over 500 investors, a majority of them investors of color.
NYCE Companies now operates 1500+ properties around Philadelphia and New Jersey, with a reported portfolio worth $222 million.
“I always had this American side, and I think maybe that’s why my mindset is maybe more American: dreaming big, doing amazing things, writing goals down,” Braithwaite told The Philadelphia Inquirer back in 2021.
“In Denmark, we have an amazing system protecting the people. Everyone is good. No one needs anything. In America, it’s not really the same thing.”
Restaurants and clothing line
Braithwaite and his wife Anne-Laure are also founders of a restaurant business and clothing line.
In June 2021, the two opened up a vegetarian restaurant on Barcelona’s Gava beach. They named the place Gave, nearly eponymous with the southern city beach and not to be confused with Barca starlet Gavi.
The Braithwaites have since expanded from the restaurant business to specializing in home-cooked meals. Braithwaite’s Kitchen wants to tailor healthy meals for busy athletes and professionals who do not have access to or the millions to hire a personal chef.
Meanwhile, Anne-Laure runs the day-to-day business behind women’s French fashion line Trente.
He has already joined former teammate Lionel Messi on the Forbes ranking of the wealthiest athletes in the world. Braithwaite’s next goal is to become a billionaire, and no one is doubting him.
Photo: Instagram/braithwaiteofficial
