Former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has revealed how the discipline and focus from his football career were fundamental to building a billion-pound green energy business. The 42-year-old, who won three FA Cups with the Gunners, co-founded GF Biochemicals in 2013 while still playing for AC Milan.
Flamini's company mass-produces levulinic acid, a bio-based chemical with wide industrial applications. He balanced his role as CEO with playing in Serie A, a feat he compares to the demands of top-level sport. "An athlete is a bit like an entrepreneur or the CEO of a major company," Flamini said. He emphasized the need to handle immense pressure and give everything every single day, whether on the pitch or in the boardroom.
His passion for the environment began in childhood, collecting plastic from beaches with his father in Marseille. "From a very young age, I had the opportunity to understand the negative impact humans have on the planet," Flamini explained. This early awareness grew into a dedicated study of environmental science during his downtime from football, a period when many players might relax or shop.
He admitted he disliked chemistry and English at school but had to educate himself in both subjects to succeed in his venture. Surrounding himself with the right experts was key to turning his vision into a reality. The company, which he launched during his second spell in Italy, is now reportedly valued at over £10 billion.
Flamini's time at Arsenal, where he was named the club's player of the year and featured in the 2006 Champions League final, instilled a team ethos he applies to business. He stresses that team spirit, clear communication, and a shared mission are as vital in a company as they are in a dressing room. Officially retiring from football in 2020 after also winning a Serie A title, he sees his business career as living out a second passion.
The current Arsenal squad, sitting second in the Premier League with 15 points from six games, embodies a similar modern drive. They face Nottingham Forest away this weekend, looking to extend a recent run of four wins from their last five matches.
Flamini, capped by France, looks forward rather than back. He feels privileged to have made a living from his passions for so long and calls his journey from a childhood dream to a business reality an ongoing mission. His story shows how the rigours of a top football club can forge skills that translate far beyond the final whistle.
More detail at Daily Mirror Football
