Ex-football greats shoot for business glory with tech ventures

Former Brazilian football star Ronaldinho Gaucho (L) and football player Luis Figo (R) sit during a talk at the Web Summit at Parque das Nacoes, Lisbon on November 8, 2016. Europe's largest tech event Web Summit will be held at Parque das Nacoes in Lisbon form Monday to Thursday, November 10. / AFP PHOTO / PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA

LISBON: There was a time, before TV deals brought untold riches to the game, when retiring footballers had little in the bank and few options for the rest of their lives. 

But as the boom of the past two decades has transformed the business fortunes of the big clubs, so has it opened up new vistas for cashed-up players when they end their on-pitch careers.