From Weah to Romario, through Shevchenko and several Italian world champions in 1982
While the exciting news for A Gabriel Omar Batistuta is a potential candidate for mayor of Florenceit becomes almost inevitable that we trace the careers of those former great players who, once they hung up their boots, decided to try the road… Policy. Not all of them are as lucky. It doesn’t just exist between them Mayorslike nerve, Thomas And Kaladze, but also senators, city councillors, councillors, and even prime ministers. Here are some of the most important ones.
George Wea
The former AC Milan, 1995 Ballon d’Or winner, was a senator for Montserrado County, in Liberia, from 2015 to 2018, and since January of that year has been the 25th president of his native country.
Gianni Rivera
The AC Milan legend, winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1969, has had a long career in politics: MP from 1987 to 2001 in four different legislative assemblies; Secretary of the Chamber between 1995 and 1996; Undersecretary of Defense from 1996 to 2001; European Parliament from 2005 to 2009.
Romario
Currently a senator for Rio de Janeiro, the 1994 world champion with the Seleção was also a federal deputy for the state of Carioca (from 2011 to 2015), and from 2021 to 2023, he was second vice president of the Federal Senate of Brazil.
Pepito
Like his “twin” in the Green and Gold national team, he was also elected federal representative for the state of Rio de Janeiro in the 2010 elections and held the position for three consecutive terms.
Pellet
Among the many corporate positions he held after the end of his career, O Rey was also Minister of Sports in the Brazilian government between 1995 and 1998.
Cuathémoc Blanco
The Mexican football legend, since 2018 has served as president of the state of Morelos, in the south-central part of the country.
Hakan Sukur
The former Inter player was elected as a deputy in the Turkish Parliament, the Grand National Assembly, in 2011, but resigned in 2013 after the collapse of relations between President Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen. He has lived in the United States since 2015 and has been in virtual exile since 2016 after an arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with the coup attempt that occurred that year.
Julio Ibagua
A long career between Serie B and Serie C, with a very short Serie A experience for Catania. Since 2021 he has been a member of the municipal council of Varese.
Alessandro Altobelli
One of the most prolific strikers in Inter’s history, in 1991 he was elected to the Brescia City Council, where he later also served as Sports Councilor. In 1996 he was also a candidate for the House of Representatives, but was not elected.
Massimo Mauro
He won two championships with Juventus and the Super Cup with Napoli. He was a member of Parliament from 1996 to 2001, and in 2006 he was also elected a member of the Turin City Council.
Politicians… were absent
Many great former footballers have tried to pursue a political career, but to no avail: the latest one Salvatore Bagni And Ricardo Zampaniacandidates for councilors in Quarto and Terni respectively in the local elections of spring 2023, but we should also remember them Marco Tardelli (Candidate for the European elections in 2004), Paolo Rossi (European Championship 1999), Cicio Graziani (Candidate for Senate in the 1994 elections) And of course Andrey ShevchenkoWho remained under the threshold with “Ukraine Avanti!” In the 2012 national elections.
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