Kick Start: Djokovic Invests in Football Club

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Novak Djokovic is kicking in a new investment.

The Grand Slam king has invested in the Le Mans football (soccer) team, Le Mans FC announced today.

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Former world No. 1 Djokovic joins Georgios Frangulis, the Brazilian businessman owner of Oakberry best known to tennis fans as Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, former Formula 1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen and South American sports investment firm OutField as new investors in Le Mans FC.

“Novak Djokovic, tennis legend and the most successful player in history, whose mental strength and unique approach will add considerable value,” Thierry Gomez, Le Mans FC owner and president said in a statement.

“We have to be aware that the economic model of football has changed, with a tightening of the elite and the arrival of new investors,” Le Mans FC owner Gomez said. “To exist in this new context and hope to continue to grow, we have no choice but to adapt, because our ambition remains the same: to fill the stadium and share beautiful emotions together, like in our last match against Versailles.

“That’s why I’m pleased today to announce the arrival of our new financial partner: OutField, the leader in sports investment in Latin America, and Georgios Frangulis, founder and CEO of OakBerry. They have the particularity of being a Brazilian investment fund. You know my love for the game… and who better than the Brazilian team symbolizes, in the world of football, the beautiful game?

“The particularity of this fund also lies in its contribution to high-level athletes. Thus, Novak Djokovic, Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen will be part of the adventure.”

Djokovic, who comes from a family of champion skiers, is also a skilled soccer and basketball player. He’s shared his soccer skills both in pick-up games with fellow pros on the Indian Wells grass and in charity football matches.

The 38-year-old Serbian superstar is also good friends with WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis. During Wimbledon, Sabalenka shared Djokovic has given her advice on coping with the pressures of world No. 1.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion jokingly jabbed Sabalenka in an Instagram post yesterday as he reposted images from his GQ phot shoot captioned “this is how you strike a pose Aryna Sabalenka.”

Novak Djokovic invests in French football club with former F1 stars

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Like many times before, Novak Djokovic is expanding his portfolio beyond tennis. The 24-time Major winner became an investor in French Ligue 2 football club Le Mans FC.

The club earned the promotion back to the second division. On Friday, they shared huge news with their fans, announcing Novak as part of a high-profile group led by Brazilian investment firm OutField and former Formula 1 drivers, Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen.

Le Mans was founded in 1985. This year, they are celebrating their 40th anniversary with the arrival of athletes of Djokovic's stature as a strategic asset and a long-term plan.

Djokovic's renowned mental strength and unique mindset should bring value on and off the court. Meanwhile, Massa and Magnussen will bridge football and motorsport, as the little French town stages the most acknowledged endurance race every June. 

Racing heritage is already there, and football should join in the upcoming years if everything develops as planned. Novak continues to pursue tennis history at 38, still feeling the old desire to chase notable titles. 

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025© X – Wimbledon

 

However, his latest move marks a new venture into football ownership. Le Mans FC kicks off its Ligue 2 season on August 9, and the investment underscores a broader trend of elite athletes diversifying their impact beyond their primary careers.

Novak is a massive football fan. He enjoys watching matches whenever he can, in Belgrade or worldwide. We have also seen him in various charity matches with his colleagues and other athletes. 

Now, the time has come to take that admiration to another level and open the new realm of football ownership. Novak should watch the start of Ligue 2 from Cincinnati if he enters the seventh Masters 1000 of the season.