Micah Richards founded successful 'side business' when he was 18 that is now worth millions

Micah Richards has revealed a side business' that he opened as a teenager that has since reportedly earned him a fortune.

Beloved Sky Sports, BBC and CBS Sports pundit Richards won the Premier League title while playing for Manchester City in 2012, but retired from football early at the age of 31 after suffering from several knee injuries.

But Richards wasn't prepared to leave football after hanging up his boots, as Richards decided to enter into the world of sports media - where he has gone on to become one of football's most popular pundits.

And while speaking on a recent episode of 'The Rest is Football' podcast, the 36-year-old revealed to co-hosts Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer that he has also earned significant money from a 'side business' that he set up when he was just 18 years old.

He explained: "When football's finished, you've got nothing to fall back on. There is [a lot of life after football].

"I started a property company when I was 18. When things weren't going right, or even when things were going right, I had a distraction from football 24/7.

"I was building up my property portfolio, I started doing developments around the Leeds and Manchester area. It just gave me a purpose after football.

"I didn't know I was going to be a pundit after football. The way my career ended, I didn't want to be anywhere near football.

"But having that other thing to turn to, in my case property, it really did help in terms of having a schedule and giving me that work balance. It was really good for me."

In 2020, the Daily Star reported that Richards' property portfolio grew to be worth £5 million - and a source claimed to the outlet that he was jokingly dubbed 'Mr Monopoly' among some of his friends.

The source said: "Micah has been investing in property for years and some of the places he bought years ago went for a song.

"He's always been smart with his cash. People joke he's got more addresses than a Monopoly board."

In 2021, Richards revealed that Leeds goalkeeper Ilian Meslier was renting one of his houses in Harrogate - jokingly adding that he would not be criticising him on-air as a result.