Micah Richards founded successful 'side business' at 18 that's now worth millions

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards founded a 'side business' when he was 18 which has gone on to earn him millions.

The BBC and Sky Sports pundit, who also appears on CBS and 'The Rest is Football', retired from professional football aged 31 in 2019 due to a knee injury.

Richards was well prepared for life after retirement, as he quickly began appearing as a pundit on TV and radio and has since established himself as a household name on various football coverage.

He spent 14 years of his career - 10 as a professional - at Manchester City, making his first team debut at the age of just 17 in October 2005.

Richards quickly gained a regular spot in the starting XI and featured in 29 games as City won their first Premier League title in 2012.

Opportunities were limited after that campaign and Richards eventually left the Etihad Stadium in 2015 to join Aston Villa.

But speaking on 'The Rest is Football' in December 2023, Richards revealed that he always had something away from football to keep him occupied when he wasn't on the pitch.

"I started a property company when I was 18," he said. "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."

The Daily Star reported in 2020 that Richards' property portfolio was worth over £5 million.

Further details of his 'side business' have come to light in recent days, with Richards revealing on 'The Rest is Football' that he is a landlord to a current Premier League manager.

Much of Richards' property portfolio is based in Yorkshire, and Leeds boss Daniel Farke rents one of his houses.

Whites goalkeeper Illan Meslier was another one of his tenants as of 2021, though it is unclear whether that arrangement still stands.

"I really like their manager, Daniel Farke - probably more because he rents my flat in Harrogate!" he said.