WHAT better way to spend a well-earned break before the football season than a cruise on your very own luxury superyacht?
Imagine soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine next to your very own infinity pool and relaxing in the onboard ‘beach club’ before being treated to a feast prepared by your private chef.
Or picture yourself trying to work out if you want the 100 metre boat or the 120 metre one – and do you really think one helipad will be enough?
For most of us it’ll never be anything more than a pipe dream.
But it’s no fantasy if you’re one of the mega-wealthy football players or club owners who can count a superyacht as part of their collection.
That’s alongside the multi-million pound properties and supercars they already own.
These floating palaces are decked out everything from multiple guest suites to personal bars and cinema rooms.
And in case you’re worried about getting bored while moored out in the glittering sea, many of them come with a host of onboard amenities like tennis courts, gyms and spas.
Here we take a look at the superyachts owned by those with the deepest pockets in football.
David Beckham
On top of homes in London, the Cotswolds, and Miami , the Beckhams are proud owners of a lavish floating mega mansion.
The £14.8million yacht is named Seven, in reference to the footballer’s Number 7 shirt, and also his daughter Harper’s middle name.
Boasting five rooms for ten guests and measuring more than 40 metres, they bought the vessel after trading in a smaller one they owned that was worth £5m.
The couple were also very hands on when it came to ensuring it was up to scratch – and took inspiration from their friends Elton John and David Furnish .
An insider at the time said: “David had a look around some yachts in the summer and decided to treat himself. He helped design the boat himself and has been incredibly hands-on with everything.
“It’s not an oligarch-style super-yacht, but it’s still pretty plush by anyone’s standards. He was inspired after holidaying with Elton and David on their boat – and he loves life on the water,” the source added.
“There will be an area for the kids to snorkel, and the boat will be a brilliant base for the whole Beckham clan to have magical holidays abroad.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese legend splashed out on the £5.5million Azimut Grande in 2020, and wasted no time in taking it for a spin around the Italian coast for a family holiday.
The 26-metre yacht boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a huge lounge and an ultra-lavish dining room.
The Italian-built yacht has featured plenty on Ronaldo and his now-fiance Georgina’s social media.
Snaps show the family lounging on the deck and showing off all the boat’s luxurious features in the Mediterranean sunshine.
Sheikh Mansour
The Man City owner’s £500million superyacht is so big at 160 metres that it would only just be able to fit inside the Etihad Stadium.
The fourth largest yacht in the world at the time of its construction, it boasts 40 cabins for up to 48 guests and not one, but two helipads.
The Sheikh named the vessel Blue, in homage to the eight-time Premier League-winning side he owns.
With a fuel tank capacity estimated to be around 300,000 gallons, it could cost around £488,000 to refuel.
But that’s just pocket change to the oil-rich Sheikh, whose fortune is thought to be north of £17billion.
Zlatan Ibrahimovich
He’s always been a bit of a show off – but who can blame him when he was one of the best footballers in the world and raking in millions every year?
Not one to be outclassed by his peers, the Swedish star took delivery of the 34-metre superyacht named Unknown in 2022.
It’s unclear exactly what he paid for it, but it’s believed to be worth around £12million, an upgrade on the £6million yacht he owned before this .
The hefty price tag isn’t surprising given it features an infinity pool, no-expense-spared designer interiors, and multiple decks for alfresco dining.
Growing up in poverty, the former AC Milan and Manchester Utd striker has every right to be proud of his success – and once even posted a side-by-side video on his Instagram, first of a picture in a tiny rowing boat as a child, and then chilling on his yacht as an adult.
It’s reported that he sold the yacht only a year later, however, to an undisclosed buyer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
His cost-cutting at United may have caused outcry from fans, but he won’t be able to hear their complaints from his £130million superyacht Hampshire II .
The billionaire tycoon’s vessel is almost 80 metres in length and caters for up to 14 guests, and like all quality superyachts features stylish wooden interiors and huge living areas.
At the back there’s a beach club and terraces that offer stunning views of the ocean, as well as a helipad.
Also in his fleet is the 74-metre Sherpa, worth £100million – but it doesn’t look like your usual superyacht.
When it docked in Aberdeen, one local remarked: “He needs to rethink his boat – some fishing boats look better than that.”
That’s because it’s designed to travel to extreme locations around the world, and is equipped with a crane and storage facilities for long research voyages.
There’s also a helipad, two VIP suites, a bar and a dining area.
Mohammad bin Salman
Given their immense oil wealth, it’s not at all surprising that the Newcastle owner has a boat that rivals Sheik Mansour’s in size.
He bought the 130-metre-long Serene off Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler for more than £400million back in 2015.
Its seven decks have space for two helipads, a “snow room”, indoor climbing wall, underwater viewing room and even a submersible.
For a while it was also believed to be home to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting the Salvator Mundi , which was reportedly bought by the prince for £340million in 2017.
Joe Lewis
Self-made billionaire Tottenham owner Joe Lewis grew up in the East End of London – and his massive superyacht Aviva can sometimes be seen moored in the Thames.
The £113million boat has been dubbed his “mobile office” and even boasts a state-of-the-art tennis court in a room measuring 20 metres in length.
The whole vessel comes in at almost 100 metres, and also features a beach club, swimming pool, “secret” cinema room and piano saloon.
No expense was spared on decoration either, with one wall adorned with a priceless artwork by British painter Francis Bacon.
The Spurs players even had a chance to step aboard back in May 2013 when the vessel was moored up in Lewis’s favorite haunt, the Bahamas.
John W Henry
When Liverpool owner John W Henry needs some time away to soak in his team’s success, you might find him relaxing on his yacht named Elysian.
The lavish boat, worth £68million, is packed full of luxury features including an infinity pool, fireplace, gym, and spa.
At nearly 66 metres in length, it’s able to accommodate up to 12 guests in its six lavish staterooms.
The yacht was owned by Russian oligarch Georgy Bedzhamov until 2016.
