8 footballers with random jobs as international goalscorer becomes Uber driver

A footballer's career is a strange one when you consider that most are retired by the time they've reached middle aged.

From gracing pitches across the globe in front of thousands of fans each week and training intensely every day, to nothing immediately after they've hung up their boots.

Players are now urged to line themselves up a second career even whilst they are still turning out for their clubs each week to fill the void that football leaves behind.

And whilst many opt to go into coaching or football-related endeavours, a host of stars turn their attentions elsewhere - some of which in the most random of places.

Here Mirror Football has rounded up X former elite footballers now plying their trade doing something completely unexpected.

Hakan Sukur - Uber taxi driver

Once Turkey's goal machine, Hakan Suker is more likely to be seen behind the wheel than spearheading his country's attack.

Suker banged in 51 goals for Turkey over 112 appearances - including the quickest World Cup goal ever in just 10.8 seconds at the 2002 tournament in South Korea.

Since his retirement from the game, Sukur has hit the headlines for various reasons, including a warrant put out for his arrest in Turkey which forced him to flee to America.

Now residing in the USA, Sukur told German outlet, Welt am Sonntag (via The Star ): "I moved to the United States, initially running a cafe in California, but strange people kept coming into the bar.

"Now I drive for Uber and I sell books."

The warrant was put out for his arrest due to allegations Sukur was involved with the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO), who are also linked with the failed coup of Turkey's government in 2016.

Sukur protests his innocence, though, stating: "Nobody seems able to explain what my role in this coup was supposed to be.

"I never did anything illegal; I am not a traitor or a terrorist.

"I have nothing left, [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan took everything: my right to liberty, freedom of expression and right to work."

Arjan de Zeeuw - Detective

Once a towering defender snuffing out opponents' attacks, former Wigan and Portsmouth star Arjan de Zeeuw now keeps himself busy tracking down criminals in his native Holland.

De Zeeuw admitted he needed to venture off into a new area of expertise after his playing days were over, and ended up bumping into an old friend in Alkmaar who got him working as a detective.

"Like football it's very much a team effort. You rarely ever solve a crime on your own," De Zeeuw told the BBC.

He still kept himself fit though, by playing for the Dutch national police team.

Grant Holt - Wrestler

Former Norwich striker Grant Holt had a reputation for being a physical opponent, so it's no surprise he was able to transfer some of his target man skills into being a fully-fledged wrestler.

And the ex-Premier League star - who was once on the verge of an England call-up - even hinted he would have focused more on a career in the ring had he done it earlier.

"It started off like, I'll just do it," Holt said, as he recalled how he agreed to a charity event.

"Then I thought if I'm going to a show, why don't I do it properly? Why don't I do it properly for the year and build up to the show. What I didn't want to be is someone who stands on the apron, comes in, kicks someone and they say 'oh yeah, that footballer.' I didn't want to be that."

Holt eventually signed a proper contract with Norfolk-based wrestling promotion company WAW.

"I wanted to do it properly, know the holds, the ins and outs. I wanted to give it the deserved effort. If I'd have known what I do now and people could have taught me how to wrestle when I was a kid, I would have been all over it. It just wasn't there where I was."

Ex-Germany goalkeeper Tim Wiese actually went one better, earning himself a contract with leading franchise WWE, though 'The Machine's' secondary career was short-lived.

Holt has long left the wrestling scene and returned to his football roots, as he now coaches in Norwich's academy.

Ramon Vega - Financier

Despite reaching the dizzy heights of winning the League Cup with Tottenham in 1999, Ramon Vega's career in the Premier League is largely deemed as unremarkable.

The same cannot be said, however, for his post-retirement exploits in the world of finance.

Vega became a hedge fund manager after quitting the game and at one stage managed more than £1billion in assets for his clients.

Sadly for him, Brexit caused a huge downturn in profits, eventually leading to the liquidation of his firm.

Vega most recently hit headlines by teasing he would message billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk to ask him to buy his old club Spurs.

Gavin Peacock - Pastor

The football pitch to the media studio is a path well worn these days be ex-pros looking to keep some attachment with the beautiful game.

But even a regular slot on BBC's sports programmes was not enough for former Chelsea star Gavin Peacock, who followed his Christian faith to become a pastor.

Peacock had already been preaching in his local church towards the end of his playing career and eventually made the jump full-time after undertaking a three-year masters course in Canada, now serving as a pastor at Calvary Grace Church.

Philippe Albert - Greengrocer

Part of Newcastle's group of 'Entertainers' under Kevin Keegan, Belgian cenre-back Philippe Albert is best remembered for an audacious chip over Peter Schmeichel in the 5-0 drubbing of Manchester United in 1997.

He continued playing after departing St James' Park, but eventually retired in 2000 before becoming a greengrocer for a fruit and vegetable company.

Speaking to The Guardian two years ago, Albert said: "I would prepare the produce for customers. I did it for 11 years and didn't touch the money I earned in my football career.

"Up early, finishing late, that's what I wanted: a normal life. I'm very proud of it. Otherwise when you stop football, you do nothing. You have no life."

Fabien Barthez - Racing driver

Few Premier League goalkeepers have been quite as eccentric as ex-Manchester United stopper Fabian Barthez.

Renowned for the odd moment of madness which would ultimately end in a calamitous mistake, the Frenchman still boasts a World Cup winners medal from his country's triumph in 1998.

It was at that tournament which Barthez was in the headlines for letting his teammates kiss his bald head as a good luck charm.

So it would be interesting to know whether he still keeps up the routine, given he is now hurtling round a track at high speed as a racing car driver.

Barthez stepped into the drivers' pit in 2008 - just a year after retiring - and has since gone on to become a French GT champion.

He then set up his own racing team and is due to race in his fourth Le Mans race this year.

Barthez said: "I have always been fascinated by motorsport, even when I was playing football. It always intrigued me.

"I wanted to understand what it felt like being in a car. I had to wait until the end of my pro career to try it.

"That said, it's not like football: you can still be good even when you are 35, which was my age when I stopped playing."

Thomas Gravesen - Poker star

Possibly the greatest and most well-documented story of a former footballer who has ventured into a new profession.

For a player who has featured in the Premier League, for his country and Real Madrid, it would be pretty difficult to top his professional football career.

Yet ex-Everton hardman Thomas Gravesen's life post-football is like something out of a Hollywood film - and some of the cast members would be his neighbours!

Gravesen turned to poker after hanging up his boots and reportedly raked in millions in winnings in Las Vegas.

There were rumours he had cashed in more than £100m from the table, to which he jokingly responded to FourFourTwo: "Only £100million? Where's the rest."

The Dane lived in Sin City for eight years, and resided in a pad on 'Millionaire Row' with model wife Kamilla Persse - and had actor Nicolas Cage on the same street, as well as tennis star Andre Agassi.

"What can I say? They were my neighbours!" he said, but has since returned to his homeland to work as a pundit.

"I'm back in Denmark again now," he added. "I miss football and all the things around it, so it was a chance to be a part of it again."