'It was fun while it lasted': Usain Bolt signals end of professional football dream
After pursuing contracts with various football clubs across the globe following his retirement from track & field, Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt has decided to cut short his dream in favor of focusing on his business interests.
The triple world record holder and multiple-time winner of Olympic gold already boasts a sporting career which will be forever etched in the history books, but he admits that his time as a professional athlete has come to an end.
Since ending his sprinting career in 2017, Bolt had attended trials at numerous clubs, including German giants Borussia Dortmund. His most notable impact was with the Australian team Central Coast Mariners, for whom he scored twice in a friendly game but was unable to agree terms on a permanent contract.
Bolt's time in Australia drew significant media attention, though some players in the league saw his trial as little more than a publicity stunt.
"[He has] shown a bit of potential but it's a little bit of a kick in the teeth to the professionals that are in the league," former Irish international Andy Keogh, who represents Perth Glory, said adding that Bolt's first touch was like a "trampoline".
"I don't want to say it wasn't dealt with properly, but I think we went about it, not the way we should and you learn your lesson, you live and you learn," Bolt told ESPN announcing his decision. "It was a good experience. I really enjoyed just being in a team and it was different from track and field and it was fun while it lasted."
Bolt also trained with Norway's Stromsgodset and turned down the offer of a two-year contract from the Maltese club Valetta last October. Afterwards, the club suggested that their offer to Bolt would be permanently "on the table."
The 32-year-old won gold in three successive Olympic Games and is a virtually unanimous choice as the greatest sprinter to ever live, but now says that his attention will turn fully to his various business ventures.
"I'm just doing many different things. The sports life is over, so I'm now moving into different businesses, I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I'm just dabbling in everything and trying to be a business man now."
