Blaise Matuidi: ‘David Beckham was a big part of why I moved to MLS’

Although Blaise Matuidi’s time in MLS with Inter Miami did not provide the desired results on the pitch, his spell in Florida has helped inspire his next step. Matuidi has had an interest in business for a number of years, investing in various tech startups, including alongside NBA star LeBron James.

“When I see athletes here in the United States, I think they have something different to European athletes and the difference is that they know about business. They are experts in their own field but they are also very focused in making other things in life, especially business,” says the Frenchman.

“I think in Europe our goals are in sport and we are focused on that. I think there are few players that are open-minded but a lot are focused only on the sport. I understand that, as we are born like that. In the academy, people say: ‘I have to be focused only on football’. Here in the United States, it is something different as when sportspeople go to university they go with engineers, people who work with electrics, and they are all together. In Europe when we go to academies, we are only players. I think it is a big difference and that’s when we create Origins.”

Origins is planned as a tech investment fund for athletes, including Matuidi’s fellow World Cup winners N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud. The athletes aim to pool their financial clout and social media influence to help grow new companies. Matuidi wants to show players they can look outside of sports for opportunities and show they are more than just athletes.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham is a prime example of a footballer who has moved into the business world. When Matuidi was looking for a new challenge, it was his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate’s new