How a Man City academy graduate set up a multi-million pound fashion company after quitting aged 26 - with his net worth exceeding Harry Kane
Former Man City academy graduate Reece Wabara has become one of the richest ex-footballers after quitting the game at the age of 26 to build a fashion business reportedly worth £83million.
Wabara made one appearance in the Premier League during his time at Man City, after joining the club's academy in 2007 having started out at Walsall.
The defender, an England youth international, came on in the closing stages of Man City's final match of the 2010-11 season as a substitute for Pablo Zabaleta.
Wabara had several loan spells in the football league with Ipswich Town, Oldham Athletic and Blackpool, before joining Doncaster Rovers on a permanent deal in 2014 following an initial loan.
He ultimately decided to call time on his football career in 2017 after making 148 professional appearances, having finished with short-lived spells at Barnsley, Wigan and finally Bolton.
Wabara's retirement came as he decided to focus his attentions on his fashion business, which he established in 2013 while at Man City.
Speaking to The Times in 2021, Wabara said he decided to establish the fashion label Maniere De Voir following a conversation with his old school friend Lewis Morgan, the co-founder of Gymshark.
'I asked, where can I maximise my potential to be great? I knew the odds were heavily against me being a Champions League and England footballer.
'I always had a way of dressing that was different and Lewis said to me, "You should do something in fashion.'
Wabara founded Maniere De Voir with an initial £15,000 investment, having been on wages of £3,000 at the time, with Morgan taking a 17 per cent stake to help set up the business.
Wabara claimed juggling football and fashion 'relentless' and opted to focus on the fashion label after his manager said his focus had been split by football and his business.
The business turned over a reported £1million in its first year, with the range including £30 T-shirts and £90 tracksuits.
While the Manchester-based company has focused on women's clothes, boxing star Anthony Joshua and Arsenal's Raheem Sterling have worn and endorsed the brand.
In 2024, Wabara's net worth was reported to have reached £83million through the company.
The figure saw Wabara ranked 33rd on the Sunday Times' Young Rich List, with his wealth having risen from £26 million the previous year
Wabara played for several teams in the football league and represented England at youth level
At the time, Wabara was estimated to have been worth more than England captain Harry Kane, Sterling and former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, who had also made the top 40.
Last year Wabara, who has paid himself a salary of around £111,000, bought out Morgan's shares for £9.4million to own the company outright.
Maniere De Voir, having initially sold exclusively online for 10 years, officially opened its first store at Oxford Street in December 2023.
In December, the Wabara announced his company would be opening their second store in New York.
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