Why Athletes Are Taking Over LinkedIn
For years, Instagram and TikTok were the natural home for athletes: fast engagement, big audiences, and the perfect place to celebrate a win or share a brand deal. But something interesting is happening in the world of sport. Athletes are quietly entering their LinkedIn era. More athletes are starting to realise that their career is bigger than the contract they sign today. They are thinking about ownership, influence, and how to build long-term value from their name, image, and brand. And that’s where LinkedIn comes in.
LinkedIn used to be seen as a platform for corporate professionals rather than athletes. But that’s changing. Today, LinkedIn is becoming one of the most powerful places to build credibility, create opportunities, and to shape the next chapter of your career. Below I’ll dive into why being on LinkedIn matters more than many athletes realise.
Your Career is Bigger Than Your Contract
A playing career eventually ends. Your influence doesn’t have to. The athletes who transition successfully after sport are usually the ones who start thinking about life beyond the game long before the final whistle.
LinkedIn gives you the space to show who you are beyond performance. It allows you to build a professional reputation and shape your identity outside matchday. A thoughtful professional presence helps partners, brands, and investors understand what you stand for beyond stats, trophies, or highlights. And that opens doors, from long-term brand collaborations, equity partnerships, speaking opportunities to leadership positions.
LinkedIn is Where Real Decisions are Made
Instagram gives you visibility, TikTok gives you reach, LinkedIn gives you access.
Commercial partnerships and meaningful opportunities rarely come from social hype alone. They come from decision-makers. And the people approving budgets, building partnerships, and deciding where capital flows are on LinkedIn.
When athletes enter that environment with intention, they stand out immediately. Not because they post the most, but because they show up where real decisions are made. Showing up in the right rooms matters far more than chasing likes everywhere.
It Builds Credibility in a Different Way
Fans and brands increasingly want to understand the person behind the performance. Athletes already share parts of their lives on other platforms. But LinkedIn adds something deeper: context.
LinkedIn is where athletes are seen as professionals first, not just performers on the field. It’s where you share what you’re learning, what you stand for, and the perspective you bring beyond sport. Credibility grows when people understand how you think, not only what you achieve. And in the long run, people may not remember every moment on the pitch, but they remember who you are beyond it.
You Control Your Narrative
If you don’t tell your own story, others will often do it for you, and it’s rarely the full picture. LinkedIn gives athletes the chance to explain their choices, values, and ambitions in their own words. Starting on LinkedIn can feel like a barrier, but you don’t need a complicated strategy. Start simple.
You could share:
• what you’re learning outside football
• industries you’re curious about
• partnerships that reflect your values
• conversations or events that inspire you
Over time, that professional presence grows naturally.
Some players work with ghostwriters or content partners – and that’s fine. High performance often means having support. What matters is that it sounds like you. You don’t need to post every week. You don’t need to become a content creator. But when you do show up, it should feel like you.
Athletes Who Are Already Doing This
Some athletes already understand this shift very well and are using LinkedIn to show a different side of themselves. Beyond footballers like Denzel Dumfries and Mario Götze, there’s a growing list of athletes from other sports worth following.
One athlete I really enjoy following is former NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. His content is raw, direct, and very aligned with who he is and what he’s building.
Another great example: Spencer Keith Jones, NBA player for the Denver Nuggets. He’s very open about his journey as a professional athlete, including the realities of playing on a two-way contract and continuing to develop his career. His content also focuses on sports technology: what he is testing, learning about, and investing in.
From serving as a judge at sports-tech awards to sharing products he actually uses, his posts show genuine curiosity beyond basketball. That kind of content does two things at once. It shows he’s thinking beyond the game, and that he is genuinely involved, not just putting his name on a brand he’s working with.
In his own words: ‘’For an athlete, the platform isn’t just for better opportunity after your sport, but better opportunity during it as well.’’
I really believe the voices you surround yourself with shape how you think. Follow him for a few weeks and I promise it will change the way you look at off-field opportunities, life after sport, and what you can achieve through LinkedIn.
And speaking of opportunities, there are even athletes who have found their next team or club through LinkedIn – proof that where you show up can influence what comes next.
Don’t Wait Until Retirement
The biggest mistake many athletes make is waiting until retirement to start thinking about their professional identity beyond sport. The athletes who build their presence today are the ones whose transition later feels natural. Because by the time they move into business, media, investing, or leadership, the world is already paying attention.
So my advice is simple: don’t wait. Start building your presence on LinkedIn today.
My Own Experience with LinkedIn
I’ve personally experienced how powerful LinkedIn can be. For years, I worked mostly behind the scenes, closing major transfers, negotiating commercial deals, and helping athletes build businesses beyond the game. From podcasts and clothing lines to foundations, equity partnerships, and other ventures, my focus has always been the same: helping athletes turn their platform into something meaningful and lasting. I believed the work would speak for itself, and in football, word of mouth does matter. But LinkedIn changed something fundamental: it gave that work visibility.
When I started sharing my ideas publicly – on LinkedIn and here on Life After Football – people who had never met me could better understand how I think and where I add value. That visibility didn’t just build my network, it led to new clients, business partnerships, advisory roles, speaking engagements, and even recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice.
LinkedIn creates access.
- Access to the right people.
- Access to better opportunities.
- Access to your next chapter.
If you’re a player already on LinkedIn and thinking about your future beyond sport, feel free to connect with me here. I’d be happy to follow your journey.
And if you’re not on LinkedIn yet, I hope this article shows why you should be. The earlier you start building your presence, the more doors it can open over time.
About Christine Diepstraten
Christine Diepstraten helps athletes take ownership of their identity and influence – turning it into a long-term asset on and off the pitch.
She has advised leading athletes, clubs, and global brands across the sports and entertainment industry, bringing deep expertise in law, dealmaking, and IP strategy. Through New Narrative, Christine works with athletes and their teams to build and protect personal brand equity – through smart IP structuring, strategic storytelling, high-impact partnerships, and business ventures beyond the game.
Her approach blends legal precision with commercial vision, empowering clients to build not just successful careers, but enduring legacies.
Ready for more?
If you want to read more blogs by Christine Diepstraten, read her article on Why Your Contract Isn’t Just About Football.
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