Footballers have a wide range of hobbies, and they are always searching for something to try when out during the offseason or between matches. Poker is a game that you might not immediately associate with footballers, but there have been more than you might think who have been known to take a seat at the poker table every now and then.

Luke Shaw

In addition to his skills as a left-back for Manchester United and the English national team, Shaw can occasionally be found trying his hand at poker. He might not have yet stepped up to try a big tournament like the WSOP – maybe because the dates of the Main Event inevitably clash with the football season in the UK – but that has not stopped him from expressing his love of the game. A six-person poker table can even be found in his mansion, as was spotted as he watched Emma Raducanu win the US Open.

Teddy Sheringham

One of the most well-known faces who have made the leap from the green of the football pitch to the green of the poker felt is that of Teddy Sheringham. The former England international player has made several appearances at a variety of poker tournaments over the years. Unlike some stars who can sometimes not have the best of luck, Sheringham has proved that he does have some skills at poker. At the EPT Vilamoura, he managed to finish 5^thoverall and claim €93,121 in prize money. It would be fantastic to see him put those skills to use at a site like GGPoker at some point – only time will tell.

Francesco Totti

Totti is well-known in the world of football for playing solely for Roma and the national team for Italy throughout his entire career. He is considered to be one of the greatest Italian players to grace the pitch, but he also has a skill for poker. In addition to his work with his chosen teams, he has made time for this card game and even became a brand ambassador for a poker site in Italy.

Tomas Brolin

Brolin went down in history for a goal at the 1992 Euros that helped Sweden to victory over England. However, following his retirement from the beautiful game, it is not too unusual to see him appearing at a poker table every now and then. He has even been to the WSOP in 2007. In the 2008 EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final, he was able to leave the competition with $60,129 as his prize – a performance that no one could raise an eyebrow to.

Tony Cascarino

Many people know Cascarino as a former striker for Premier League team Chelsea. In addition to his work on talkSPORT, he has made a name for himself as a poker player following his retirement from the game. He is thought to have earned a little over half a million dollars playing poker. Some of this will include his $283,412 win when he took home the crown at the GUKPT London Grand Final in 2008.

These are just some of the football players who have dived into the world of poker. It is an amazing game that offers a lot of strategy and a good bit of chance, something footballers are all too familiar with. Since it can also be a very social game – great for playing with your friends after training perhaps – it is little surprise that we see so many football players deciding that they want to learn how to pick up some poker skills as well!