For months, a quiet sporting project has been brewing in France – a second-division side slowly transforming into a celebrity-backed phenomenon. Now, the ownership table just got heavier, and the ambitions even louder for the French outfit Le Mans FC. Novak Djokovic, already a co-owner, now welcomes Thibaut Courtois as an investor through his company NxtPlay.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper joins a diverse ownership lineup that already features former Formula 1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen. In its official statement, the club highlighted the value of elite experience, noting that a multiple Champions League-winning goalkeeper brings expertise both on and off the pitch – an indication that this project is about more than branding. However, the 33-year-old Real Madrid player, who had previously also spent seven seasons at Chelsea, is not the first footballer to venture into club ownership.

Indeed, he’s following the example of two Real Madrid colleagues, Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior. Mbappé has held a majority stake in French side SM Caen for nearly two years. Caen competes in the third tier of French football, one division below Le Mans. Meanwhile, Vinicius is engaged at an even more significant level as a majority stakeholder in the Portuguese side FC Alverca. They secured promotion to the Primeira Liga last season and are presently 10th in the standings.

The trend signals a modern shift: athletes now view ownership not as retirement planning but as part of their active career legacy. For Le Mans, it means access to global networks spanning tennis, football, and motorsport.

Now, coming to Novak Djokovic’s involvement with Le Mans FC, the Serb joined the project last August under the Brazilian investment consortium OutField, alongside OakBerry CEO Georgios Frangulis (Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend). The club openly described the Serbian legend as “the most successful player in history,” citing his mental strength and high-performance culture as key assets.

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The idea is simple: combine different sporting worlds to build a recognizable international brand. Motorsport figures help connect with endurance-racing heritage, football drives local passion, and tennis supplies global reach.

“The uniqueness of this fund also lies in its contribution from high-level athletes,” Le Mans president Thierry Gomez said in the statement. “Novak Djokovic, Felipe Massa, and Kevin Magnussen will be part of the adventure.”

With promotion now a realistic possibility, the club isn’t just building a team – it’s building a multi-sport identity. And with another superstar investor stepping in, the experiment just gained serious momentum.

Now, since we’ve already seen Djokovic’s love for soccer, let us also take a glimpse at Courtois’ love for tennis…

Does Thibaut Courtois love tennis as much as Novak Djokovic loves soccer?

Sport has always thrived on crossover admiration. While tennis stars often reveal their love for soccer, the respect runs both ways… and sometimes creates surprising friendships, inspirations, and even potential careers beyond the court. In the case of Novak Djokovic and Thibaut Courtois, their journeys show how deeply intertwined the two sporting worlds really are.

Long before becoming a 24-time Grand Slam champion, Djokovic nearly chose a very different career path. Speaking in October 2018, the Serbian admitted that soccer was actually his first love: “When I was a kid, I always wanted to play football. Of course, the desire for tennis was stronger. So I started playing tennis. But I always watched football games at home. Wherever I go, I follow football. This is one of my favorite sports.”

The passion never faded. He added that football remained a major recreational outlet.

“This is something that I do recreationally just for fun with my team, with my coaches… I’m really happy that I have people in my team that can be really good friends off the court as well.”

Like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic ultimately chose tennis, but soccer never left his life.

Djokovic’s loyalty in football lies far from Serbia – in Italy. He has long been a devoted supporter of AC Milan, often attending matches at the San Siro. In an interview with Goal, he revealed: “I’m a big fan of Milan, and I’ll always be. For me, football is second only to tennis. My father was a professional footballer, and at home we always watched the Rossoneri’s games with great interest.”

But who’s his favorite soccer player?

His bond with the club even turned personal through friendship with Zlatan Ibrahimović. In a 2023 BBC Sport interview, Djokovic made it clear who tops his football favorites list: “My favorite football player is Zlatan Ibrahimović. I love Zlatan; he is my friend. So I have to say him.”

The relationship with the club grew so strong that in 2024, AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale reportedly considered bringing Djokovic in as a mental coach – a testament to the Serbian’s legendary mentality that helped him surpass his great rivals in the Grand Slam race.

Now, talking about Thibaut Courtois, is Novak Djokovic his favorite player? Well, surprisingly, the answer is no! Courtois, one of football’s elite goalkeepers… is not a Djokovic fan when it comes to tennis. Instead, his inspiration comes from Andy Murray.

The two first met during a 2014 Madrid charity exhibition hosted by Iker Casillas and Nadal. That meeting sparked an unlikely friendship. In February 2016, Courtois told The Daily Telegraph: “I’m a fan of Andy Murray. We talk sometimes, and if I can, I go to watch his matches.”

He even explained how tennis improved his goalkeeping: “Sometimes I watch tennis and try to take something from it… In tennis, your footwork is important and how you position yourself, so obviously that is something you can take to the football field.”

The Belgian also revealed he had played regional tennis competitions himself and rated his serve as “OK.” In an era of hyper-specialization, their stories remind us that elite athletes aren’t confined to one sport’s ecosystem. Sometimes greatness grows by watching a different game altogether.