Football icons Oliver Kahn and Ronaldo struggle with stress of executive life

There is a wonderfully vivid photograph from the 2002 World Cup final that perfectly captures the loser’s agony, the victor’s joy.

It was taken just as the first goal ripples the net in Yokohama. The scorer, Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario, wears a novelty haircut and grins his toothy grin. Lying on the turf is German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, sideburns long, face scrunched into a terrible grimace.

That pair had defined the final, Kahn as captain and last line of defence in an industrious but limited side, Ronaldo a thrilling menace, back to his best after four years struggling with injury.

Kahn had an excellent night until the 67th minute, when he spilt a Rivaldo effort. Ronaldo pounced. The photojournalists had their moment. It was over for Germany, Ronaldo later adding a second goal to adorn his brilliant summer.

Twenty years on, these two icons could be found striking a very different pose, suited and empowered, both enjoying some success in their executive attire.

Many ex-footballers go into coaching. Some become sports directors, where personal experience of being transferred, learning new languages, making contacts can be made useful in middle age. Much rarer are the ex-professionals who go into the hard-edged domain of the boardroom, and thrive among MBA-bearing finance specialists.

This was what Kahn targeted when his distinguished playing career with Germany and Bayern Munich came to an end. It’s the territory Ronaldo – Brazil legend, Ballon d’Or winner in 1997 and 2002 – stepped into when he channelled some of his accumulated wealth into club ownership.

In 2022, both could feel relatively satisfied with their second careers. Kahn, in his first year as Bayern’s chief executive, a job that he had diligently readied himself for through business school after hanging up his gloves, was celebrating a comfortable Bundesliga title, Bayern finishing seven points clear of Borussia Dortmund.

Ronaldo was meanwhile enjoying a double promotion. The Spanish club, Valladolid, where he had become president after taking out a majority stake five years ago, had risen to Spain’s top division.

The 46-year-old’s more recent business interest, the Brazilian club Cruzeiro, where he began his playing career and now has a majority stake, were also going up, back to Brazil’s top flight.

Fast forward 12 months and their milieu feels horribly cut-throat. Last Saturday, Kahn endured what he called “the worst day of my life”. He was sacked, ruthlessly, by Bayern, his bosses unhappy with the season, one in which the German title had looked, with a match to go and Bayern two points beneath Dortmund, set to leave Munich for the first time in a decade.

Kahn had been party to the March firing of manager Julian Nagelsmann, less than two years into Nagelsmann’s five-year contract; the team were inconsistent; Robert Lewandowski, sold last summer, had not been adequately replaced.

These issues are not the sole responsibility of one decision-maker. But, as chief executive, Kahn was deemed to have failed. Bayern announced his sacking immediately after the final whistle of the last Bundesliga fixture, when, surprisingly, the title was retained thanks to Dortmund’s collapse elsewhere.

The triumph would have no bearing on Kahn’s pre-planned humiliation. He had been told firmly to stay away from the Cologne stadium where Bayern played out their last dramatic match day.

Four days after 53-year-old Kahn’s demise, one of the pathfinders for the hard transition from playing to boardroom also quit his post.

Edwin van der Sar, ex star goalkeeper for Ajax, Manchester United and the Netherlands, has been chief executive at Ajax since 2016. He had been mostly lauded for his work, since retraining in business management, at a club where the scouting and profit-generating sale of players is fundamental.

But Ajax have just finished third in a Dutch Eredivise they are accustomed to winning. There have been high-profile personnel problems, PR blunders. Losing manager Erik ten Hag – to United – proved damaging. “I need a rest,” said Van der Sar, 52. Fans had started jeering him as they never did when he was a player.

Ronaldo Nazario knows that sound. His experience as president of Valladolid has had its ups and downs. The club were relegated in 2021. The Brazilian has been criticised for not being present enough.

In April, he dismissed Pacheta, the manager who led last year’s promotion, with Valladolid hovering just above the drop zone. The new appointment, Paulo Pezzolano, directly hired from Cruzeiro, then let Valladolid fall into La Liga’s bottom three through a run of five consecutive losses.

Valladolid go into Sunday’s final match against Getafe, who need a draw to guarantee safety, knowing only a win will assure they are in Spain’s top tier come August.

If they sink, Ronaldo becomes the president who oversaw two relegations in three years. Few Valladolid fans will forgive him just because, in a distant past, he also won two Ballons d’Or.