Things are not going badly for footballer David de Gea (32). Partner of the singer Edurne (37) and father of Yanay (2), his daughter in common, the athlete also triumphs in his professional life. The Madrid goalkeeper is on the list of the top 15 highest-paid soccer players in the Premier League and has become an indisputable member of the English club’s squad and its coach Ten Hag. After some difficult beginnings in which he was much discussed upon his arrival in the Premier, the footballer made a place for himself in the hearts of the English supporters on his own merits. The goalkeeper had arrived in 2011, becoming the most expensive transfer for a goalkeeper in the Premier League, when he signed for Manchester United, who paid Atlético Madrid 23 million euros. After 11 seasons in the Premier, today, De Gea can boast of being the second highest paid player in England with a salary of 19.5 million pounds (21.95 million euros).
Life smiles at you. At 32, De Gea played his 400th game in the English league a few days ago. Those who know him speak of him as an example of sacrifice and self-improvement. Something that he lived at home since he was little looking in the mirror of his father, José de Gea, who was a Getafe goalkeeper in the 80s. It was precisely from his father and his mother, Mariví, that he learned his first lessons of humility. The player still remembers when his mother took the tuppers to Cerro del Espino (Majadahonda) when she doubled the session to train with the first team after training with the Atlético de Madrid youth team. Both instilled in him a humble vision of life, always keeping him grounded and knowing how to invest his fortune. From that spirit was born one of his most special business projects. This is Rebels Gaming, a new eSports team, with which the player entered the universe of sports video games in 2022 by investing his money in it. The young man set up the business based on Yeday Sports SL, the company he founded a year earlier with the intention of developing his business vocation.
In the wake of Piqué
With Rebels Gaming, the player made a long-cherished dream come true: having his own electronic sports club, becoming its founder and president. The player, a great fan of online games, follows in the footsteps of other footballers like Gerard Piqué. And, judging by the steps that the company follows, the doorman is determined to put all the meat on the grill. In an interview with the “Inside United” portal, the Manchester United website, the footballer explained his passion for video games. “All this started about a year and a half ago, when I started talking to José (…) He knows that I am in love with video games, so we began to evaluate the possibility of founding our own club,” he commented. For this, the player has created the “Rebel Center”, a place where he has located the club’s headquarters, located in the Madrid neighborhood of Valdebebas. «I always try to share my experience in football. There are some inspirational quotes in there, and I like[to have them on the wall]to show the players. I want them to take things easy,” he explained.
De Gea’s intention is to grow slowly but surely. In 2023, the Rebels entered the League of Legends Super League, becoming one of the ten teams that have competed since 2023 in the most prestigious eSports competition in the country. “We want to develop a brand that people like to be able to compete against the best in Europe,” he acknowledged. His vocation is such that Yeday Sports SL carried out a capital increase in the company a few days ago. In addition, the formation announced the entry into the shareholding of two old acquaintances of the goalkeeper, also footballers Jaime Mata and Bruno Fernandes. De Gea left no doubt about his happiness at the arrival of his new partners: «I am delighted to have two great colleagues and above all friends. I know that both will bring positive values to the esports sector, “he commented.
