Ex-Real Madrid defender who played with Cristiano Ronaldo now living his ‘dream life’ in new career

Fabio Coentrao played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and in the Portugal national team and is now retired but his choice of occupation after retirement is fascinating.

Coentrao started his career with Rio Ave before moving to Benfica where he broke into the limelight, despite initial struggles with the Portuguese side.

The left-back joined Benfica in 2008 but didn’t become a vital player for the club till two years later when he helped them to a domestic double and was named the Portuguese League Breakthrough Player of the Year.

He went on to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2011 but couldn’t continue his progression with the Spanish giants, having failed to break into the starting lineup during his time with the club.

He joined Real Madrid two years after Ronaldo did and while his international teammate went on to become one of the club’s best-ever players, he didn’t come close to that. 

The retired left-back was used sparingly by Jose Mourinho and also suffered the same fate under Zinedine Zidane who preferred Marcelo, one of Real Madrid’s best-ever left-backs.

After struggling with game time at Santiago Bernabéu, he was sent on loan to Monaco in 2015 and then to Sporting CP two years later and made 63 appearances for both clubs.

Coentrão spent seven years with the Los Blancos, featuring in 106 games and recording 12 goal involvements as well as winning nine titles, including two UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles.

He left Real Madrid in 2018 and returned to Rio Ave where he spent the rest of his career before calling it quits in 2021.

Inspired by his father, Coentrão has been spending his retirement as a fisherman and is said to own three ships and is working with 45 people.

 “The roots have been here since I was born. My father always had a boat, he was really into fishing. I used to go a lot with my father. I liked it very much”

“Whenever I had that bit of time off, whenever I was on holiday, my life was… it was the sea, it was fishing.

“And of course I knew that one day football would end, I would have to take another direction in my life.”

“My happiness is this land, the sea. And obviously that being so, I want to lead this life.” as quoted by The Sun.

Coentrão had been preparing for retirement since his days at Real Madrid, having bought his first boat while with the Spanish capital club.

Footballers take different directions after retirement but it is interesting to see one spending his time as a fisherman after a long rigorous years of playing football.