REVEALED: Ex-Football Stars Banking £41K+ on Cameo for 30-Second Videos – See Who’s Making a Fortune From Their Sofa

Former England striker Michael Owen is making a fortune in retirement by charging fans £165 for personalised video messages, according to new research by the football betting team at BoyleSports.

The study reveals Owen has pocketed an estimated £41,703.75 from the personalised video message platform after Cameo’s 25% commission, based on his 337 visible reviews and near-perfect 4.96 rating.

BoyleSports analysed the profiles of football personalities on Cameo to determine who is earning the most from brief video messages to fans, with the top 10 collectively earning over £171,000 after Cameo’s cut.

American footballer Ethan Zohn sits in second place, earning £21,433.50 from 433 reviews at £66 per video, while Giorgio Chiellini, one of the finest defenders of his generation, completes the top three with earnings of £20,137.50.

Former Chelsea captain John Terry (£16,907.63) and Liverpool legend Phil Thompson (£15,904.69) round out the top five earners on the platform.

Despite charging one of the highest fees at £165, Owen remains the most in-demand football personality on Cameo based on review numbers.

“These football stars have found an incredibly lucrative post-career revenue stream,” said a spokesperson for BoyleSports. “For a few minutes’ work recording personalised messages from the comfort of their homes, they’re earning what would take many fans months to make.”

“The actual earnings are likely much higher than our estimates, as Cameo doesn’t publicly display the total number of videos created, only those that received reviews. Many customers don’t leave reviews, suggesting the real figures could be substantially higher.”

The full top 10 list of highest-earning football stars on Cameo:

1. Michael Owen – £41,703.75 (337 reviews, £165 per video)
2. Ethan Zohn – £21,433.50 (433 reviews, £66 per video)
3. Giorgio Chiellini – £20,137.50 (358 reviews, £75 per video)
4. John Terry – £16,907.63 (133 reviews, £169.50 per video)
5. Phil Thompson – £15,904.69 (377 reviews, £56.25 per video)
6. Granit Xhaka – £12,048.75 (180 reviews, £89.25 per video)
7. Sir Geoff Hurst – £12,003.75 (194 reviews, £82.50 per video)
8. Ray Parlour – £10,715.63 (127 reviews, £112.50 per video)
9. Robbie Fowler – £10,427.63 (62 reviews, £224.25 per video)
10. Matt Le Tissier – £10,158.75 (516 reviews, £26.25 per video)

Former Southampton star Matt Le Tissier offers the best value for money at just £26.25 per message, explaining his high number of reviews (516) despite having the lowest estimated total earnings on the list.

At the other end of the scale, Robbie Fowler charges the highest price per video at £224.25, yet he has attracted only 62 reviews, suggesting fans are more selective about spending at premium price points.

When broken down to an hourly rate, the earnings are even more staggering. Michael Owen’s videos average just 43 seconds in length, meaning he earns approximately £10,360.44 per hour of recording time.

“It’s remarkable to think that in just such a short time, Michael Owen can earn what many Brits make in months and months of work,” added the BoyleSports spokesperson. “At £10,360 per hour, his brief video messages are more profitable than most corporate executive positions.”

BoyleSports calculated these figures by multiplying each star’s Cameo price by their total number of reviews, then subtracting Cameo’s 25% commission. While these earnings appear substantial, the actual figures are likely higher as not all customers leave reviews following their purchase of a video.