It’s been a big day for… Listening to...

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It’s been a big day for… Listening to...

What's With Millionaire Sport Stars Rocking Dodgy '00s Tech?

And where do they find the chargers?

If you had a net worth of millions of dollars and just as many loyal fans around the world, what kind of fancy tech would you treat yourself to? You could drop $68K on a pair of fancy Sennheiser headphones, or thousands on the latest souped up iPhone – or you could bring it back to old school basics, like Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo and more elite sport stars.

Speaking of athletes, hear about Netflix’s The Last Dance below:

NFL superstar Tom Brady recently posted a photo to social media showing his car displaying a steamy 99-degrees – however it wasn’t the soaring temperatures that got fans talking. It was the fact his car display was connected to “Tom Brady’s iPhone 6+”

Yes, that’s right. Tom Brady – who signed a $50M contract in March after leaving the New England Patriots – is using an iPhone that came out in 2014, six years ago.

Twitter users were quick to take to the social media platform to express their shock at Tom Brady’s old school iPhone, but he’s not the only sports star opting for a vintage model.

In January this year, football legend Cristiano Ronaldo was photographed arriving at the Allianz Stadium in Italy with a blue iPod Shuffle clipped to his tie. No, you’re not seeing things – the photo was taken this year and that iPod Shuffle was technically discontinued back in 2017.

Like Brady’s ancient iPhone, fans were left wondering did Ronaldo dig this out of his box of old electronics at home? How did he find the charger? Why is a pro footballer with a net worth of $460M listening to a device you can currently buy used on eBay for $25?

Then there are the pro athletes who blatantly refuse to upgrade. Late last year, Liverpool football player Sadio Mané was spotted carrying a cracked iPhone 11 while preparing for a game in the Premier League.

With a reported net worth of $20M, surely Mané could afford to get it repaired – or pop a screen protector on his device at the very least?

However, according to the Senegalese football star, his success has nothing to do with flaunting his riches. In a 2019 interview with TeleDakar, Mané said, “Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I starved, I worked in fields, I played barefoot, and I didn’t go to school.”

“Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have builty schools [and] a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order to contribute to their family economy,” he explained.

“I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me,” he said. 

There you have it. Suddenly, Tom Brady’s iPhone 6+ seems totally unimportant.

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