Fuchs, who will move to New York at the end of the season, is also considering a switch to the NFL
CHRISTIAN FUCHS never intended for the latter stages of his career to turn out this way.
The Leicester City defender may just be the busiest player in the Premier League right now - off the pitch at least.
His level of entrepreneurship is meant to wait until after retirement, when players have free time to fully pursue other interests.
Ex-pros usually front the money then let other people take care of the nitty-gritty, but Fuchs, 32, never got that memo.
The strings to his bow include a fashion brand – No Fuchs Given – a professional eSports team and football academies that serve more than 700 kids in Leicester, New York and Austria.
He organised the UK Freestyle Championships, which took place last weekend, and plans to move to the US at the end of the season.
When we first meet at non-League Aylestone Park, he’s completely drenched in sweat.
The UK branch of his Fox Soccer Academy is at non-League Saffron Lane and Fuchs has been taking full part in a session with the teenagers.
Not coaching, which he “hates”, but playing.
The affable Fuchs, which actually translates to 'fox' in English, tells SunSport: "You're talking to the person who does almost everything. It's me and my wife. I'm more the entertainment and she's the business brain.
"I like to do things myself, I like to be hands-on, because then I know it will be done properly.
"I started with nothing, with zero know-how. Now I know business better, but I'm still learning with everything I do.
"There's always something new."
He’d been inspired to create the academies after both he and his son suffered bad experiences at training camps.
"I sent my son to one in New York. I was here, my wife was there, I asked her to stay for one day and let me know what they do. What the programme is, what's the level.
"We were very dissatisfied – he was literally standing around with his lunchbox dancing because nobody gave him instructions or took care of him.
"We sent him to a camp where you expect something for the money you pay and we got nothing back.
"So we said let’s do it ourselves. We started in New York with 25 kids now we have grown to 700, which is unbelievable.
"When I was 11-years-old, I was told I’d never make it as a professional.
"The players that are here, they didn't make it in academies yet but we want to give them the opportunity to achieve their goals.
"I don't do coaching but I give advice.
"If I see something I'm happy to speak to any player because I want them to get better.
"I believe every single piece adds up.
"Hopefully we eventually have somebody here who is the next Riyad Mahrez... maybe that's a little exagerrated but you never know."
His son was also the one who got him into eSports.
Fuchs admits he's no expert at FIFA - but he knows what he wants from his pro players.
"I talk to the players and recruit them," he adds, "I want them to represent No Fuchs Given and be the right characters.
"Obviously I have somebody behind the scenes who has the know-how.
"I have a lot to learn, but it’s very much in my interest and it’s a very interesting field.
"The future of eSports is very bright and very soon it's going to be massive."
If FIFA works out well for Fuchs he will think about expanding into other games, citing Fortnite and Overwatch as potential titles to look out for,
Fuchs had got into fashion after failing to secure a sponsor for his videos on YouTube.
They were going viral when the Foxes were on the march to the unlikeliest of Premier League titles with the left-back famously filming the title-winning party at Jamie Vardy's house.
"I never thought about doing clothing or getting into business," he says.
The idea came to him after companies decided against offering him sponsorship for his YouTube videos.
"I just thought, you know what, let me do my own thing.
"Let's just make something that people identify the challenges with.
"At the beginning, we simply started with two t-shirts.
"We now have about 100 products in our range. It's growing very well."
Very well is an understatement.
Fuchs has three stockists in Leicester, nine in the US and just impressed at a major trade show.
"When we were in New York, people who don't know it's me - or don't know me - still like the product.
"That is so much confirmation for us that the product is good, that people like it, rather than 'OK, I'm buying it because it's Fuchs' brand.'
"I want to be independent from my own name."
He has a hand in the creative side of the clothing, although he does have professional designers on board.
The UK Freestyle championships, which he created alongside five-time world champion Andrew Henderson, also came about from his YouTube channel.
He'd collaborated with Henderson on a couple of videos and was hooked on the world of football freestyle.
"Our goal is not to just do it one time, we want to build it. It should be a good starting point to bring the community together."
Andrew, who spoke to SunSport ahead of the championships, rated Fuchs as one of the best feestylers in the professional game but the former Austrian captain is much more modest about his kick-up skills.
"I'm far off," he laughs, "when you really see those guys live it's a completely different thing."
Fuchs, who has only played in the League Cup this season, admits his time at Leicester is coming to an end.
The Austrian is out of contract in the summer and does not intend to renew – he will move to New York where his wife and two children live.
"I want to go to my family," he admits.
"I’m not seeing my kids grow up which is the hardest part for me.
"They come over a lot, once or twice a month, but that means putting the kids on planes, dragging them through time zones.
"Last time it took them a week to adjust to being back in New York.
"It's simply a struggle.
"It’s not fair to have this constant back and forth."
And while Fuchs hopes an offer from Major League Soccer will come - "these legs still cayry me very well" - there are other career options open to him: the NFL being one.
"Why not? I know some people, that know some people, that know people!
"I want to try it. It’s like everything else I do. Let’s try it, give it your best and if it works out, great."
