Exploring a life beyond the pitch and the adventure that comes with creating an acclaimed brand, former Reading, Huddersfield and USMNT player Danny Williams is the latest talent to join us on the SoccerBible podcast.
A man of his own making, Danny Williams has taken his own route through football, experiencing all it has to offer in the purest sense. Following his forays on the pitch, reaching the heights of the Premier League with Huddersfield and playing internationally with the U.S. team, Williams hung up his boots at the age of 32 following an injury in 2018 that cut short his playing time. But while this can be a difficult transition for some professionals, the midfielder already had the wheels in motion on his next challenge: creating a successful brand.
Beautiful Struggles was founded in 2019 as a streetwear/premium label where European heritage meets American culture, and they gained positive attention for their collaboration with the USL, USL Black Players Alliance and PUMA on the “United Against Racism" project last year. Born in Germany, raised by an American father from New York and a German mother, Williams always had the love and passion to express himself through his style, in which you can see the DNA of both cultures. Beautiful Struggles is about overcoming adversity and changing the perspective of looking at entities while facing different obstacles in life. These obstacles vary individually, whether it’s having setbacks, health issues, addiction or struggles with other obstacles life throws at you.
Now, on the back of the brand’s latest release, we caught up with Williams to discuss what it's really like to step away from a playing career and his entrepreneurial ambitions that have since flourished. Inspired, innovative and pioneering in a way he knows best, we have nothing but respect for a man who is changing the game, even after he's finished playing it.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify.
There is a life after football. Every footballer has to transition and go through certain things after their playing career. And for me, I can certainly say that I found my purpose with Beautiful Struggles. I’m lucky that I found that early in my life."
We’re all going through certain struggles in our lives and that’s why I believe that so many people can relate to the Brand. I had a moment in Cyprus where I was really depressed and I felt like my life was a struggle, but a beautiful one, because I was able to experience playing at Wembley, representing the United States, playing against the biggest players in the world. But at the end of the day I was there by myself after having had my injury. It’s crazy."
A lot of guys that I see – and I did it as well because I was lazy – don’t want to do other things. I always had other people doing things for me. But then when you stop playing, where are all of these people? I can’t see any! [Professionals] have a lot of time on our hands, nobody can tell me different. Even when there’s Champions League, or in the UK with all the cup competitions, there is still time to work on another skill."
Listen to the full SoccerBible Podcast episode with Danny Williams and our entire back catalogue at Spotify, iTunes and Spreaker.
Check out the latest Beautiful Struggles drop at beautiful-struggles.com
