Former Barcelona Defender Jeremy Mathieu Explains Painful Reasons Behind Sport Shop Job
Jeremy Mathieu, the former Barcelona defender, has opened up about the difficult circumstances that led him to work in a French sport shop merely six years after retiring from professional football. The 42-year-old, once regarded as one of France's finest centre-backs, enjoyed a highly successful career, helping Barcelona secure two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Cups, and European glory, including a Champions League triumph in 2015.
A Drastic Change in Lifestyle
Mathieu's current life stands in stark contrast to his days as a top footballer. Last year, fans were taken aback when images surfaced showing him working at Intersport, a major chain of sport shops in France, where he serves as a manager in the football department at a branch located between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. In the photographs, Mathieu was seen wearing company uniform and interacting with customers, which prompted numerous supporters to visit the shop to catch a glimpse of the ex-star.
This shift was particularly surprising given that Mathieu reportedly earned around £100,000 per week during his tenure at Barcelona, making his transition to a regular job post-retirement a topic of widespread discussion and concern among football enthusiasts.
Financial and Mental Health Struggles Revealed
In a candid interview with beIN Sports, Mathieu has now shed light on the challenges he has faced since hanging up his boots. He alluded to significant financial difficulties and admitted that his mental health has deteriorated, contributing to his current situation. Mathieu stated, 'If I'm working at Intersport, it's because something's going on that's causing me a lot of problems. I can only say that I'm in the middle of a lawsuit. I will not do it forever. It was to have a social life.'
The Frenchman has also been battling depression, revealing that he has not 'fully' recovered from it. To help him cope, a former teammate, Loïc Loval-Landré, assisted Mathieu in securing the job at Intersport, aiming to get him out of the house and into a social environment. Mathieu explained, 'He knew I wanted to leave the house for a bit, I had been doing nothing for a while. We were chatting, and he told me there was a vacant position.'
Career Highlights and Retirement
Mathieu's career came to an end in 2020 at the age of 36 after suffering a severe knee injury while playing for Sporting Lisbon. During his time at Barcelona, he was primarily used as backup for first-team centre-halves Javier Mascherano and Gerard Piqué, but his versatility and experience were highly valued by former manager Luis Enrique, who often deployed him as cover for Jordi Alba at left-back as well.
Reflecting on his stint at the Catalan club, Mathieu fondly recalled the genius of Lionel Messi, saying, 'Messi was incredible. In training, you couldn’t do anything. I think I was a better free-kick taker,' he added with a smile. Despite winning most of his honours at Barcelona, Mathieu spent a significant portion of his career at Valencia, where he made 177 appearances across all competitions, further cementing his legacy in LaLiga.
This revelation underscores the often-overlooked struggles that professional athletes face after retirement, highlighting issues such as financial instability and mental health challenges that can arise once the spotlight fades.
