Barcelona Defender Jérémy Mathieu Now Leading a Remarkably Different Life
Former Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu is now living a totally different life in an unexpected job. And he has revealed the heartbreaking reasons behind his career change.
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Now 42, the Frenchman earned five international caps during his career, but it was at Camp Nou where he enjoyed his greatest success, making 91 appearances for Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, winning two La Liga titles and the 2015 Champions League.
Mathieu also racked up over 100 appearances for clubs like Valencia and Sporting CP, earning a reputation as a reliable presence in every squad he joined. In 2020, he hung up his boots after suffering a knee injury, and many assumed he’d move into coaching or media work.
But six years on, Mathieu's post-retirement path has taken a very different direction, one few would’ve predicted. While he’s still involved in the world of sport in some capacity, it’s certainly not in the way most would have imagined.
Jeremy Mathieu Spotted in Unusual Job in 2025
In an image that was seen by more than two million people online within a few hours of being posted, Mathieu could be seen posing with two colleagues at the Intersport Cabries - Plan de Campagne store, located in the Marseille region.
It's a well-known sports shop franchise in France, and while many people suggested that perhaps AI had a role to play, it later emerged that Mathieu was a manager in a branch's football department, while he also had responsibilities across other departments and teams.
At the time, Mundo Deportivo reported that Mathieu's new occupation was not out of a need for money. The former defender had reportedly earned around £100,000-a-week at Barcelona and the Spanish outlet stated the decision was rather a reflection of his life philosophy and principles.
There were also suggestions that he was working towards his coaching badges while working at Intersport. However, in a new interview with beIN Sports, Mathieu elaborated on why he'd made the switch. Citing financial struggles, he also said that he had struggled with depression, adding that he had not recovered from his battles with mental health.
As per the Daily Mail, he said: "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.
Source: YEN.com.gh
