From treble winner to shop attendant: Ex-Barcelona star reveals painful realities of retirement

Once a treble-winning defender at Barcelona, Jérémy Mathieu now lives a very different life far from the glamour of Camp Nou.

The former France international has opened up about the personal struggles that led him to work in a sports shop just six years after retiring from football.

Jérémy Mathieu was part of the iconic FC Barcelona squad that won the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey under Luis Enrique in 2015. Although often deployed as a backup to Javier Mascherano and Gerard Piqué, his versatility was key during a golden era for Barcelona.

Mathieu even featured off the bench in Barcelona’s 3-1 Champions League final victory over Juventus, sealing a historic treble. During his time at the club, he reportedly earned around £100,000 per week and collected two La Liga titles.

Yet last year, fans were stunned to see the 42-year-old working at Intersport, managing the football department at a branch between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. Photos of him in company uniform quickly went viral, drawing curious supporters to the store.

Prior to his Barcelona spell, Mathieu enjoyed a lengthy stint with Valencia CF, making 177 appearances and establishing himself as one of La Liga’s most dependable defenders.

Speaking to beIN Sports, Mathieu admitted that his post-retirement journey has been far from smooth. He revealed he is currently involved in a lawsuit and hinted at financial and personal struggles.

“If I’m working at Intersport, it’s because something’s going on that’s causing me a lot of problems,” he said. “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 former centre-back also disclosed that he has battled depression and has not fully recovered. After stepping away from football in 2020 due to a serious knee injury suffered while playing for Sporting Lisbon, Mathieu found himself isolated.

A former teammate, Loïc Loval-Landré, helped him secure the retail job to get him out of the house and back into a social environment. “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,” Mathieu explained.

Reflecting on his Barcelona days, he fondly recalled the brilliance of Lionel Messi. “Messi was incredible. In training, you couldn’t do anything. I think I was a better free-kick taker,” he joked.