Grace to Grass? Treble-winning Barcelona defender spotted selling jerseys and boots in sports shop

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Grace to Grass? Treble-winning Barcelona defender spotted selling jerseys and boots in sports shop

Kolawole Babatunde 09:31 - 07.04.2025

Football fans were left stunned when the photo of a retired treble-winning Barcelona defender selling jerseys at a shop hit the internet.

The ex-player in question is Jeremy Mathieu, who was pictured in a shop assistant’s uniform at the Intersport store in southern France. 

Mathieu now helps customers buy football gear at the shop, which has now seen a spike in requests since the picture reached the internet.

Five years after hanging up his boots, the 41-year-old is now working as one of the managers in the football section at an Intersport branch located between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, according to French media outlet L’Équipe.

Jeremy Mathieu with customers at the Intersport store

Mathieu featured for the French national team, earning five caps for Les Blues. At his peak, he reportedly earned around £100,000 per week at Barcelona, and he was part of a successful side, which meant he must have earned winning bonuses.

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Mathieu is combining coaching with sales

According to the report, it is believed Mathieu took the role while undergoing coaching training. The job allows him to stay close to football and prepare for the next chapter of his career. 

Jeremy Mathieu with the Champions League trophy

Mathieu enjoyed a highly successful playing career, as he was part of a dominant Barcelona side under Luis Enrique. His career started at Sochaux before joining Toulouse and then Valencia, where he made 177 appearances and became a key player.

In 2014, Mathieu made the high-profile switch to Barcelona, where he spent three years and won two LaLiga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, and the UEFA Champions League, among them. 

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