'I have quite a few problems' - Ex-Barcelona star explains why he is working in local sports shop amid legal and mental health battles

The Frenchman, who enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Camp Nou and became a fan favourite at Mestalla, saw his professional career come to an abrupt end in 2020 when a serious knee injury forced him to hang up his boots while playing for Sporting CP in Portugal. Since that forced retirement, the former international defender had largely dropped out of the public eye until images of him working at an Intersport branch near Marseille began to circulate on social media. The sight of a Champions League winner serving customers created a stir online, but Mathieu has now clarified that the move was a necessary step for his own wellbeing and personal circumstances. In a deeply personal interview with beIN Sports, the 41-year-old admitted that the transition to life away from the pitch was far more challenging than many had anticipated.

Mathieu says it is thanks to a friend he played with in the Sochaux academy, Loic Loval-Landre, that he was able to leave the house and find work at Intersport after several months in which he suffered mental health problems. The former defender explained that he had reached a point where he needed a structured routine to combat the isolation he felt after his career ended.

"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 is a vacant position'," he said.

The transition from the high-intensity environment of top-level European football to total inactivity took a heavy toll on Mathieu's mental state. By taking the retail role, he sought to regain a sense of normalcy and purpose that had vanished since his knee injury in Portugal. 

In summer, a passer-by found Mathieu working and the image went viral, attracting many people who only went to the store to take photographs with the Frenchman to immortalise the moment. This unwanted attention proved difficult for the former player, who was simply trying to rebuild his life away from the spotlight. People from his circle, on social networks, asked for respect for the privacy of the former Sporting Portugal player, the club where he retired, so that they would let him work in peace.

Despite his efforts to remain low-profile, the fame associated with his successful years in La Liga made it difficult to maintain a quiet existence on the shop floor. Mathieu’s representatives and friends have had to remind the public that behind the famous face is a man trying to navigate a complex post-career path. The shop became an unexpected tourist spot for football fans, complicating what was intended to be a simple, therapeutic return to a regular social environment.

Beyond his mental health journey, Mathieu also revealed that there are more complicated factors behind his current employment situation involving the judicial system. Mathieu also confessed that he is working because he is immersed in a lawsuit.

"I cannot talk about it. If I am at Intersport it is because something is happening that has caused me quite a few problems. I can only say that I am in a lawsuit. I will not do it forever. It was to have a social life," he explained.

While the specifics of the legal case remain confidential, it is clear that the former centre-back is facing a multi-faceted challenge in his personal life. The job at the sports shop serves as both a temporary refuge and a practical requirement during this turbulent time. Though he does not see himself staying in retail indefinitely, the role remains a crucial bridge for him as he manages his 'quite a few problems' and looks to find a stable footing for the next chapter of his life after the beautiful game.