Former Barcelona star who won the Champions League and played with Lionel Messi is spotted working in French sports shop after retiring five years ago

Mathieu, 41, hung up his boots in 2020 as a Champions League winner and two-time La Liga champion, having spent three years at Barca alongside Lionel Messi and enjoyed spells at Sochaux, Toulouse, Valencia and Sporting CP.

It recently emerged that the five-time France international has been spotted working in an Intersport branch in his homeland. L'Equipe reports that the ex-defender is working in the football department of the shop in Cabries, between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, and fans have been swarming the company with requests to meet him.

According to La Depeche du Midi, one of his co-workers said Mathieu was hired over two weeks ago and is employed as a manager at the shop, but he is working on earning his coaching badges and is expected to receive his certificates before long.

After retiring from the game, Mathieu continued to play at amateur level in the region of Aix-en-Provence before opting to take the job at the shop. However, it appears he is looking for a way back into football.