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.

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.

Check Out the Photo Below:

• June 2020 — Mathieu retired after a serious knee injury in Sporting CP training.
• Early 2025 — Mathieu began working at an Intersport store near Marseille.
• April 2025 — A fan's photo of him in an Intersport uniform went viral online.
• April 2025 — Mundo Deportivo reported the job was a choice, not a financial necessity.
• April 2025 — RMC Sport visited the store as curious fans flocked there.

The photo's circulation prompted several fans to visit the shop, with RMC Sport able to obtain another photo of him in their report, which shows him posing with a customer.

Mathieu Reveals Heartbreaking Reason for New Career

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.

"I will not do it forever. It was to have a social life."

Mathieu went on to add that taking the position at Intersport had actually been a suggestion from a former teammate, Loic Loval-Landre, who believed that it would benefit his mental state.

"He knew I wanted to leave the house for a bit, I had been doing nothing for a while," Mathieu said. "We were chatting, and he told me there was a vacant position."

Mathieu Admits Depression Struggles

Mathieu has now opened up further on his low mood after hanging up his boots in 2020. The former France international revealed that the injury that ended his career led him to feel depressed. In an interview with So Foot, he said:

The defender-turned-retail worker continued: "I stayed at home round the clock. I’d go out now and then, but never for long. I’d just sit on my sofa, in front of the telly, with my phone. I’d even lost interest in football. I’d watch one half and, if the match was a draw, I’d switch channels. I was going round in circles: I’d get up from the sofa, walk round the house and sigh."