'I won the World Cup – but I quit football to sell swimming pools instead'

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Stephane Guivarc’h helped France lift the 1998 World Cup but swapped football to become a swimming pool salesman. The former striker earned 14 caps for his country and was part of the squad that won the coveted trophy on home soil.

The 55-year-old led the team to victory, not through prolific goalscoring but rather by being a nuisance to defenders and allowing his teammates to take the plaudits. Guivarc’h was dependable throughout the World Cup , which culminated in an iconic 3-0 win over Brazil in the final.

Guivarc’h had a lengthy club career too, playing for Auxerre, Newcastle United and Rangers, winning a number of trophies. He retired in 2002, hanging up his boots at En Avant Guingamp in his native France .

After calling it quits on the pitch, the ex-striker has taken a markedly different path, becoming a businessman at a friend's company. Guivarc’h entered the leisure industry and is now selling swimming pools for a living.

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The former France international has opted for a more low-key existence compared to his teammates, with many 1998 World Cup winners entering punditry after retirement. In fact, Guivarc’h even cut ties with many of his former friends in the squad who haven't heard from him in years.

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Emmanuel Petit told L'Equipe of his disappointment surrounding his ex-teammate's decision to cut off friendships. He said: "It’s been far too long since we’ve heard from him.

"I don’t really know his reasons; I’ve heard all sorts of rumours, but it’s a shame he wanted to sever ties with the World Cup. It’s something that transcends us, that doesn’t truly belong to us, but that binds us until the end of our lives.

"Having left the association myself for fifteen years for various reasons, after a while, I understood, I said to myself: 'Manu, stop making it a personal matter.'

"I’d like to see him again, and I think I’m not the only one, because his name comes up often when we get together. In a way, we miss him."

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Guivarc’h has previously opened up about his decision to leave football behind at the age of 31, pinpointing a need to protect his family. He said: "I could have stayed in football, but I didn’t because it’s a life choice.

"After my football career, I lost my mother. My father was left all alone, and I decided to stay with him, to help him. And then I stayed here in Concarneau, where all my family is."

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