A Ligue 1 player surprises by revealing his detached relationship with football off the field. The midfielder openly admits to almost never watching matches.
Football is not a big deal for him… In a world where football often dominates the daily lives of professionals, Pierre Lees-Melou takes a different approach. The Paris FC midfielder embraces a distant relationship with football, especially when it comes to watching it on television.
In an interview with L’Equipe, the 34-year-old player admits to being “completely disconnected” from football off the field. “I like playing football but not watching it! Honestly, even my own matches, it’s rare.”
“When we know that video analysis plays a big part in team preparation, Pierre Lees-Melou insists that his detachment is not a hindrance to his progress. “I have reached an age where I am realistic. For example, I know very well that I was not good on Sunday against Lorient (1-1),” he explains.
The PFC player prefers to spend his free time on activities away from football. “It’s too long, I prefer to spend time with my family.” Among his hobbies, padel holds an important place, as well as video games. “With some Brest players, we sometimes play in the evenings when everyone is asleep and we beat each other online on Fortnite!”
“Funny enough, Tuesday night, I watched my first match of the year in full.” Further proof of this obvious distance from the sport on screen: Pierre Lees-Melou admits to watching very few matches this year. “For instance, on Tuesday night, I watched my first match of the year in full, Real-Bayern,” he mentions, referring to a Champions League match.
This attitude can sometimes be surprising, even within the team. “Sometimes, the coach asks about a particular match and I am unable to answer,” he admits, aware of the contrast with the usual customs of the football world.
