One of French football’s most iconic strikers has swapped the pitch for selling swimming pools for a living 

Stephane Guivarc’h was part of the France side that won the 1998 World Cup against Brazil. While the match will be remembered for Zinedine Zidane stealing the show and lighting up the Stade de France, many may have forgotten that Guivarc’h actually started the game.

The former Newcastle United and Rangers striker retired from football in 2002 and now plies his trade as a swimming pool salesman.

‘I’ve been in swimming pools for 17 years,’ he told RMC. ‘The boss is a friend.

Former Newcastle United forward Stephane Guivarc’h has swapped the pitch for selling swimming pools

Guivarc’h was part of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil

‘Basically, the company was a plumbing company that did my house. My friend then told me that he was going to create a swimming pool structure and that he was looking for a salesman.

‘As I wasn’t doing anything, I told him I was going to give him a helping hand… and I’ve been with him for 17 years, it’s no longer a helping hand.

‘I’m on the road all day, it goes very well, in the evening I’m at home… I have a balanced life, I’m not constantly looking for the camera or the microphone to live.’

While Guivarc’h is pretty happy being away from the cameras, he is still willing to have a chat to customers about the beautiful game.

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‘The first time I meet a customer, if they’re a football fan, it’s not uncommon to spend half an hour talking about swimming pools and an hour talking football,’ he told The Times.

‘It’s nice, it allows you to connect with somebody’s passion rather than just talking pools, pools, pools. They like to share a moment.

‘But it’s also a professional relationship. You don’t win every deal, there’s a competitive aspect there too.’

The swimming pool business is based in the village of Concarneau in Brittany, France. Guivarc’h reveals that his number is on the company website and that fans still ring him and sing the France World Cup anthem ‘I Will Survive.’

Guivarc’h currently works for his friend’s company in the village of Concarneau in Brittany

The 53-year-old claims that customers still ring him and talk about the 1998 final in Paris

Despite a successful career in France, his move to the Premier League would prove to be a poor decision in his career.

Guivarc’h only scored one goal in four appearances for Newcastle, before being sold to Rangers in 1998.

After one year at Rangers, the Frenchman returned to his home country where he would end his career at Guingamp.