‘I Scored 45 Goals for Chelsea

January is the month that delivers many surprises in the footballing world, but there are not many as unexpected as this – the switch from the pitch to army life. Well, that is exactly what former Chelsea and French star Florent Malouda has done, as he now acts as a mentor, sharing his knowledge and values with the next generation of soldiers in the Amazon Rainforest.

It is a long way from his days playing on the hallowed Stamford Bridge turf, where he won many trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League. However, life since retirement has been a wild ride for Malouda, with plenty of stories to tell, including his befriending of a cheetah and teaching football in Kazakhstan.

Malouda is a Chelsea Cult Hero

The winger had a brilliant six-year stint in London

Malouda enjoyed a career filled with success, becoming a household Premier League name during his six-year tenure at Chelsea. The Frenchman earned ‘cult hero’ status with fans due to his important role in winning several major trophies. His most successful season was in 2009-10, when the club won the Premier League and FA Cup double under Carlo Ancelotti. Malouda had a fantastic individual season, contributing 12 goals and nine assists on the way to the title.

He was also part of the historic Chelsea side which won their first-ever Champions League trophy in 2012. The winger did not start the final against Bayern Munich but did come on for the final 17 minutes of normal time, before half an hour of extra-time. His trophy cabinet with the Blues was also boosted by two further FA Cups.

His time at the Bridge did not end smoothly, however, as he requested a transfer away from the club before the 2012-13 season. This wish was not granted, given other sides’ refusal to meet his wage demands. As a result, he was made to train away from the squad before his eventual release at the end of the season. This has not soured Malouda’s relationship with the club or fans, many will be pleased to know, as he has regularly shown his support and fondness for the team in the years since.

Success did not begin with Chelsea, however. Malouda already had a great medal haul before he landed in West London. He joined the club from Lyon, where he spent four years and won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles. Internationally, he came ever so close to getting his hands on the biggest trophy of them all – the World Cup. He played a prominent role in the French side who were defeated by Italy on penalties in the 2006 final. In fact, he won the spot kick that was converted by Zinedine Zidane to put France a goal up in the seventh minute.

After leaving Chelsea, Malouda enjoyed spells in Turkey and India before signing for Luxemborg side Differdange in 2018.

From Stamford Bridge to the Amazon

Malouda’s journey includes soldiers and cheetahs

Now 44 years of age, nearly seven years after his retirement, details have emerged about Malouda’s intriguing life after football courtesy of the Daily Mail. Despite playing for the French National Team, he was born in French Guiana, and this is where he completed army initiation. After over two decades in sport, this may be his toughest mental and physical challenge yet. It has led to him partaking in several wildlife adventures in the jungle, including trips down the river, making tents and swinging across wooden bars.

Perhaps most importantly, he has been able to pass along his wisdom to younger members of the 3rd Forest Infantry Regiment’s citizens’ reserve. The programme ‘enables civilians (often recognised in their fields) to make a voluntary contribution to promoting the values and missions of the military institution, without being military personnel themselves.’ The organisation wrote on Instagram:

With French Guiana not being a FIFA nation, Malouda was unable to represent his country of birth during his playing career. But he is now able to share his deep connection with his homeland, joining the reserve as an army officer. His service saw him rewarded with a medal for his efforts.

While his unique journey has taken him to the army, Malouda has had plenty of other memorable experiences on the way. A trip to Dubai, in particular, resulted in the unlikely union between himself and a cheetah! An Instagram post from October 2023 sees Malouda happily posing with and stroking the wild cat.

The former footballer has assured that the sport is still an important part of his life, using his experience to help teach football at an academy in Kazakhstan. Firstly, he met with the Super Bol football development project in the city of Almaty, before visiting and talking with players from the FC Kairat Academy.