Former Juventus and Arsenal defender begins new career as a watchmaker

Former Arsenal and Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner has started a new career as watchmaker and has linked up with Swiss watchmaker Maurice de Mauriac for a six-month internship.

The former Switzerland national team captain retired from professional football in August 2020 after a 19year successful career and has now made the decision to be a watchmaker.

“I want to do something productive,” the 37-year-old said, via Daily Star. “If you are a banker, you can do that for all your life, but if you are a footballer once you hit your mid 30s, you have to find something else to do.

“I see some similarities to football. In football if not all the team is perfect you will not win. It’s the same with a watch, if everything is not perfectly in place the watch is not going to work.”

According to Daily Star, Lichtsteiner plans to make a watch during his internship to sell on for charity as he is open to the idea of becoming a full-time watchmaker.

Maurice de Mauriac owners Leonard and Massimo Dreifuss are hoping they can build a long-term relationship with the former football star.

“We had lots of applications but Stephan was the most enthusiastic,” said art director Leonard, with Lichtsteiner becoming their first trainee.

“We are aiming for a long-term partnership and will move step by step,” added CEO Massimo.

Lichtsteiner began his career at Grasshopper in his native Switzerland and retired at FC Augsburg. He played for Lazio, Lille, Juventus and Arsenal. He was capped 108 times for the Swiss national team.

Cover image ©Reuters