Arnaud Lauqué is flying to Cyprus to meet Mathieu Valverde, the former Girondins de Bordeaux goalkeeper. Always sporty, he will show him the island where he is now and will prepare delicious surprises for him.
Mathieu Valverde gave football 25 years of his life before leaving the goal posts. The former Girondins de Bordeaux goalkeeper moved to Cyprus where he played for Nicosia. There he found love and entered his second life: the life of a chicken dad. Mathieu married his coach and Krista, they have two children raised in the dual French-Cypriot culture.
Today, Mathieu and Krista take care of their Pilates room, while increasing the number of sporting challenges, far from football. In the exceptional environment of the island of Cyprus, he swims, runs, pedals. And in this episode, he will challenge Arnaud to follow him!
Dream place:
Konnos beach. Don’t forget to take change to rent a pedal boat. The pedal is not sexy, but it is effective!
Important:
As a football fan, walking through the Anorthosis Famagusta stadium was a big moment for me. We feel the soul, the experience, the enthusiasm of this historic club. But I can’t forget the cheftalia. These little sausages we discovered with Matthieu’s family. Ideal for a nice little summer barbecue.
Sound :
Close your eyes, you are not in Greece, but in Cyprus!
Do not forget :
I have always been fascinated by demilitarized zones that often separate two warring countries, such as the dividing line between North and South Korea. I was marked by passing through the checkpoint that separates the Cypriot zone from the part of the island claimed by Turkey. We understand the weight of History, and above all that the geopolitical situation is still murky.