Florent Malouda, the former French international and Chelsea football legend, has made an unexpected career move at the age of 44 by joining the French Foreign Legion.
The midfielder, renowned for his pivotal role in Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League triumph, has enlisted in the civilian reserve of the Third Foreign Infantry Regiment (3REI), a prestigious and highly decorated unit of the French military.
Malouda, who hails from French Guiana, a French overseas territory located in South America, has taken on a new challenge that extends far beyond the football pitch.
The 3REI, founded in 1920, specializes in equatorial jungle warfare and has been a mainstay of the French Army’s Foreign Legion. The regiment, based in Kourou, is celebrated for its tough training and combat readiness in extreme conditions.
In a statement, the French military confirmed Malouda’s appointment, welcoming him as an officer in the civilian reserve. “After an exceptional career in international football, Florent Malouda wants to share and transmit the values of commitment to Guyanese youth alongside the legionnaires of 3REI,” the military wrote.
Malouda, who played 80 times for France and represented several clubs during his career, including Chateauroux, Guingamp, and Olympique Lyon, expressed his pride in joining the French military. He shared his experiences in training through an Instagram post, highlighting the importance of teamwork and resilience, which he believes are core values shared between high-level sports and military service.
“While passing through the Amazon in my native territory, I managed to attend an initiation course with the Third Foreign Infantry Regiment. Thank you, 3e REI, for this moment of cohesion and for these values of team spirit in the face of difficulties. They are essential values in high-level sport,” Malouda wrote alongside images of his military training.
The footballer’s decision to take on this new role comes as a surprise to many, but it also speaks to his deep connection to his roots and his desire to give back to the community.
French Guiana has long struggled with socio-economic challenges, and Malouda’s involvement with the Foreign Legion is seen as a way to inspire local youth and instill values of discipline, commitment, and resilience.
At the end of his training, Malouda received a medal from General Le Bouil, marking the completion of a significant milestone in his new military career.
“It is an honor to receive a medal from General Le Bouil. Thank you to the Armed Forces of Guyana for your commitment to actions aimed at the youth of Guyana. Legio patria nostra!” he concluded in his post.
