- Bixente Lizarazu loved a glittering profession and gained the World Cup with France
- The previous defender has opened up on his well being battle with a uncommon psychological sickness
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Legendary France left again Bixente Lizarazu has opened up on his battle with bigorexia.
Lizarazu, 54, loved a trophy-laden profession for the likes of Bayern Munich, Marseille, Bordeaux and Athletic Bilbao.
The defender was additionally a part of the France facet that gained the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 and Lizarazu earned 97 caps for Les Bleus earlier than he retired from soccer in 2006.
Nonetheless, the 54-year-old revealed that he suffers with bigorexia, a uncommon psychological sickness that compels folks to train an excessive amount of and be obsessive about constructing muscle on their physique.
Bigorexia, which is also referred to as muscle dysmorphia, makes those that undergo with it suppose their our bodies are too small and never muscular sufficient.
Victims additionally usually solely eat meals that they imagine will enhance their muscle tissue and the situation could cause despair, suicidal ideas and steroid misuse whether it is left untreated.
Legendary France defender Bixente Lizarazu has opened up on his battle with bigorexia
Lizarazu (L) gained the 1998 World Cup and he was additionally in France’s workforce after they gained Euro 2000
The 54-year-old (R), who now works as a pundit, revealed the impression the illness has on his life
Since retiring, Lizarazu has had a particularly lively life-style the place he has turn into concerned in browsing, jiu-jitsu, biking and different sports activities.
Actually, Lizarazu turned a European jiu-jitsu champion within the Blue Belt Senior 1 Mild Division in 2009.
Talking to French media, the 95-cap star defined extra concerning the sickness and the way it impacts his life-style.
‘I’m sick,’ he stated. ‘I’m 54-years-old now, however I nonetheless need to really feel like knowledgeable athlete even now.
‘Bodily train is my ardour and it does me good. It has been my compass all through my life and has helped me discover my stability.
‘However I’ve bigorexia. It is truthful to say I train to extra.’
Lizarazu additionally went onto talk about how he makes an attempt to cope with the sickness to restrict the impression it has on his day-to-day life.
‘Anybody with the situation who stops coaching from in the future to the following dangers falling into despair,’ he defined.
Lizarazu (pictured proper, with Zinedine Zidane at Euro 2004) admitted that he’s ‘sick’
Lizarazu additionally defined how his spouse, actress Claire Keim, helps to help him with the sickness
The 54-year-old did admit that his illness was ‘preferable to different types of habit’ although
‘I must work arduous, put on myself out and launch the whole mass of power I’ve inside myself.
‘However this illness is preferable to different types of habit. I simply need to know how you can handle it.’
Lizarazu equally defined how his companion, actress Claire Keim – who he has been with since 2006 and has two kids with – has supported him by his troubles.
He added: ‘She met me whereas I used to be nonetheless a footballer, so fortunately she accepts my habit to sport.
‘Despite the fact that it’s wholesome, it takes up a variety of time.’
Lizarazu broke onto scene as an adolescent with Bordeaux earlier than he earned strikes to Athletic Bilbao and Bayern Munich following eight spectacular seasons with the French facet.
He gained 14 trophies throughout two spells with the German giants, together with six Bundesliga titles, with the second coming after a brief stint at Marseille.
Lizarazu added 5 German Cups, two Confederations Cups and a Champions League trophy to his glittering record of honours and he has frequently labored as pundit for French TV and radio since retiring.
