From celebrities in Europe to anonymous US citizens
In Italy, England and Spain (or any other countries with a developed football tradition), they could not enter a restaurant without a fuss of fans asking for autographs and selfies. But these days, football stars Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard simply take their children to school or do their domestic purchases hardly being recognised at all.
Gone are the days of meeting with an immense number of fans and paparazzi who pursued them while their names were booming in the whole of Europe.
What was all that for? Let us look at the present life of former celebrities and hear their stories.
Andrea Pirlo
In New York, Pirlo enjoys playing golf on a private course and walk around Manhattan surrounded by thousands of people.
On his Twitter account, you will see pictures of him with his children or his girlfriend enjoying parks, attending Yankee games, or playing bowling.
A pair of dark glasses and a thick green jacket sounds fashionable enough to walk the wide New York avenues. The only difference – now he has to choose his clothes himself.
What about holidays? The rumour has it these days he thoroughly enjoys the beaches of Miami.
Steven Gerrard
In 2015, nearly an entire city was heartbroken when Steven left Liverpool, where he played uninterruptedly since 1998.
He traded his status of a favourite son of the British city for the colossal Los Angeles, where Hollywood stars reap their laurels.
And in the Millionaires Mecca, with a rent-out mansion in Beverly Hills, Gerrard walks upstream and enjoys his almost anonymous status. He says that somehow he could never do the same in England. He is pleased by the fact that not many people recognise him there. And one of the most surprising discoveries for him was how nice it is to spend some quality time with the family – in an inexplicable manner; Los Angeles showed this to him.
Like Pirlo, Gerrard shares his new experiences in social networks.
Frank Lampard
The marvellous athlete won 13 championships during the 13 years he spent in Chelsea and defended the football honour of England on 106 critical matches.
However, despite being accustomed to living under stadium reflectors and television cameras, all of a sudden the 37-year-old player declares himself a homeboy.
Lampard acknowledges that London is his “place in the world”, but for now mostly enjoys long trips through the United States solely taking care to comply with the match schedule of his club.
The rest of his time he spends playing cricket with his daughters or strolling through Central Park with his little dog pet. Nothing like his days in London.
So, that is how it is. While one football player visits casinos, the other spend time with their families or canine friends. Life acquired quite a different hue for Lampard, Pirlo and Gerrard. With the flow of time, it seems only the grass on the fields of Europe’s greatest club still is the same.