Christian Fuchs, a former Leicester City defender and Premier League winner, has embarked on a new sporting venture, making his debut for the Derbyshire village side Grindleford in a cricket match.
This transition occurred just a day after Fuchs resigned from his role as head coach of Newport County. His tenure with the Welsh football club saw him manage 31 matches, with nine victories. Despite his recent managerial role, Fuchs found immediate success on the cricket pitch.
Bowling first for Grindleford, Fuchs took two wickets for 20 runs in 3.2 overs and contributed to a run out, helping to dismiss Riverside Notts for 150. Though his bowling style was described as "throwing it but it was alright" by teammate Mahmood, it proved effective enough for a debut.
During the run chase, Fuchs batted at number six, scoring 12 runs from 18 deliveries, including a six that he famously blew a kiss towards the bowler after hitting. Grindleford ultimately secured a one-wicket victory.
Fuchs' move to cricket is not an isolated incident among former professional footballers. Ex-England goalkeeper Nigel Martyn plays for Cornwall's over-50s team, and former Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has represented a Cheshire side. Current Leeds United midfielder Sean Longstaff is also spending his summer break playing cricket.
Fuchs had a distinguished football career, making over 650 appearances for club and country. His accolades include winning the Premier League and FA Cup with Leicester City, and earning 78 caps for Austria, captaining his national team at Euro 2016.