FORMER Chelsea goalkeeper Nicolas Tie has quit football aged 24 to join the French army.
Tie was on the Blues’ books between 2017 and 2020.
The Lille-born stopper did not crack Chelsea’s first team, but did feature for their various academy age groups in the Premier League 2, Uefa Youth League and Under-18 Premier League.
Tie, who was called up to the Ivory Coast national team in 2018, left Stamford Bridge in 2020 for Portuguese side Vitoria.
After failing to make the first team in Portugal, the 6ft 1in goalkeeper has opted to hang up his boots.
In an interview with French paper Ouest France, Tie revealed that he has joined the army.
“I’ve had some good tests, I’ve got the regiment I asked for,” Tie said.
“I’m ready, I’m training every day for this.”
On what led him to such a drastic career change, the former Blue admitted: “I lost my taste for football.
“I always liked military careers, so I said to myself: ‘Why not join the army?’
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“My stepfather is a paratrooper in Ivory Coast; I would go to the barracks to observe… It inspired me.”
Tie, who claimed to be “proud” of his “little career” also revealed that he would be willing to serve in Ukraine.
The goalkeeper-turned-soldier said: “I don’t do politics. I have committed to treating the problem at the source.
“If the OPEX (external operations) in Ukraine is open, let’s go! It doesn’t scare me.”
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