Stephan Lichtsteiner has said he no longer plans to enjoy a career as a watchmaker after training in the craft following his retirement from football.

Back in Match, it was revealed that Stephan Lichtsteiner had been retraining as a watchmaker after he hung up his boots.

Now, however, it seems it isn’t quite the move for him.

“Watches are my passion and I took the opportunity once I retired to deepen [my knowledge of the] the business and what lies behind the birth of a watch,” Lichtsteiner said. “I did an internship three months from Maurice de Mauriac, I discovered a new world and I was able to discover the typical day of a worker.

“I spent a life as a professional footballer and footballers live in a bubble, they are a world apart, for this reason I decided to to have a new experience to grow as a man.

“When you stop I have to say that at the beginning it is a bit tough because the goals you had in your career are no longer there and you have to reinvent yourself. I have therefore decided to do something new.

“It was a good experience, but I don’t think I am made for that kind of job. It was good but in the end I am a sportsman and I think I will pursue the path of sport.”

Back in March, however, it seemed like the watchmaking thing could be more than just a hobby.

“We had lots of applications but Stephan was the most enthusiastic,” said art director Leonard Dreifuss of Maurice de Mauriac at the start what was supposed to be a six-month internship for Lichsteiner.

“We are aiming for a long-term partnership and will move step by step,” said CEO Massimo Dreifuss, when asked if Lichtsteiner would invest in the company.”

Lichtsteiner went on to admit that he is missing football a lot. He retired from playing one year after leaving Arsenal at the end of his 12-month contract.

He signed another one-year deal with Ausburg, where he made 20 appearances, before calling it a day at the age of 36.