Rickie Lambert: Football Retirement Broke Me

What happens when the football stops?

For the first episode of Series 2 of After The Final Whistle, I sit down with former England, Liverpool and Southampton striker Rickie Lambert for one of my most open conversations yet.

Rickie’s journey is anything but straightforward. At 15, he was rejected by Liverpool and found himself working in a factory, playing non-league football and wondering whether professional football would ever happen for him.

He tells me about the years of graft that followed; from beetroot farming and working in factories to travelling to clubs with just £50 in his pocket. We talk about Blackpool, Macclesfield, Southampton, scoring more than 100 goals, and finally making his England debut at 31… scoring with his first touch at Wembley.

But this conversation isn’t really about the goals.

Rickie opens up about the pressure he felt throughout his career, the importance of trust, what football gave him... and what it took away. We talk about returning to Liverpool, becoming a father, watching his children grow up, his love of golf, coaching, and what life looks like when you are no longer a professional footballer.

Rickie was incredibly open with me, and there are moments in this conversation that go far beyond football. We talk about his rock bottom and how he finally decided to seek help. We speak about him giving up alcohol, and how he stays steady today.

Because after the final whistle, they are people, not footballers.

🎙️ After The Final Whistle with Alison Bender📍 Series 2, Episode 1🎥 Watch on YouTube🎧 Also available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

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CHAPTERS

00:00 The rejection that changed everything 01:19 From Liverpool rejection to England 03:54 Life after football 04:37 The reality of retirement 06:20 Burnout and finding a new purpose 11:02 Rejected by Liverpool at 15 12:47 The mindset that kept Rickie going 13:08 Manifesting England and Liverpool 15:29 Working in a beetroot factory 18:32 Where Rickie's resilience came from 19:31 The call from Liverpool 22:04 England, the World Cup and becoming a dad 23:05 What AI thinks it knows about Rickie 25:22 When Liverpool became a nightmare 28:54 Realising his Liverpool career was over 32:20 Why Southampton was the highlight 33:16 Life after football and questioning everything 35:17 Growing up dyslexic 36:09 Speaking out during COVID 39:57 Rickie's spiritual awakening 40:45 Hitting rock bottom 42:05 Giving up alcohol and asking for help 43:40 Finding stability after football 44:38 Losing his purpose 45:24 Replacing football with golf 46:34 What would Rickie tell his 15-year-old self? 47:25 Letting go of ego 50:16 The moment Rickie decided to change 51:28 What really matters now

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