A new challenge for Olivier Magne. And what a challenge! The 52-year-old former France international is to become mental performance coach at… Olympique Lyonnais. The announcement was made official on Tuesday evening on the club’s social media.

He will work on an occasional basis, alongside the experienced Raphaël Homat, a well-regarded mental performance coach. After spells as head coach of Brive, forwards coach with the France under-20 side and with the LOU academy team, Olivier Magne holds a qualification in mental performance coaching.

The man with 89 France caps will bring all his experience of the very highest level to OL’s footballers. “It is with immense pride that I am joining this historic club as a mental performance coach, specialising in psychosocial aspects and in optimising collective and individual performance. After several years spent in the world of rugby, beginning this experience in football represents an outstanding opportunity and challenge“, the man himself said on his social media.

An impressive CV

He added: “If the balls change shape, the levers of human experience remain universal. It is the convergence between my journey on the ground – as a player, coach and manager – and my academic training that guides my approach today“.

With France, Magne won five titles in the Five Nations (1997 and 1998) and then the Six Nations (2002 and 2004), including four Grand Slams. During and after his coaching career, the former Aurillac, Dax, Brive, Clermont and London Irish player has also worked as a pundit for the L’Equipe channel, Sud Radio, Europe 1 and Eurosport.