In a sport in which trajectories are usually measured by goals, titles or records, LA History of Nicolas Tié breaks all the molds. The former guardale of Chelsea FC between 2017 and 2020 made the decision to hang the gloves at age 24 to join the French army.
Tié was born in France on February 13, 2001. With an athletic complexion and natural agility under the sticks, its talent did not go unnoticed. After training in the lower categories of Poitiers FC, it was signed by Chelsea in 2017when I was just 16 years old. The London club, known for its policy of capturing young international promises, saw in Tié a goalkeeper with great projection.
Nicolas Tié.
For three seasons, Tié was part of the youth team and Chelsea U23. Although he did not debut with the first team, his presence in training together with world -class figures allowed him to acquire a valuable experience. In 2018, he signed his first professional contract with the London club.
His withdrawal and new life
Like many young goalkeepers, Tié ran into a complex reality: the lack of opportunities in large clubs. In 2020, he decided to step forward in his career and signed for the Vitória de Guimarães, in the Portuguese league, hoping to gain continuity. However, the experience was not expected. The injuries and internal competition prevented him from settling in the first team. He barely played minutes in the subsidiary and, at the end of his contract, he ran out of team.
At 24, and totally demotivated with football, he decided to hang his boots and join the army. The former player has told his story in an interview in the French newspaper Ouest France: “I lost taste for football. I always liked military careers, so I said: 'Why not join the army?' My stepfather is paratrooper in Ivory Coast. I went to the barracks to observe and inspired me.
Nicolas Tié.
Tié does not rule out going to the front to serve Ukraine: “I do not dedicate myself to politics. I have promised to address the problem from its origin. If the OPEX (external operations) in Ukraine is open, come on! It does not scare me.”
