‘The film industry, Dr. Dre, GTA’: Hugo Lloris on his time at LAFC so far | OneFootball

Hugo Lloris (37) was ready for one final challenge. Last summer, the Frenchman left Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after eleven years of service for the North London club to join Major League Soccer outfit Los Angeles Football Club.

There is a tendency to assume that the first motivation of players choosing to make the move across the Atlantic Ocean is a financial one, but the rumours of Lloris’s (relatively) modest monthly wage (30,000€ according to L’Équipe) seem to disprove that assumption. Indeed, it seems like the 2018 World Cup winning captain has chosen to prioritise lifestyle over financial gain, rejecting more lucrative offers from the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle United, OGC Nice and PSV Eindhoven:

There are many things to adapt to when making a move so far away from home, but that is something that the former Olympique Lyonnais man has taken in his stride, describing his daily routine:

Lloris is clearly embracing American culture and is vocal about his love of American muscle cars, Hollywood films that he watched with his grandfather and the different landscapes and scenery that the US offers. With European teams regularly choosing the country as a base for lucrative pre-season tours, he has visited the country with Lyon and Spurs in the past, but never the West Coast:

Last weekend saw Lloris deliver a vintage performance on his debut for last season’s MLS Cup finalists, as LAFC just about got over the line against big Western Conference rivals Seattle Sounders with a 2-1 win at BMO Stadium. Famous faces are never far away in the city of Angels and the Frenchman had the opportunity to talk with part owner Will Ferrell, as well as Ted Lasso actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt after the game.

As remarked by other famous former MLS stars such as Steven Gerrard and David Beckham, a huge plus of plying one’s trade Stateside is the relative anonymity it affords. With the soccer spotlight firmly on Miami and Lionel Messi, Lloris is enjoying a more tranquil way of living, including visiting Universal Studios with his family:

So why LAFC? Why not retirement?

That human aspect is very present at BMO stadium, as at the end of every game the player’s families join them on the field to applaud and salute LAFC’s vociferous fanbase. At 37 years old, Lloris’s priority is to be competitive on the field but also to have a peaceful and relaxed life away from the field with his young family. In Los Angeles, he seems to have found his happy place after a difficult ending to his time at Tottenham. It will be an even happier place if Lloris can help Steve Cherundolo’s LAFC side re-capture the MLS Cup they won in 2022.

GFFN | Jack McArdle