17 February 2024 , 09:42
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Thomas Hitzlsperger was remembered fondly in the Premier for his hammer of a left foot. But these days the former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder is smashing it on a new business path.
The German was working as Stuttgart's chief executive until stepping down in 2022, and Aston Villa recently appointed him onto their Honorary Anniversary Board to mark the club's 150th anniversary season. But these days Hitzlsperger is keeping busy as the owner of the iconic L'Escargot restaurant in London which sees plenty of celebrity guests.
Chatting on West Ham's IronCast podcast, Hitzlsperger shared: "Sometimes, you go into restaurants or places in general and think there is something about this that I really enjoy. This started ten years ago, I went in, and I loved it there.
"So I kept going back and still loved it. I got to know the management, and when Covid hit, people reached out to me and asked if I wanted to get involved with the restaurant.
He continued saying: "I learned a lot at Stuttgart in my role as the CEO and other different roles, and I had just left, so I thought, 'why not?'. It is really hard work, but I love it."
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L'Escargot is one of London's most famed French eateries (No credit)"I love food, I love being in London, it was already a big brand so I was tempted to just do it to see how good I can be in this industry. I hate it when it is quiet and I am looking to avoid that as best as I can."
The restaurant in Soho is loved by many including Princess Diana, who was a regular visitor prior to her death in 1997.
The former German footy star has taken up a surprising new career post-retirement (Getty Images)
Despite only playing 11 times for West Ham, Hitzlsperger was a big hit with fans for his short time there (No credit)Hitzlsperger was also the first Premier League player to come out as gay in 2014, and he remains an authority on LGBT+ issues in sport.
Speaking earlier this month, 10 years on from coming out, he said: "“Often people say to me, ‘Nothing has changed since I’ve come out. No other players or very few players have come out.’ I said, ‘That’s correct.’
"But in terms of the fans and the awareness, so much has changed. “Clubs really take it seriously now when they talk about diversity and inclusion, and that’s mainly to the fan clubs who have had a really huge voice."
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