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Vivre de Sport by Bixente Lizarazu

  • Writer: Dimitris Schoen
    Dimitris Schoen
  • Aug 6
  • 3 min read

Some sporting memoirs dwell on medals, trophies and moments of glory. Bixente Lizarazu’s Vivre de Sport takes a different route. Rather than revisiting every milestone of his celebrated football career, the former France international offers a thoughtful meditation on movement, curiosity and the lifelong pursuit of physical and mental well-being.


For readers outside the French-speaking world, the book is currently available only in French. While there is no official English translation, interviews and summaries of Lizarazu’s work provide valuable insight into the philosophy that underpins his writing.


From the rugged coastline of the French Basque Country to the grand stage of the Stade de France, sport has shaped every chapter of Lizarazu’s life. Football may have made him a World Cup winner in 1998, but it is only one part of a much broader athletic identity. (Bixente Lizarazu | UEFA EURO 2016 | UEFA.com, 2014) Surfing, skiing, cycling, scuba diving and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu all feature prominently, illustrating a man driven less by competition than by an enduring desire to keep learning and exploring.


Lavishly illustrated with more than one hundred photographs, Vivre de Sport is part memoir, part training journal and part personal manifesto. (Lizarazu, 2024) Lizarazu argues that sport is not merely a way to stay fit but a framework for living well. Exercise becomes a means of cultivating resilience, embracing discomfort and escaping the routines that often define modern life. His reflections on ageing, recovery and motivation feel refreshingly honest, particularly from someone whose career unfolded under the intense scrutiny of elite professional football.


The book is at its strongest when it moves beyond practical advice and explores the emotional rewards of physical activity. Lizarazu writes with genuine enthusiasm about discovering new disciplines long after retirement, suggesting that curiosity—not competition—is the real secret to longevity. His message is inclusive rather than prescriptive: there is no single path to fitness, only the willingness to remain active and open to new experiences.


At times, readers looking for an intimate football autobiography may wish for deeper reflections on his years with the French national team or his club career. Those expecting behind-the-scenes revelations from the 1998 World Cup may also find the focus surprisingly broad. Yet this restraint is ultimately part of the book’s appeal. Lizarazu is less interested in reliving past triumphs than in asking what comes after them.


For the Sensei Bookclub, Vivre de Sport prompted an engaging discussion about the place of sport in everyday life.


Questions for readers


  • How does physical activity shape our identity beyond competition?

  • Can learning a new sport later in life change the way we approach personal challenges?

  • What can retired elite athletes teach us about maintaining purpose after a successful career?

  • Is sport ultimately about performance, or about discovering new ways to engage with the world?


Our verdict


Vivre de Sport is an uplifting and thoughtful read that succeeds because of its sincerity rather than its celebrity. It is less a football memoir than a celebration of lifelong movement, curiosity and balance. Readers seeking tactical insights or dramatic sporting revelations may come away wanting more, but those interested in the philosophy of an athlete who refuses to stop exploring will find plenty to admire.


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.


References



Lizarazu, B. (2024). Vivre de sports. Flammarion. https://www.senscritique.com/livre/vivre_de_sports/90402678




 
 
2026
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