Draxler reflects on leaving PSG for Qatar

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·20. August 2025

Draxler reflects on leaving PSG for Qatar

Julian Draxler (31 years old), former Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder, confided in the Parisien about his career and current life. After leaving to play in Qatar following six seasons in Paris, the German international explained why this career choice, sometimes criticized, allows him to find a personal and family balance today.

Draxler "I understand people who say: it's a shame"

"If someone had told me, back when I had a great start with PSG, that I would be playing in Qatar at 29, I wouldn't have believed it. I understand people who say: it's a shame [...]. But the most important thing is my life and being happy with my family, not just football. And today, I couldn't dream of anything better.

Draxler "This life is more normal for me"

It wasn't always easy to walk around Paris with my little boy, I was a bit forced to hide with a cap. I'm not Neymar, but if you play for PSG, it's quite difficult to have a normal life. In Qatar, it's the opposite, you can look people in the eye. This life is more normal for me, I can move around without feeling like people are following my every move. It does me a lot of good, humanly speaking.

Draxler "I'm not ashamed of it"

Football is super important, but my parents are getting older, my son is three years old, time passes very quickly, and if I can help my family financially with the money I've earned during my career, I will do it, there's no reason to hide it. I'm not ashamed of it.

Sometimes, we tend to forget that a footballer is not a machine programmed to maximize his potential until the last drop of sweat. The example of Julian Draxler (31 years old) is striking: immense talent, silky technique, but a philosophy of life that moves away from purely sports obsession.

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Where some, like Cristiano Ronaldo, have built their legend on quasi-military discipline and the cult of performance, others find their balance elsewhere, in family, tranquility, or a more "normal" life. This can be frustrating for supporters, who see a world-class player not reaching the expected summit. But it's also a reality of high-level sports: not all destinies follow the same trajectory. Draxler illustrates this diversity, reminding us that there are several ways to envision a career, even at PSG.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.