By Corentin BONIZEC-LE LOUARNE.
Have you always dreamed of spending a special moment with your favorite footballer? Know that it is possible! The Dharma agency organizes trips around an exceptional match with a small supplement, a meeting and an activity with a former player.
As Christmas approaches, for those who would like to go big, travel agency Dharma has the solution for all football fans. The company, launched in 2022 by Éric Cantona, offers trips to see exceptional matches, with a little extra, a meeting with a former player.
Thus, in the proposed catalog, we will find in the coming months stays such as a trip to London with a cooking class in the company of Emmanuel Petit, four days in Italy to watch the Milanese derby while enjoying a session of padel with Marco Materazzi. For a stay with a match and a meeting, count between €1,000 and €1,500. For just a trip with a meeting, count between €400 and €600.
“I love football that makes hearts beat and stadiums shake. Our idea was to create the world’s most exhilarating football experiences, authentic and soulful. Today everything is driven by price, we wanted to create a product driven by passionspecified Éric Cantona, in a press release, at the time of the launch. If you’re a Manchester United fan, attending a match at Old Trafford is a dream come true. But that’s not all… Have you heard of FC United and what they stand for? Do you know the Stretford End chants? Beyond its aesthetics, do you know the true meaning of Marcus Rashford’s fresco? All of this represents the very essence of football, whether you are in Liverpool, Buenos Aires, or Casablanca. These trips are aimed at those who still believe in passion and want to experience their love for football in the most intense way. »
Former athletes receptive to this approach
Not all former athletes necessarily focus on a second life once the time comes to retire. For some former players, their new life is dotted with diverse and varied economic opportunities. This is particularly the case of Djibril Cissé, attackers coach at Auxerre, consultant for France Televisions since 2023, DJ or even five-a-side football player in Athens during a stay organized in January 2025.
Read also: VIDEO. Footballer Djibril Cissé behind the decks… at the Fougères Shop!
“It’s a little different from a classic photo shoot, a basic meeting with supportersexplains Sean Parker, director of operations at Dharma, at Parisianduring a five-day session between Javier Pastore and fans. We explain to players, to convince them, that this is an opportunity to spend quality time with their real fans, to listen and learn what it means to them. Some players are attracted to this, they are looking for something different and see it as an opportunity. »
F1 also offers its stays
This is particularly the case of the Argentinian Javier Pastore, who, that day, spent time chatting with each of the fans present. “A lot of things surprised me. I didn’t expect some people to talk to me about my first matches, at Huracan or Palermo. They followed me even after Paris and that’s special for me. »
The Dharma agency is not the only one to offer accommodation and additional activities before a sporting event. The F1 Experiences organization, affiliated with the sports federation, offers tickets for race weekends, with many options such as a lap of the circuit, a visit to the paddock, a garage or even a meeting with drivers. However, for an exceptional stay as close as possible to the race, count on several thousand euros.
