Usain Bolt eyes non league football return with former Premier League players after failed pro attempt

Usain Bolt says he is ready to lace up his football boots again and play for a non-league club full of former Premier League players. The eight-time Olympic gold medal winner says he only needs to get fit before stepping onto the pitch. Bolt made the comment while speaking to talkSPORT, making it clear that the idea excites him. The world’s fastest man is now 39, but he believes his speed and love for football still give him a chance to enjoy the game at a competitive level. Bolt retired from athletics in 2017 and later tried to build a football career. While that dream did not last long, his interest never faded.The club linked to Usain Bolt is Wythenshawe Vets, a team that plays in the Cheshire Veterans Football League. Over recent months, the club has become known for signing former Premier League stars. That mix of famous names and relaxed football has caught Bolt’s attention and sparked fresh talk about his return to the sport. Speaking openly, Bolt warned amateur players that he is serious about the idea and not just joking. His words suggest that if the chance comes, he will take it.

Usain Bolt talks football return as Danny Drinkwater and Marc Albrighton feature at Wythenshawe Vets

Wythenshawe Vets has turned into a surprise home for well-known former Premier League players. Danny Drinkwater, Marc Albrighton, Papiss Cisse, and Oumar Niasse have already played matches for the club. Antonio Valencia, Joleon Lescott, Danny Simpson, and Maynor Figueroa are also registered to play.When asked if he would like to join them, Bolt sounded confident. He told talkSPORT, “Listen, I’m ready. I’m ready. If I get into some shape, I’m ready to go.”Bolt once believed he could make it as a professional footballer after athletics. His speed, including his famous 9.58 second 100 metre world record, made many curious. He trained with Borussia Dortmund and Norwegian club Stromsgodset. Later, he scored two goals in a friendly match for Australia’s Central Coast Mariners.Still, his football journey ended sooner than expected. Usain Bolt later admitted he may have made the wrong choice by moving far away from Europe. He explained, “I thought that if some players, I’m not going to name names, you know them, if they can play football, I can probably do it too.”He added, “It was a great experience, I definitely enjoyed it. When I decided that I was going to go into it, I was like ‘I don’t want to stay in Europe’. Because of who I am, in Europe, the sole attention is going to be on me.”Looking back, Bolt said, “I decided to go as far as possible away, but I think the correct thing to do was to actually stay in Europe where there were much better teams.”