I was a football champion but quit to be a Buddhist monk – I packed everything up for a simpler life in Thailand

2 weeks ago 14

A FORMER football gave up the sport he loved to become a Buddhist monk in Thailand.

Kevin Lidin played in Italy’s Serie C for Paganese Calcio 1926 and AC Pisa after playing in his native Sweden during his youth.

Kevin Lidin quit football to become a monk[/caption]

The former midfielder won the Serie C play-offs with AC Pisa in 2019[/caption]

Lidin, right, is a big proponent of yoga[/caption]

Lidin teaches about the importance of giving back[/caption]

He even managed to get his hands on a trophy during his time at Pisa, winning the Serie C play-offs with Pisa in 2019.

But injuries forced Lidin to retire in 2021 so he decided to quit his flash lifestyle, which included trips to Dubai, in favour of becoming a monk.

He began to go on meditation retreats to Thailand and took up yoga, becoming an instructor in tourist hotspot Ko Pha-ngan.

The Swede even modelled for clothing brand Teddy Stratford last year and quit alcohol in his pursuit of finding “true happiness”.

Lidin believes that can be found by not intoxicating oneself and not overconsuming on “easy products” like social media or unhealthy foods.

He advises his almost 11,000 Instagram followers not to be impressed by money, degrees and titles and to instead mediate and take control of their physical health.

Lidin wrote last year: “In 2021 my professional football career ended due to injuries.

“I started to ask myself what happiness is and what the purpose of life is.

Footballers who became priests/monks

Taribo West – Nigeria and Inter Milan star became a pastor and found his own church called ‘Shelter in the Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nation’

Philip Mulryne – Ex-Man Utd, became a Catholic priest

Gavin Peacock – Played for Chelsea and Newcastle before becoming a pastor in Canada

Bruce Dyer – Ex-Crystal Palace star and first £1million teenager. He became a pastor and set up the evangelical fellowship ‘Love Life UK Church’

Alan Comfort – Ex-Leyton Orient, became a CofE reverend

Chase Hilgenbrinck – Ex-MLS star became a Catholic priest

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“Most people will never ask themselves this question, the ones who do often believe that becoming financially free or famous will mak them happy.

“After studying the science of happiness, becoming a moink and practising yoga I found the answer of what happiness is. I learned how to get it and how to keep it.”

Above all he teaches people to “not take life too seriously”, while he still finds time for his first love football by incorporating a ball into his yoga exercises.