Have you ever wanted to roam the streets of Naples with Eric Cantona or compete in a padel tournament with Marco Materazzi in Milan? Now could be your chance.
France legend Cantona has teamed up with other high-profile footballers to give fans a bucket-list-worthy chance to experience a holiday with their favourite athletes.
The former Manchester United forward has launched his latest roster of trips under the umbrella of his company Looking FC.
Teaming up with Dharma, a firm which says it “empowers iconic people and brands to create and sell travel experiences”, Cantona and his colleagues see travel as an experience rather than just a destination.
Kicking off in 2022, he hosted his first trip with Looking FC to Marseilles, for fans to watch Le Classique – the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille.
Billed as perfect for “committed football fans”, they – perhaps unsurprisingly – don’t come cheap. But Charaf El Mansouri, co-founder of Dharma, thinks true football fanatics won’t see that as a hurdle.
“These trips are pilgrimages – and that’s the future of football travel, and sports travel, more generally. It’s about connecting with others who understand that football is life. It’s about, for a moment in time, belonging to an adopted family and experiencing an authentic football culture,” he explains.
Cantona himself is similarly enthusiastic.
“Our goal is to create the most passionate football trips on Earth. To allow football fans to discover the world and its cities through its local football culture. Through the eyes of the players that often write its history but rarely tell it,” he says.
“We want our community to feel the love, the agony, the ecstasy, the passion of being a football fan”.
In the FAQ section of Looking FC, the question: “Will I really get face-to-face time with the Legend?” is answered: “Absolutely. This isn’t some distant wave from across a stadium. You’ll be up close, chatting, sharing stories, and probably learning a few cheeky tricks about the game.”
When the tickets for the events go on sale on Thursday, it will be a chance for football fans to combine their love for the beautiful game with a visit to some of Europe’s most exciting cities.
It’s also an opportunity for former top footballers to impart some of their knowledge and share more recent passions.
Cantona is set to host two trips this year, the first to Naples, where guests will explore the edgy city, with its Maradona-themed street art, and undertake a pizzaiolo experience hosted by Eric’s nephew Hugo.
His next trip will be to Manchester, where fans can play pool and darts with their hero, before heading to Old Trafford to witness the Manchester derby between United and City.
Former Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti will take fans to the San Siro stadium in Milan to see his old club take on their nemesis, Napoli.
French Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit will host a cooking masterclass in London but football is still very much a part of the experience; after creating delicacies in the kitchen, Petit and his group will cheer on Arsenal against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
As well as Materazzi’s padel tournament in Milan, other experiences will include beach football with Portugal’s Nuno Gomes in Lisbon, and five-a-side with ex-Liverpool star Djibril Cissé in Athens, overlooking the Parthenon.
Midfielder Javier Pastore is also hosting a 5-a-side game in the French capital, followed by a professional football match.
“Paris is like my home and I can’t wait to be there again with fans. I challenge anyone to join our five -a-side match. But please remember that I play to win!” he jokes. “The next day, it’s the clash between PSG and Atlético de Madrid at the Parc des Princes. Keep an eye out because… Ici c’est Paris!”
Pastore’s trip will be the most affordable announced so far, with packages starting from $999 (£752). Cantona’s Manchester excursion is the most expensive, starting at $1599 (£1205).
What trips have been announced so far?
The trips announced so far, and ready to be booked, are as follows:
Javier Pastore | Nov 4th – Nov 7th | Paris | PSG vs. Atletico Madrid | 5-a-side futsal & BBQ | Packages starting from $999
Javier Zanetti | Nov 9th – Nov 12th | Milan | Inter Milan vs Napoli | Una Serata Italiana (A quintessential Italian Evening) | Packages starting from $999
Eric Cantona (Napoli) | Nov 22 – Nov 25 | Napoli | Napoli vs Roma | Pizza and Street Art workshop | Packages starting from $1399
Emmanuel Petit | Dec 1st – Dec 4th | London | Arsenal vs. Man United | Cooking Class | Packages starting from $999
Djibril Cissé | Jan 16th – Jan 19th | Athens | Panathinaikos vs AEK Athens | Futsal overlooking Parthenon | Packages starting from $1199
Marco Materazzi | Jan 31st – Feb 3rd | Milan | AC Milan vs Inter Milan | Padel tournament | Packages starting from $1399
Juan Pablo Sorin | Mar 14th – Mar 17th | Paris | PSG vs Marseille | Arg-French Day: Empanadas & Wine | Packages starting from $1399
David Villa | Mar 15th – Mar 17th | Madrid | Atletico Madrid vs FC Barcelona | None | Packages starting from $1099
Eric Cantona (Manchester) | Apr 3rd – Apr 6th | Manchester | Man United vs Man City | Pub Games | Packages starting from $1599
Nuno Gomes | May 9th – May 12th | Lisbon | Benfica vs Sporting | Beach football tournament | Packages starting from $1199
Javier Saviola | May 9th – May 12th | Barcelona | Barcelona vs Real Madrid | Petanque tournament | Packages starting from $1299
Meanwhile, if the idea of this kind of celebrity and brand-themed trip appeals but you’re not a football fan, you won’t be excluded.
What events are available for those less keen on football?
As well as Dharma’s collaboration with Paramount – which offers Emily in Paris-based adventures – countless brands and media titles are now offering celebrity-led tours and those inspired by popular shows and films.
Dharma launched in 2018 with a yoga and music trip with celebrity instructor Mona Lisa Godfrey.
“When Mona shared the trip link with her community on social and offline, it sold out in three days. This was a big aha moment, this realisation that the creator economy has enabled a whole new space in travel that allows inspiring people with organic communities, be they yoga teachers, chefs, or surfers, to create and then host trips built for their community,” Charaf tells i.
This business model has been replicated ever since – across many different sectors.
BBC presenter Julia Bradbury hosts “Walk Yourself Happy” wellbeing retreats, alongside a team of experts who extol the benefits of walking.
Each retreat is limited to 25 people who will go to a location “handpicked for its tranquil ambience and abundance of nature-snacking opportunities”. Julia and the team say: “We promise an escape from the ordinary and an embrace of the extraordinary” – and each trip sets guests back £1,650 per person for a one night stay and time with the TV star and her band of experts.
Another BBC presenter offering a chance to travel in their company is Michael Portillo. The former MP-turned-host of Great Railway Journeys has teamed up with Good Housekeeping for a pricey journey on arguably the most iconic railway of all time.
The Orient Express is never going to be a cheap experience, but three nights in Venice and one overnight on the journey to Paris will cost from £5,999 per person.
It seems as if Portillo is as excited as those willing to drop the cash on the trip. “Michael is a true rail enthusiast and has presented many series on train travel, but this will be his first time travelling on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express,” a spokesperson for Good Housekeeping explains.
This summer saw new age guru Dr Deepak Chopra host his first event on UK soil in more than two decades. Guests flocked to The Lakes by YOO, a sustainable estate in the Cotswolds, for a so-called Longevity Retreat.
At the event, the guru and his guests pondered the secret to happiness and those who didn’t get the chance to find the answer needn’t give up hope.
Dr Chopra is repeating the experience in Sounion, on the outskirts of Athens, this October – at a cost of €5,700 (£4,745) per person.
There are also options to go on trips thought up by celebrities, but without the added pressure of having them there with you.
One particularly popular example of this is a food odyssey, with Tom Kerridge at the heart of it. The celebrity chef’s gastronomic experience gives guests the chance to stay in luxurious accommodation in Marlow for two nights.
While in the pretty Buckinghamshire town, foodies will get the chance to dine at each of Tom’s locations there.
They include The Hand and Flowers, which boasts two Michelin stars; one-Michelin-starred The Coach; and The Butcher’s Tap & Grill – a butchers’ where you can dine in.
The Gastronomic Getaway package costs from £600 per person and is available on either Tuesdays and Wednesdays, or Wednesdays and Thursdays
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