Vegard Heggem

Who?

Buccaneering former Liverpool right-back – a regular pick for two terms in the late-90s and the man brought off so Steven Gerrard could make his debut in 1998. Prior to that, Heggem headed the winner at the San Siro for Rosenborg in the Champions League. Injured while playing with Norway at Euro 2000, he retired in ’03 at the age of just 28.

Well that’s no age. So what did he do?

He became a salmon fisherman, obviously. Heggem has helmed Aunan Lodge, on the River Orkla’s banks in Sor-trondelag, since persistent hamstring problems ended his playing days. “I can’t imagine a better job than being a host for fishermen from all over the world that come here to hunt for Atlantic salmon,” he said last October.

That sounds fishy...

Look, he just loves salmon, all right? “It is a big fighter,” he says of the Atlantic kind – his favourite. “If you hook it, your heart pumps straight away. It’s so strong.”