David Bellion gets creative in Paris

David Bellion spent more than a decade playing top-flight football in England and France, at clubs including Manchester United, Sunderland, Nice and Bordeaux. He ended his playing career at Red Star FC in Paris - then took an unusual path by becoming the club's creative director. Before leaving the role in May 2025, Bellion spent eight years building up the club's brand, and creating links between Red Star and the worlds of arts, fashion and culture.

Not by the Playbook's Katie Smith talked to David Bellion earlier this year about his creative passions, and the culture he set out to build at Red Star. He explains why English pop culture and humour played a big part in his creative direction at the club, and how Ricky Gervais served as a source of inspiration. He also discusses why, when he looks back on his own career as a player, it's not the wins and losses that he remembers.

This interview originally featured in our sister podcast, Not by the Playbook, which brings you stories from sportspeople and athletes who have achieved success in the face of seemingly impossible challenges. There's a new episode every Saturday - search for Not by the Playbook wherever you get your podcasts.

Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.

And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore