Former Germany goalkeeper Tim Wiese considering becoming WWE wrestler

• Wiese has been bodybuilding since becoming free agent
• ‘Lifting weights is fun’, says 32-year-old
• The Knowledge: retired footballers’ strangest jobs

Former Germany international Tim Wiese has revealed he is considering an offer from the WWE to go into professional wrestling.

The goalkeeper, who has taken up bodybuilding since becoming a free agent in January, told Bild: “I have an official enquiry from the WWE. It’s about working for them as a wrestler. I will listen. I don’t shit my pants. Why should I immediately say no? Wrestling is very popular, especially in the [United] States. I will go through the enquiry with my agent next week.”

Wiese, who has six international caps for Germany and was part of his country’s World Cup squad in 2010, has drastically transformed his physique and now weighs 115kg (18st 1lb). It has been suggested that Wiese would spend around a year training in Florida and could then become the lead wrestler in the WWE’s plans for Germany, where events are now being broadcast on free-to-air television for the first time in 12 years.

Wiese revealed this summer than he turned down the chance to be Iker Casillas’s No2 at Real Madrid in 2012, and instead moved from Werder Bremen to Hoffenheim, where he was made club captain.

However, the German suffered a dip in form and lost his place to former Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes in 2013 and admitted his time at Hoffenheim had become “like a horror story” after suffering fan protests.

Despite having a contract that ran until 2016, Wiese’s contract was mutually terminated in January this year, allowing the 32-year-old to concentrate on his new hobby. “I had to deal with all the negativity, and lifting weights is fun,” he added.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/16/tim-wiese-germany-goalkeeper-wwe-wrestling-offer