Matthieu Jalibert criticism and public scrutiny, Digi Mart USA News: Matthieu Jalibert, who was awarded the Oscar d’Or, gave a long interview to Midi Olympique. The UBB and France fly-half addressed several topics, including his lost season with his club in the Top 14 last year, his new status with the national team, his long-running rivalry with Romain Ntamack, and the criticism he long took too much to heart before calming down in recent years.
Jalibert said he was thrust into the media spotlight at a very young age, at a time when the explosion of social media had radically changed things for athletes. “When you are 18 or 20, you are not necessarily equipped to face the virulence of judgments, the shortcuts or the disinformation,” he said.
“It took me time to understand how our ecosystem works. Today, I am finally at peace with myself, much more composed and serene in my life as a man.”
He went on to explain his view. “Fame inevitably brings admiration, but it also attracts a share of jealousy, frustration and gratuitous malice.
Sometimes you feel a sense of injustice in the face of certain targeted criticisms, but complaining serves no purpose. With maturity, I have learned to let all of that slide.
What matters is the opinion of my coaches, my teammates and my loved ones.”
At 28, Jalibert said he has learned to step back in order to focus on his game and fully flourish, to the great benefit of the UBB and the French national team. The complete interview is available on Midi Olympique’s website.
