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- Mar 19, 2019
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As the husband of U.S. women’s soccer star Julie Ertz, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz was eager to spend a three and a half weeks in France during the World Cup.
That doesn’t mean it didn’t have its challenges.
Between the lack of air conditioning and some dietary differences, Ertz had to rely on the help of his shoe company and others to navigate a month abroad.
“It was amazing,” Ertz said, via Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News. “Nike set everything up for me. I was at this French Olympic training center. I couldn’t see Julie too much anyway during the World Cup. So I was literally training for 5-6 hours a day over there. . . .
“It was a really, really cool experience. Everybody was very helpful to me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I didn’t have all the help. But being in my routine over there, even though I was out of the country, was definitely helpful. Because the summer is all about conditioning so that you can report in great shape and last the season.”
His biggest challenge was finding things to eat which agreed with him.
“I love the French people, and I like a lot of the French food,” he said. “But snails and beef tongue and pig’s ears? Their ham sandwiches are basically a giant baguette with one slice of ham and a huge slice of cheese.
“Jordan Matthews and his wife were over there. They told me I had to try this one restaurant. So I went there and beef tongue and pig’s ears were on the menu. I made the mistake of ordering it. The next day, I had the worst stomach-ache of my life.”
It was worth it to see his wife and his country win the World Cup, and now he can focus on doing his work — and eating — in a more familiar routine.