While many footballing contemporaries are lounging around on luxury yachts, Ivan Perisic is spending his summer holiday doing something a little more active.
Indeed, the Inter Milan winger, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, made his professional beach volleyball tournament debut this week.
Perisic partnered with Niksa Dell'Orco to represent Croatia at the Porec Major event.
Ivan Perišić played beach volleyball today ��
Professionally, internationally against Olympic-standard opposition �� https://t.co/8Q3tkHT7S9 pic.twitter.com/1YIQOLUFxb
- Swatch Major Series (@SwatchMajors) June 29, 2017
Sadly, Perisic and Dell'Orco slumped to a heavy defeat in their opening match against Brazilian pair Alvaro De Morais Filho and Saymon Barbosa Santos, who won comfortably in straight sets.
Still, there were glimmers of skill from the home pair.
.@IperiOfficial proves his #football skills on the #BeachVolleyball court! #PorecMajor #Perisic pic.twitter.com/igD9oIhZjn
- Beach Volleyball (@FIVBBeach) June 29, 2017
Alas, Perisic also tasted defeat in his second pool game on Thursday, wherein he ended up losing to a team from the United States.
"This was always my dream. I have been playing beach volleyball since I was 10. I'm very passionate about this game and every summer I have been practising with my friend," the 28-year-old told reporters.
"I'd like to thank everyone who has given me the opportunity to play with the best beach volleyball players in the world. It felt amazing -- even though I lost."