Marcel Desailly
The Rock of French defense, a World Cup and European champion who captained his nation and set a new standard for defenders.
Marcel David Desailly (born 7 September 1968) is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. He won UEFA Champions League medals with both Marseille and AC Milan, and also played for Nantes, Chelsea, and other clubs. At international level, he collected 116 caps between 1993 and 2004, scoring three goals, and was a member of the France squads that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Marcel David Desailly
- Born
- 7 September 1968
- Birthplace
- Accra, Ghana
- Height
- 1.85 m / 6 ft 1 in
- Position
- Centre-back, defensive midfielder
- Total caps
- 539
- Total goals
- 23
Lore & Background
Desailly was born in Accra, Ghana, to Elizabeth Addy, and was adopted by Marcel Desailly Sr. soon after birth. His half-brother was professional footballer Seth Adonkor. The family moved to France when Desailly was four. He began his career at Nantes, turned professional in 1986, and later played for Marseille, AC Milan, Chelsea, Al-Gharafa, and Qatar S.C. He was sent off in the 1998 World Cup final, the only player on the winning team to be dismissed in a World Cup final. He was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998. After Euro 2000, he became captain of France. He surpassed the record for the number of appearances for the French team, reaching 116 caps before retiring from international football after Euro 2004. That record was later broken by Lilian Thuram during the 2006 World Cup.
Reader's Guide
Desailly is regarded as one of the leading players of his generation and among the most accomplished defenders in history. Nicknamed 'The Rock', he was known for his consistency, strength, hard-tackling style, leadership, and ability to organize the back-line. He excelled in the air, at anticipating opponents, and had good technique on the ball, allowing him to play as a defensive midfielder as well. He was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 in 2004.
Did You Know?
- Desailly is the first player to win the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs in consecutive seasons (Marseille 1993, AC Milan 1994).
- He scored in the 1994 Champions League final for AC Milan.
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