Marcel Desailly facts for kids
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Desailly at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Marcel David Desailly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 7 September 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1986 | Nantes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1992 | Nantes | 162 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Marseille | 47 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | AC Milan | 137 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Chelsea | 158 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Al-Gharafa | 28 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Qatar SC | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 539 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2004 | France | 116 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marcel David Desailly (born September 7, 1968) is a famous French former footballer. He played as a centre-back (a defender) or a defensive midfielder (a player who protects the defense). Marcel Desailly had a very successful career from 1986 to 2006. He won many important titles, including the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs: Marseille and AC Milan. He also played for well-known teams like Nantes and Chelsea.
For his country, France, he played 116 games between 1993 and 2004. He scored three goals for France. He was a key player in the French team that won the World Cup in 1998 and the Euro 2000. Many people think Desailly is one of the best players of his time. They also consider him one of the greatest defenders ever in football history.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Marcel David Desailly was born in Accra, Ghana, on September 7, 1968. When he was four years old, his family moved to France. His older half-brother, Seth Adonkor, was also a professional footballer. Marcel followed in his footsteps and started playing football.
Playing for Clubs
Marcel Desailly began his football journey at Nantes in France. He joined their famous youth program. There, he played alongside Didier Deschamps, who became a close friend. Desailly became a professional player in 1986.
Winning the Champions League
In 1992, Desailly moved to Marseille. He joined his friend Didier Deschamps there. The very next year, in 1993, they won the UEFA Champions League together. This is one of the biggest club competitions in European football.
In 1994, Desailly moved to AC Milan in Italy. He won the Champions League again with Milan, even scoring a goal in the final match. This made him the first player ever to win the Champions League two years in a row with different clubs! While at Milan, he also won two Italian league titles in 1994 and 1996.
Even though he liked playing as a defender, he often played as a defensive midfielder for Milan. He was very good at this role, helping to protect the defense and start attacks.
Time at Chelsea
In 1998, Desailly moved to the English club Chelsea. He played there for six seasons until 2004. He was the team's captain for some of that time. At Chelsea, he formed a strong defensive partnership with Frank Leboeuf.
He won one major trophy with Chelsea: the FA Cup in 2000. They beat Aston Villa in the final.
Later Career
After Chelsea, Desailly joined Al-Gharafa in Qatar in 2004. He became the captain and helped them win the Qatar League in 2005. He then played for Qatar S.C. before he stopped playing professional football.
In 2014, Desailly showed interest in coaching the Malaysia national team.
Playing for France
Marcel Desailly played for the French national youth team. He made his first game for the senior French team in 1993. By 1996, he was a regular starter in defense.
World Cup and Euro Wins
He was a very important part of the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This was a huge achievement for France. In the final match, he was sent off (given a red card). But France still won the game. After this victory, he was given a special honor called the Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Two years later, France continued their success. They won the Euro 2000 tournament. After this, Desailly became the captain of the national team. This happened when his friend Didier Deschamps retired from international football.
In 2001, he led France to win the Confederations Cup. He also led them to win it again in 2003.
In April 2003, Desailly broke the record for the most games played for the French team. He played a total of 116 games before he retired from international football after Euro 2004. His record was later broken by Lilian Thuram.
How Marcel Desailly Played
Marcel Desailly was nicknamed "The Rock." This was because he was always strong, consistent, and tackled hard. He is seen as one of the best defenders of his time. He was known for his leadership and for organizing his team's defense. He was also great at stopping opponents' attacks.
He was a fast, hard-working, and powerful player. He was good in the air and could predict what opponents would do. He combined his strength and defensive skills with good ball control. This allowed him to play in midfield too. He was very good at winning the ball back and starting new attacks for his team. He could also score goals by running into the opponent's box. In 2004, the legendary footballer Pelé named Desailly as one of the world's greatest living players in the FIFA 100 list.
Life After Playing Football
Marcel Desailly lives in Ghana. He is a member of the Laureus Academy. He is also an ambassador for OrphanAid Africa, a charity that helps children in Ghana.
In June 2011, he opened a sports facility in Ghana called Lizzy Sports Complex. He named it after his late mother. This center is for young players and children. Many African national teams use it to train for international tournaments.
Working in Media
After retiring from playing, Desailly became a football expert, also known as a pundit. He worked for BBC Sport and ITV Sport in the United Kingdom. He also commentates for the French TV channel Canal Plus.
Charity Work
Desailly supports the 1GOAL Education for All campaign. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Ghana. He is a Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador for his charity, OrphanAid Africa. This charity helps abandoned children in Ghana. He is also part of the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation.
Video Games
A mobile video game called Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer was released in 2003. Desailly is also an "ICON" player in the FIFA 21 and FIFA 22 Ultimate Team video games.
Personal Life
Marcel Desailly is married to Virginie Desailly. They have three children. His nephew, James Édouard Adams, is also a semi-professional footballer.
Honours and Awards
Marcel Desailly won many trophies and awards during his career:
Marseille
- UEFA Champions League: 1992–93
AC Milan
- Serie A (Italian League): 1993–94, 1995–96
- Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup): 1994
- UEFA Champions League: 1993–94
- European Super Cup: 1994
Chelsea
- FA Cup: 1999–2000
- FA Charity Shield: 2000
- UEFA Super Cup: 1998
Al-Gharafa
- Qatar Stars League: 2004–05
France National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 1998
- UEFA European Championship: 2000
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001, 2003
Individual Awards
- Onze de Onze: 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
- Overseas Team of the Decade (1992/93 – 2001/02)
- Overall Team of the Decade (1992/93 – 2001/02)
- UEFA Euro 1996 Team of the Tournament
- FIFA XI: 1996
- 1998 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
- UEFA Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament
- FIFA 100: 2004 (named by Pelé as one of the greatest living players)
- Trophée d'honneur UNFP: 2005
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- Golden Foot Legends Award: 2017
Orders
- Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1998 (a high French award)
See also
In Spanish: Marcel Desailly para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
