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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| Date of birth | 7 September 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | 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 | Milan | 137 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Chelsea | 158 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Al-Gharafa | 28 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Qatar SC | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 539 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2004 | France | 116 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Marcel Desailly (born Odenke Abbey; 7 September 1968) is a famous French former professional footballer. He played mainly as a centre-back (a central defender) or a defensive midfielder (a player who protects the defence).
Marcel had a very successful career from 1986 to 2006. He won many important titles. This includes the UEFA Champions League with two different teams: Marseille and AC Milan. He also played for other big clubs like Nantes and Chelsea.
For his country, France, he played 116 games between 1993 and 2004. He scored three goals for the national team. He was a key player in the French teams that won the 1998 World Cup and the Euro 2000. Many people think Desailly is one of the best defenders ever.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Marcel Desailly was born Odenke Abbey in Accra, Ghana, on 7 September 1968. His mother married a French diplomat, who adopted Marcel and his siblings. Marcel's name was then changed to Desailly. His older half-brother, Seth Adonkor, was also a professional footballer.
When Marcel was four, his family moved to France. He started his football journey at Nantes, joining their famous youth program. Here, he became close friends with Didier Deschamps, who later became his teammate and captain. Marcel became a professional player in 1986.
In 1992, he moved to Marseille, where he joined Deschamps again. They won the UEFA Champions League together the very next year. In 1994, Marcel moved to AC Milan. He won the Champions League again, scoring a goal in the final. This made him the first player to win the Champions League in two years in a row with different clubs! At Milan, he also won two Italian league titles in 1994 and 1996.
Even though Marcel liked playing as a central defender, he became a very successful defensive midfielder at Milan. This was because Milan had many other great central defenders. He played alongside Demetrio Albertini and helped protect the team's defence.
Desailly then moved to the English club Chelsea in 1998. He played there for six seasons until 2004. At Chelsea, he was a strong central defender and even became the team's captain. He formed a great partnership with fellow defender Frank Leboeuf. He won one major trophy with Chelsea, the FA Cup, in 2000.
After Chelsea, Marcel joined Al-Gharafa in Qatar in 2004. He became the team captain and helped them win the Qatar League in 2005. He then played for Qatar S.C. before he stopped playing professional football.
Playing for France
Marcel Desailly said that he didn't have much choice about which country to play for. He was already playing for the French national youth team. He made his first appearance for the senior French team in 1993. By 1996, he was a regular player in the defence.
He was a very important part of the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Even though he was sent off (given a red card) in the final match, France still won! After this big win, he was given a special honour called the Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Two years later, France won the UEFA 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, Marcel led France to win the Confederations Cup.
In 2003, Desailly broke the record for the most games played for the French team. He played 116 games in total before he retired from international football in 2004. Later, his record was broken by Lilian Thuram.
How He Played
Marcel Desailly was nicknamed "The Rock" because he was so strong and consistent. He was known for his tough tackles and powerful playing style. Many experts believe he was one of the best defenders of his time. He was a great leader and helped his team's defence stay organised.
He was a fast, hard-working, and powerful player. He was good at winning the ball and stopping opponents' attacks. He was also good in the air (heading the ball). Marcel was confident with the ball and had good technique. This allowed him to play in midfield too. He could win the ball and then start new attacks for his team. He could even 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 Football
Marcel Desailly lives in Ghana. He is a member of the Laureus Academy, which uses sport to help young people. He is also a Lifetime Ambassador for OrphanAid Africa, a charity that helps children in Ghana.
In 2011, he opened a sports facility in Ghana called Lizzy Sports Complex. He named it after his late mother. This centre helps young players and children learn and play football. Many African national teams use this centre to train for big tournaments.
Marcel has also worked a lot in the media. He has been a football expert (pundit) for TV channels like BBC Sport and Canal Plus. He shared his opinions during big tournaments like the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
He also supports charity work. He is a supporter of the 1GOAL Education for All campaign. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Ghana.
You can even find Marcel Desailly in video games! A mobile game called Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer was released in 2003. He is also a special "ICON" player in the FIFA 21 and FIFA 22 Ultimate Team games.
Personal Life
Marcel Desailly is part of the Ga ethnic group from Ghana. He is married to Virginie Desailly and they have four children. His nephew, James Édouard Adams, is also a semi-professional footballer.
Honours
Marseille
- UEFA Champions League: 1992–93
AC Milan
- Serie A: 1993–94, 1995–96
- Supercoppa Italiana: 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
- 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 – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992/93 – 2001/02)
- Overall Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (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
- Trophée d'honneur UNFP: 2005
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
- Golden Foot Legends Award: 2017
Orders
Images for kids
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Desailly on stage at the launch of 1GOAL Education for All in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Marcel Desailly para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
