Marcel Desailly

Marcel David Desailly was born on 7 September 1968 in Accra, Ghana, to Elizabeth Addy.{{cite book |first1=Marcel |last1=Desailly |first2=Philippe |last2=Broussard |title=Capitaine |trans-title=Captain |date=2002 |publisher=Stock |location=Paris |isbn=9-782234-054783 |language=fr |pages=16}} Elizabeth married Mr Abbey, an architect, and became pregnant with Desailly while Marcel Desailly Sr., a diplomat who would become Desailly's adoptive father, was away in France.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/aug/11/newsstory.sport13 |title=Capital capitaine |first=Will |last=Buckley |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=11 August 2002 |access-date=27 March 2025}} He was adopted by Desailly Sr. soon after he was born and was named after his adoptive father, instead of Odenkey Abbey, the name preferred by his biological father.{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/marcel-desailly-goes-back-to-his-roots-vs53srlmflg |title=Marcel Desailly goes back to his roots |first=Ian |last=Hawkey |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=20 September 2009 |access-date=26 March 2025}} His mother married Desailly Sr., who adopted all of her children (the former professional footballer Seth Adonkor, seven years his elder, was a half-brother of his). The family relocated to France when Desailly was four years old.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Following Adonkor's lead, Desailly began his career at Nantes. There, as part of the famed Nantes youth programme, he played alongside a young Didier Deschamps, who became his closest friend. Desailly turned professional in 1986, two years after his half-brother had died in a car accident. In 1992, he moved to Marseille, where he reunited with Deschamps, and won the UEFA Champions League the following year. In 1994, while playing for AC Milan, he again won the Cup (scoring in the final himself), being the first player to win the Cup in consecutive seasons with different clubs. During his time in Milan, he won two Italian league titles, in 1994 and 1996. Although he preferred to be deployed as a sweeper or centre-back, roles which he played during his time in France,{{cite news | date=16 December 2007| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/2328637/The-five-players-Fabio-Capello-made-superstars.html | title=The five players Fabio Capello made superstars |work=The Daily Telegraph| access-date=16 December 2007 }} he found much success playing as a defensive midfielder for Milan, alongside Demetrio Albertini, due to the presence of several other established centre-backs at the club, such as Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Filippo Galli.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Desailly then moved to the English club Chelsea in 1998 for £4.6 million,[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-desailly-plans-to-join-lazio-next-summer-1133950.html "Desailly plans to join Lazio next summer"]. The Independent. 21 December 1999. where he captained the side and played sweeper and centre-back until the end of the 2003–04 season. It was at Chelsea that Desailly formed a formidable partnership with Frank Leboeuf.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

He picked up one major trophy in his six seasons with Chelsea, being on the winning side in their FA Cup triumph over Aston Villa in 2000.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_cup/756784.stm |work=BBC News | title=Chelsea claim FA Cup glory | date=20 May 2000}}

Desailly was snapped up by Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa in 2004. He was appointed as the club captain and under the French coach Bruno Metsu they won the Qatar League in 2005. He then joined Qatar S.C., leading them to second place in the league before retiring from professional football.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 2014, Desailly had met the Football Association of Malaysia and said he was ready and willing to coach the Malaysia national team.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Football/2014/02/26/Desailly-eager-to-coach-Malaysia/|title=Desailly eager to coach Malaysia|work=The Star|date=26 February 2014|access-date=27 February 2014}} He also pointed that it was up to the football association whether to hire him or not.{{cite web|url=http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/sp/newssports.php?id=1017711|title=Desailly Ready To Take Up Job of National Coach in Malaysia|publisher=Bernama|date=26 February 2014|access-date=27 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226164006/http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/sp/newssports.php?id=1017711|archive-date=26 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

During an interview in Ghana, Desailly stated that he "did not have much choice about which country to play for," as he was "already established in the French national youth football team."{{cite web |title=I had no choice - Marcel Desailly on why he played for France |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/I-had-no-choice-Marcel-Desailly-on-why-he-played-for-France-995257 |website=ghanaweb.com |publisher=GhanaWeb |access-date=1 July 2020 |date=1 July 2020 |quote=I didn’t really have the choice, I was inside the system and (at) Under-13 I was already playing for France National team.}} This stance was restated in his autobiography, published in 2002. He made his international debut in 1993, but was not established as a first choice defender until 1996.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

He was an important part of the French team which won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, albeit being sent off in the final match, being the only player on the winning team to be dismissed in a World Cup final. Like other team members, he was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998.{{cite journal |date=25 July 1998 |title=Décret du 24 juillet 1998 portant nomination à titre exceptionnel |trans-title=Decree of 24 July 1998 appointing on an exceptional basis |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000374701 |journal=Journal officiel de la République française |trans-journal=Official Journal of the French Republic |volume=1998 |issue=170 |id=PREX9801916D |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=fr}}

Two years later, success continued as France won UEFA Euro 2000. After the tournament, Desailly was made captain of the national team, following the retirement of Didier Deschamps. In 2001, he led France to victory in the Confederations Cup.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In April 2003, Desailly surpassed the record for the number of appearances for the French team, a number which eventually reached 116 when he announced his retirement from international football following 2004 UEFA European Football Championship. However, that record was broken during the 2006 FIFA World Cup by Lilian Thuram.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Nicknamed "The Rock", due to his consistency, strength, and hard-tackling playing style, Desailly is considered one of the most accomplished players of his generation, and one of the finest defenders ever, who stood out for his charismatic leadership and ability to organise his team's back-line and break down opposition plays throughout his career. A quick, hard-working, tenacious and powerful player, who excelled in the air and at anticipating his opponents, he combined his aggression, stamina, and ability to read the game, as well as his physical, mental, and defensive skills, with a notable confidence and good technique on the ball, which also allowed him to play in midfield throughout his career; indeed, after moving to Milan, although he initially started out playing as a centre-back or sweeper, and occasionally even as a full-back, he was later deployed as a defensive midfielder, a position in which he also excelled, successfully filling the void left by the departure of Frank Rijkaard due his ball-winning abilities and capacity to start attacking plays after winning back possession. In addition to his defensive skills, he was also capable of contributing to his team's offensive plays with goals by making attacking runs into the box.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=71747/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129073958/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=71747/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 November 2014|title=MasterCard All-Star Team of the 1998 World Cup|publisher=FIFA|date=10 July 1998|access-date=23 April 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/euro2000/teams/france/squad/744760.stm|title=BBC Sport: Euro 2000 Profile - Marcel Desailly|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=14 April 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ruud-gullit-perfect-xi#:PzGSoTgQUwmnAA|title=Ruud Gullit: Perfect XI|work=Four Four Two|author1=Hitesh Ratna|date=1 December 2007|access-date=31 December 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.magliarossonera.it/protagonisti/Gioc-Desailly.html|title=Marcel DESAILLY (II)|publisher=magliarossonera.it|language=it|access-date=23 November 2017}} In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 as one of the world's greatest living players.

File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Desailly - 240422 132803.jpg]]

Desailly is currently{{when|date=December 2015}} residing in Ghana.{{Cite web|title=Marcel Desailly Biography, Career Info, Records & Achievements|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/player/marcel-desailly|website=www.sportskeeda.com|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-26}} He is currently a Laureus Academy member and OrphanAid Africa Lifetime ambassador to Ghana and France (since 2005). He was mentioned as a possible candidate for the coaching position of the Ghana national team.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7124052.stm|title=Desailly confirms intention to coach Ghana|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 December 2007}} He has since pulled out of the race to coach the Ghana national team, although the option is likely to keep coming up. In June 2011, he opened a sports facility in Ghana called Lizzy Sports Complex, in memory of his late mother, geared to young players and children in particular. Many African national teams use the centre as a camp to prepare for international tournaments.{{Cite web |title=Marcel Desailly invests in Ghana Sports |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Marcel-Desailly-invests-in-Ghana-Sports-204477 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=GhanaWeb |date=30 November 2001 |language=en |publication-date=7 March 2011}} Desailly sold his interest in the business to Osei Kwame Despite in October 2019.{{cite news |title=Osei Kwame Despite purchases Lizzy Sports Complex from Marcel Desailly - Report |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Osei-Kwame-Despite-purchases-Lizzy-Sports-Complex-from-Marcel-Desailly-Report-793562 |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=GhanaWeb |date=27 October 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/1097728/lizzys-sports-complex-wasnt-profitable-marce.html |access-date=3 January 2024 |title='Lizzy's Sports Complex wasn't profitable' – Marcel Desailly }}

Desailly's autobiography, Capitaine, was published in 2002.

Following retirement, Desailly became a pundit for BBC Sport predominantly giving his opinion from the touchline at both half time and full-time as opposed to residing in the studio with Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer and Martin O'Neill.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

He worked for BBC Sport in the United Kingdom during the 2006 World Cup, as one of their Match of the Day analysts.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

He also worked for BBC Sport at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations and Euro 2008 and is a regular commentator for French television channel Canal Plus.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

He also became a spokesperson for sports betting website Betclic.{{cite web |url=http://www.onlinepoker.net/poker-news/poker-pros-news/nba-champion-tony-parker-signs-poker-site-betclic/4827|title=NBA champion Tony Parker Signs with Poker Site BetClic|date=26 February 2010|work=Onlinepoker.net|access-date=13 June 2010}}

In 2010, Desailly joined the ITV Sport team for their World Cup coverage from South Africa.

[http://www.itv.com/presscentre/worldcup2010/week25/default.html "World Cup 2010"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011012708/http://www.itv.com/presscentre/worldcup2010/week25/default.html |date=11 October 2012 }} . ITV. 2 June 2010.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100531071011/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/7773569/ITV-signs-up-Patrick-Vieira-and-Francois-Pienaar-for-World-Cup-football-coverage.html "ITV signs up Patrick Vieira and Francois Pienaar for World Cup football coverage"]. The Daily Telegraph. 28 May 2010.

File:Marcel Desailly 1Goal.jpg in 2009.]]

Desailly is a supporter of the 1GOAL Education for All campaign.{{cite web|title=Ambassadors and Supporters|url=http://www.join1goal.org/supporters.php?mode=celebrities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501101311/http://www.join1goal.org/supporters.php?mode=celebrities|url-status=usurped|archive-date=1 May 2010|publisher=1GOAL|access-date=22 February 2012}} He is also the UNICEF national Goodwill Ambassador for Ghana.{{cite web|title=National ambassadors|url=http://www.unicef.org/people/people_nationalambassadors.html|publisher=UNICEF|access-date=20 February 2012|date=3 February 2012}} He is the Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador for his personal Charity OrphanAid Africa, that helps abandoned children in Ghana. He is a member of the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation.

A mobile video game entitled Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer, developed by Gameloft was released for mobile phones in 2003.

[http://wireless.ign.com/articles/509/509282p1.html "Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827200618/http://wireless.ign.com/articles/509/509282p1.html |date=27 August 2007 }} . Wireless IGN.com. 26 April 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2008.

In France Ubisoft released versions of the game for PlayStation and PlayStation 2.{{Cite web |title=MARCEL DESAILLY PRO FOOTBALL - (PAL) |url=https://psxdatacenter.com/games/P/M/SLES-03868.html |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=psxdatacenter.com}}{{Cite web |title=Marcel Desailly Pro Football boxarts for Sony Playstation 2 |url=https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/game/Marcel-Desailly-Pro-Football/80/2/50592/boxarts |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=The Video Games Museum |language=en}} Desailly is an ICON in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team and FIFA 22 Ultimate Team with ratings of 87 (base), 88 (mid), 91 (prime), and 92 (Prime Icon Moments)in both games.[https://www.ea.com/games/fifa/fifa-21/ultimate-team/icons FUT ICONS - EA]

Desailly is married to Virginie Desailly,{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/france/paris/moving-on-marcel-desailly-wchfh9pggtm |title=Moving on: Marcel Desailly |first=John |last=Elliott |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=3 June 2007 |access-date=27 March 2025}} and as of October 1998 has three children.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-interview-marcel-desailly-french-art-enters-blue-period-1180491.html |title=Football: Interview Marcel Desailly: French art enters blue period |first=Andrew |last=Longmore |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=25 October 1998 |access-date=27 March 2025}} His nephew James Édouard Adams is a semi-professional footballer.{{cite web|url=http://lizzysportscomplex.com/2018/02/09/boca-gibraltar-sign-james-edouard-adams/|title=Boca Gibraltar sign James Edouard Adams – Lizzy Sports Complex|date=2018-02-09|website=lizzysportscomplex.com|access-date=22 March 2018|archive-date=28 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228201451/http://lizzysportscomplex.com/2018/02/09/boca-gibraltar-sign-james-edouard-adams/|url-status=dead}}

:Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Desailly goal{{cite web|url=http://www.eu-football.info/_player.php?id=4611|title=Marcel Desailly|publisher=EU-football.info|access-date=25 January 2013}}

Marseille{{cite web|url=http://au.eurosport.com/football/marcel-desailly_prs207/person.shtml|title=Marcel Desailly|publisher=Eurosport.com|access-date=31 December 2015}}

• UEFA Champions League: 1992–93

AC Milan{{cite web|url=https://www.acmilan.com/en/marcel-desailly|title=A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Marcel Desailly|publisher=AC Milan |access-date=1 April 2015}}

• Serie A: 1993–94, 1995–96
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1994
• UEFA Champions League: 1993–94
• European Super Cup: 1994

Chelsea{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/marcel-desailly/103254/|title=M. Desailly|work=Soccerway|access-date=31 December 2015}}

• FA Cup: 1999–2000
• FA Charity Shield: 2000
• UEFA Super Cup: 1998

Al-Gharafa{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesq/qatchamp.html|title=Qatar - List of Champions}}

• Qatar Stars League: 2004–05

France

• FIFA World Cup: 1998
• UEFA European Championship: 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001, 2003

Individual

• Onze de Onze: 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001{{cite web|last=Pierrend |first=José Luis |title="Onze Mondial" Awards |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |date=6 March 2012 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/onze-awards.html |access-date=26 December 2015}}
• Overseas Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992/93 – 2001/02){{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2399684/The-Premiership-elite-selection-1993-2003.html|title=The Premiership elite selection 1993-2003|work=The Telegraph|author1=Christopher Davies|date=15 April 2003|access-date=17 December 2015}}
• Overall Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992/93 – 2001/02)
• UEFA Euro 1996 Team of the Tournament{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/0253-0d7bd19d9827-e42f39bafcd8-1000--euro-1996-team-of-the-tournament/|title=1996 team of the tournament|publisher=UEFA|date=18 November 2011|access-date=30 December 2015}}
• FIFA XI: 1996{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/fifa-xi.html|title=Matches of FIFA XI|website=RSSSF|access-date=22 March 2018}}
• 1998 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
• UEFA Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/history/memories/newsid=1627525.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602045322/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/history/memories/newsid=1627525.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 June 2013|title=UEFA Euro 2000 team of the tournament|website=UEFA|publisher=UEFA|date=1 January 2011|access-date=31 March 2015}}
• FIFA 100: 2004{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3533891.stm |title=Pele's list of the greatest |publisher=BBC Sport |date=4 March 2004 |access-date=15 June 2013 }}
• Trophée d'honneur UNFP: 2005{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/franpoy.html |title=France – Footballer of the Year |date=8 January 2010 |access-date=16 October 2015 |url-status=live |website=RSSSF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905115225/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/franpoy.html |archive-date=5 September 2015 }}
• AC Milan Hall of Fame
• Golden Foot Legends Award: 2017

{{cite news |url=https://www.riviera24sport.it/2017/11/marcel-desailly-nel-gotha-del-calcio-mondiale-suo-il-golden-foot-hublot-legends-254357/ |title=Marcel Desailly nel gotha del calcio mondiale, suo il Golden Foot Hublot Legends |publisher=riviera24sport.it |date=6 November 2017 |access-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109023240/https://www.riviera24sport.it/2017/11/marcel-desailly-nel-gotha-del-calcio-mondiale-suo-il-golden-foot-hublot-legends-254357/ |archive-date=9 November 2017 |url-status=dead}}

Orders

• Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1998

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

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