Marcel Desailly
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Desailly at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marcel David Desailly (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl dəzaji]; 7 September 1968) is a French former professional footballer, who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. During a successful career at club level, lasting from 1986 to 2006, Desailly won several titles, including UEFA Champions League medals with both Marseille and AC Milan, and also played for Nantes and Chelsea, among other teams. At international level, he collected 116 caps between 1993 and 2004, scoring three goals, and was a member of the France international squads that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
Desailly is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport.