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Marcel Desailly
.jpg) Desailly at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Marcel Desailly[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Odenke Abbey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 7 September 1968[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 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 Desailly (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl dəzaji]; born Odenke Abbey; 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.[4][5][6][7][8]
- ^ "Décret du 24 juillet 1998 portant nomination à titre exceptionnel" [Decree of 24 July 1998 appointing on an exceptional basis]. Official Journal of the French Republic (in French). 1998 (170). 25 July 1998. PREX9801916D. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "Marcel Desailly". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "Marcel Desailly: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Ranked! The 101 greatest football players of the last 25 years: full list". FourFourTwo (253 ed.). 13 February 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "50 Greatest Defenders in World Football History". bleacherreport.com. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Best 100 Football Defenders of All Time History". thefootballlovers.com. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ "The 50 best defenders in football history ranked by fans". GiveMeSport. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Best defenders of all time - ranked". 90min.com. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
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