Editing Marcel Desailly (section)

{{Short description|French footballer (born 1968)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Marcel Desailly
| image = 25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet - Marcel Desailly - 240422 192752-3 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Desailly at the 2024 [[Laureus World Sports Awards]]
| full_name = Marcel David Desailly
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|9|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Accra]], Ghana
| height = 1.85 m<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/1533/Marcel-Desailly/overview |title=Marcel Desailly: Overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=26 December 2020}}</ref>
| position = [[Centre-back]], [[defensive midfielder]]
| youthyears1 = 1980–1986
| youthclubs1 = [[FC Nantes|Nantes]]
| years1 = 1986–1992
| clubs1 = [[FC Nantes|Nantes]]
| caps1 = 162
| goals1 = 5
| years2 = 1992–1993
| clubs2 = [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]
| caps2 = 47
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 1993–1998
| clubs3 = [[AC Milan]]
| caps3 = 137
| goals3 = 5
| years4 = 1998–2004
| clubs4 = [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
| caps4 = 158
| goals4 = 6
| years5 = 2004–2005
| clubs5 = [[Al-Gharafa Doha|Al-Gharafa]]
| caps5 = 28
| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 2005–2006
| clubs6 = [[Qatar SC]]
| caps6 = 7
| goals6 = 0
| totalcaps = 539
| totalgoals = 23
| nationalyears1 = 1993–2004
| nationalteam1 = [[France national football team|France]]
| nationalcaps1 = 116
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's [[Association football|football]]}}{{MedalCountry|{{fb|France}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[UEFA Euro 2000|2000]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA Confederations Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2001 FIFA Confederations Cup|2001]]|}}
{{Medal|W|[[2003 FIFA Confederations Cup|2003]]|}}
}}
'''Marcel David Desailly''' ({{IPA|fr|maʁsɛl dəzaji}}; 7 September 1968) is a French former professional [[Association football|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 [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] and [[AC Milan]], and also played for [[FC Nantes|Nantes]] and [[Chelsea F.C.|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 national football team|France international squads]] that won the [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]] and [[UEFA Euro 2000|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.<ref name="fourfourtwo">{{cite news |last= |first= |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/101-greatest-football-players-last-25-years-full-list|title=Ranked! The 101 greatest football players of the last 25 years: full list|edition=253|work=[[FourFourTwo]]|date=13 February 2018|accessdate=22 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="50 Greatest Defenders">{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1767176-50-greatest-defenders-in-world-football-history |title=50 Greatest Defenders in World Football History |publisher=bleacherreport.com |date=10 September 2013 |access-date=30 October 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Best 100 Football Defenders of All Time History |url=https://thefootballlovers.com/top-100-best-football-defenders-of-all-time-history/ |website=thefootballlovers.com |access-date=11 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 50 best defenders in football history ranked by fans |url=https://www.givemesport.com/football-fans-rank-the-50-greatest-defenders-in-football-history/|website=GiveMeSport |date=9 April 2020 |access-date=24 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-10 |title=Best defenders of all time - ranked |url=https://www.90min.com/best-defenders-of-all-time |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=90min.com |language=en}}</ref>