Coach: Didier Deschamps

Born: October 15th 1968 (Alter 48), Bayonne, Frankreich

Height: 1,69 m

Weight: 71 kg

Wife: Claude Deschamps

Children: Dylan Deschamps

Position: Middlefield/Defender

During his active career Deschamps was named one of the best middlefield defenders in Europe.

Didier Deschamps startet his career very early at Aviron Bayonnais. He still went to school when the scouts oft he FC Nantes discovered his abilities. They hired him at the age of only 15, 2 years later he was already part of the team and played in the highest series in France.

After 4 yeasrs he changed to Olympique Marseille and won 1991 and 1992 the French Liga. He was part of the only French Team winning once the Champions League in 1993.

In 1994 he changed to Juventus Turin and won 3 times the italian championship, once the Copa Italia and twice the italian Supercup and achieved his second victory in the Champions League Final in 1996.

He was also part oft he Premier League, having been hired by Chelsea for 2 years. In 2001 he finished his active career at the FC Valencia.

Didier Deschamps was a fix part of the French National Team, playing 103 matches. He was captain oft he team who won the World Championship in 1998 in France in the final against Brasil whom they beated 3:0. Must have been really special for him receiving the FIFA Cup in his own country by president Jacques Chirac.

2 years later they won also the European Championship in Belgium and The Netherlands. He finished his career in the National Team right after this tournament.

Just when he finished playing actively he became the coach of AS Monaco in 2001 and reaches immediately the final oft he Champions League against the FC Porto. 2003 he was elected as coach oft he year.

After a longer period coaching Juventus Turin and afterwards Olympique Marseille he followed Laurent Blanc in 2012 as the leader of the French National Team.

Once again his favorable success…..

Active player in several important clubs

* Champions League: 1992/93, 1995/96 * Weltpokal: 1996 * UEFA Super Cup: 1996 * French Championship: 1991/92 * Italian Championship: 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98 * Coppa Italia: 1994/95 * Italian Supercup: 1995, 1997 * FA Cup: 1999/2000 * FA Community Shield: 2000

Active Player in the French National Team

* World Champion: 1998 * European Champion: 2000

As coach

* Champions League Final: 2003/04 (AS Monaco) * Winner of the italian Championship 2006/07 (Juventus Turin)

* Winner of the Ligacup 2003 (mit AS Monaco), 2010, 2011, 2012 (mit Olympique Marseille) * French Championship: 2009/10

* French Supercup: 2010, 2011 (mit Olympique Marseille)

Additionally

* French Footballer of the Year 1996

* French Coach of the Year 2003, 2010

Interview:

„Your country won two Euro-Finals – in 1984 and 2000. What would the 3rd title especially in your own country mean to you?“

This would show that the French football is working in the right direction, that they continue to form and train really good players…who will provoke beautiful times to the big European clubs. Some believe that this will be apity for the French championshup, but the national team will benefit on their fast progress.

„In the first rounds you are playing against Suisse, Romania and Albania. Who is the strongest opponent?“

The group is very homogenious, if if the forecaster are ranking France as the favorite because of being the hosting country. But we do have an enormous respect towards our opponents. I doubt it that it is an advantage to have the opening match against a real difficult and courageous team like Rumania!

„What do you expect from Albania?“

Well, we are expecting and actually hoping that we’ll find a way to resolve the problems weh ad and that we could not resolve in the qualification games against this Albania (zero match in Rennes, loss in Tirana!). We are not talking about luck if a team wins 5 of 6 possible points in only 2 matches. We cannot pretend that it was only the effect of being surprised!

„Which players you know best?“

We have certainly sufficiently observed the way of playing oft he whole Albanian team, so we do know about their caracteristics, their

strenghts and if there are any…also about their little feeblenesses.

„How do you judge the work of teamchef De Biasi? He led Albania to the first Euro in history.“

He really did a great job and I am not telling that to do hin a favour. In the football context he understood to bring out the best of his italian way transponing it into the Albanian one. He achieved all these beautiful results with negligible resources. Resources that are not at all comparable with the italian level for example. This capability to adapt is a real good indication to identify a good coach!

„Your tipp: Who will be the European Champion 2016?“

I never do any Forecast….but we all know the 5 or may be 6 teams who will have the biggest chances to find themselves in the final sprint!