Deschamps Set to Announce Retirement
August 31, 2000 - 0:0
PARIS France Captain Didier Deschamps will announce his retirement from international football over the next 48 hours, sports daily L'Equipe reported Wednesday.
Deschamps, 31, has spent the past few weeks deciding whether to continue a career which saw him lead France to historic victories in the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European championships.
Deschamps will join French central defender Laurent Blanc in retiring from the sport at international level.
Blanc will play his last game for France in a friendly against England at the Stade de France on Saturday, an encounter which could also mark Deschamps's farewell.
Deschamps, who moved from Chelsea to Valencia on a three-year deal in the off-season and will continue to play club soccer, is expected to make his official announcement in Friday's edition of France Football magazine, which is promoting an exclusive interview with the player.
He was not immediately available for comment and his official Website carried no confirmation of his decision.
The midfielder has won a record 102 caps for France since his debut in 1989, scoring four goals.
He has captained the side a record 55 occasions from 1994, surpassing the 50 of Michel Platini between 1979 and 1987.
L'Equipe devoted three pages to Deschamps' career and wrote: "At the age of almost 32 and with the right to a future, he has, without any real surprise, decided to end his international career at the same time as Laurent Blanc for both sporting and personal reasons." The news will disappoint French national team Coach Roger Lemerre, who had hoped Deschamps would continue until France's World Cup defense in Japan and South Korea in 2002.
"Didier was a born leader, a player the others always looked up to," said Jean-Pierr Papin, who played with Deschamps 31 times for France. "He always lifted his teammates even though he wasn't a greatly skilled player.
"He'd always tackle, win the ball and do all the hard work. He was the boss." Current French international Robert Pires said Deschamps was "a great example", adding: "He has a very forceful character, with great professionalism and consistency." Deschamps has played for Nantes, Olympique Marseille (twice), Bordeaux, Juventus, Chelsea and Valencia.
He won European Cup honors with Marseille in 1993 and with Juventus in 1996. He also won three Italian championship medals with Juventus and an FA Cup Winners' medal in 1999 during a brief spell with Chelsea.
(Reuter)
Deschamps, 31, has spent the past few weeks deciding whether to continue a career which saw him lead France to historic victories in the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European championships.
Deschamps will join French central defender Laurent Blanc in retiring from the sport at international level.
Blanc will play his last game for France in a friendly against England at the Stade de France on Saturday, an encounter which could also mark Deschamps's farewell.
Deschamps, who moved from Chelsea to Valencia on a three-year deal in the off-season and will continue to play club soccer, is expected to make his official announcement in Friday's edition of France Football magazine, which is promoting an exclusive interview with the player.
He was not immediately available for comment and his official Website carried no confirmation of his decision.
The midfielder has won a record 102 caps for France since his debut in 1989, scoring four goals.
He has captained the side a record 55 occasions from 1994, surpassing the 50 of Michel Platini between 1979 and 1987.
L'Equipe devoted three pages to Deschamps' career and wrote: "At the age of almost 32 and with the right to a future, he has, without any real surprise, decided to end his international career at the same time as Laurent Blanc for both sporting and personal reasons." The news will disappoint French national team Coach Roger Lemerre, who had hoped Deschamps would continue until France's World Cup defense in Japan and South Korea in 2002.
"Didier was a born leader, a player the others always looked up to," said Jean-Pierr Papin, who played with Deschamps 31 times for France. "He always lifted his teammates even though he wasn't a greatly skilled player.
"He'd always tackle, win the ball and do all the hard work. He was the boss." Current French international Robert Pires said Deschamps was "a great example", adding: "He has a very forceful character, with great professionalism and consistency." Deschamps has played for Nantes, Olympique Marseille (twice), Bordeaux, Juventus, Chelsea and Valencia.
He won European Cup honors with Marseille in 1993 and with Juventus in 1996. He also won three Italian championship medals with Juventus and an FA Cup Winners' medal in 1999 during a brief spell with Chelsea.
(Reuter)