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Didier Deschamps in 2018.Author Kirill Venediktov.

Top 10 Facts about Didier Deschamps

Didier Claude Deschamps is a French professional football manager and former player. He has been managing the France national team since 2012. Deschamps played as a defensive midfielder for several clubs in France, England, Italy and Spain before retiring.

He was born on 15th October 1968 in Bayonne in the French part of the Basque area. Deschamps did not begin his career as a football player as he was passionate about rugby in the Biarritz Olympique club. After a short spell in rugby, Deschamps joined Aviron Bayonnais where he started football as he was still schooling.

He played alongside several top players like Eric Cantona who nicknamed him 鈥渢he water-carrier鈥�. Deschamps was a hardworking and intelligent player who excelled in winning back possession and distributing the balls forward.

Didier Deschamps also had a good career with the French national team where he had 103 caps. He took part in three UEFA European Football Championships and one FIFA World Cup. Deschamps captained his nation to victories in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

The managerial career of Didier Deschamps has been impressive. He helped Monaco reach the UEFA Champions League final. Deschamps also helped get Juventus out of relegation and bring them back to Serie A.

As manager of the French National team, Deschamps managed to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With a great squad, Didier Deschamps beat all odds and win the 2018 World Cup as they played against a strong Croatia side.

Here are the Top 10 Facts about Didier Deschamps;

1. Deschamps was a Rugby Player before Switching to Football

Didier Deschamps. Author Kirill Venediktov

Born in Bayonne in the French part of the Basque area, Didier Claude Deschamps was a young talented lad. He did not begin his football career immediately as he grew up as his interests were elsewhere.

Deschamps was a rugby player in the Biarritz Olympique club. However, his spell as a rugby player did not last for long as he switched his career to football. He joined the local amateur club Aviron Bayonnais as a footballer as he continued studying.

2. Didier was the First Youngest Captain to Win the Champions League with a French Side

The club career for Didier Deschamps was so amazing as he played huge roles in the clubs he played for. As a young player, Deschamps developed into a top professional while on loan with some French clubs.

Deschamps returned to Marseille for his second stint where he gained his first honours as a professional football player. He won two French league titles in 1991 and 1992.

Deschamps became the first member of the first and only French club to win the UEFA Champions League. He was the youngest captain ever to lift the trophy with Marseille during this record and historic win of the Champions league.

3. He Played in Four Top Leagues across Europe

The club career of Didier Deschamps was across top clubs in the top European leagues. Deschamps played in four top leagues during his successful career as a player.

He was a defensive midfielder for clubs in France, Italy, England and Spain where he flourished. Deschamps was a versatile and hardworking player who helped his teams win titles as a player and a leader.

He played for Marseille, Nantes and Bordeaux in the French Ligue, then Chelsea in the English league, Juventus in the Italian league and Valencia in the Spanish league. Deschamps was one of the most decorated players during his time.

4. Deschamps Won Various Trophies in Three Top European Leagues

Didier Deschamps during the 2011 Champions Trophy.Author Mustapha ennaimi.

Didier Deschamps won several trophies in his playing career with different clubs. He won various titles while he played in the French, Italian and English leagues.

With the French club Marseille, Deschamps won two Ligue 1 titles and the Champions League, with Juventus in the Italian league he won several trophies. The trophies included UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, three Serie A titles and many others.

With Chelsea, Deschamps won the 1999-2000 FA Cup. It is only in Spain that Didier Deschamps did not win any trophies.

5. He Played in Five Champions League Finals

Didier Deschamps never failed to feature in the most coveted European football competitions. He featured more consistently in the UEFA Champions League where he was a star in various stages.

Deschamps featured in five Champions League finals with three different teams. In 1993, Deschamps led Marseille to win the UEFA Champions League as their captain.

He then featured in three Champions League finals in a row with Juventus between 1996 and 1998. He won the UEFA Champions League with Juventus in 1996. Later on, Deschamps played his last Champions League final playing for Valencia.

6. Deschamps’s the Second Captain to Lift Three Major Titles

Didier Deschamps. Author Danyele.

The achievements that Didier Deschamps got as a player are so remarkable. Among those achievements are some records that a few players have managed to attain in their careers.

Deschamps is the second captain in the history of football to lift three major titles. After Franz Beckenbauer and followed by Iker Casillas, Didier Deschamps managed to lift the Champions League trophy, World Cup trophy and the European Championship trophy.

7. Didier was Named Manager of the Year in his Second Year in Management

Didier Claude Deschamps played his last football match in the champions league final with Valencia then he retired. He began his managerial career with Monaco and won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2003.

Deschamps helped Monaco reach the 2004 UEFA Champions League final in its final year. In the same year, Deschamps was named the Ligue 1 Manager of the year.

8. Deschamps helped Juventus return to Top League after Relegation

After the success, he got while in France, Didier Deschamps decided to take on a new challenge in Italy. Deschamps became the manager of Juventus who had been relegated to Serie B.

Juventus had been involved in the 2006 Calciopoli Scandal the previous season which got them relegated. Didier Deschamps took charge and helped them win the Serie B title and returned them to Serie A.

9. He has had Great Success with the French National Team

Didier Deschamps decided to quit club management and take charge of the French National team on 8th July 2012. With the national team, Deschamps has had huge success.

He has led the French to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Club and the final of UEFA Euro 2016. The greatest success he has had is leading the French team to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

10. Deschamps is the Third Man to Win the World Cup as a Player and Manager

Some records that Didier Deschamps holds are held by a few special players in the history of football. He won the World Cup on two different occasions in his life.

Didier Deschamps is the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager. He is the only second man to win the trophy as a captain behind Franz Beckenbauer.