EXCLUSIVE: Former French World Cup winner Marcel Dessaily visits GFA President Kurt Okraku at office
The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner with France, Marcel Dessaily called on the President of Ghana Football Association Kurt E.S. Oraku at the GFA Headquarters last Thursday.
The Chelsea and AC Milan legend hasn’t come face-to-face with Kurt Okraku ever since the GAF President was voted into power in October 2019, and Dessaily now passed by the ‘Mr. President’s’ office to have words with him.
The 51 year old has been a long-time admirer of Mr. Okraku after the two built a trusted friendship in 2010, and the former defender assured Mr Okraku his unflinching support during term of office.
It is believed that Mr. Okraku tried on two occasions to make Dessaily the head coach of the Black Stars of Ghana when he was serving as a consultant to the Chelsea legend.
Dessaily was born in Ghana on the 7th day of September 1968 but never played for the Black Stars of Ghana. After opting to play for the French National team, he earned 116 caps between 1993 and 2004 for France, scoring 3 goals before winning the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship (Euros) in 1998 and 2000 respectively.
Dessaily has often said that he feels totally French and while having ties with Ghana, never even considered playing for a country other than France. This stance was restated in his autobiography, published in 2002.
Meanwhile, the former French captain explained why he opted to play for France and not Ghana in the 80s, calling Ghana football at that time“not organized”.
“In 1986 when I was 18, France was the obvious one in front of me and Ghana was not organized enough for me to think of becoming Ghanaian as a football player,” the 1998 World Cup winner said.
“It was obvious. From 13 years old I was already in the formation centre and I grew up slowly slowly.
“I was already in the national team when I was 13 years old. So I was growing up into the French national team. There was no chance. Ghana was not in the market (of football).”
Dessaily applied for the vacant Black Stars coaching position but withdrew his candidature due to bureaucratic delays caused by the Ghana Football Association.
