Date of birth: 19 November 1965
Nationality: French
Playing career: Montpellier Hérault SC, Napoli SSC, Nîmes Olympique SC, AS Saint-Étienne, AJ Auxerre, FC Barcelona, Olympique de Marseille, FC Internazionale Milano, Manchester United FC
Coaching career: FC Girondins de Bordeaux, France

• The defender's 20-year club career brought a French Cup win with Montpellier in 1990, a 1996 league and cup double with Auxerre, the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona and a Premier League title with United just before retirement in 2003.

• Nicknamed Le Président on account of his authority, elegance and leadership.

• Famous for 'good luck' kiss on goalkeeper Fabien Barthez's bald head before kick-offs, he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil after scoring France's golden goal winner against Paraguay in the last 16, but missed the Paris final after being sent off in the semis.

• Helped France win UEFA EURO 2000, scoring against Denmark in the group stage, before retiring from international football that year with 97 caps and 16 goals.

• Spent four years gaining coaching qualifications before taking charge of Bordeaux in June 2007. His team finished second in his first season and won a championship and League Cup double in 2009. Guided Bordeaux into 2009/10 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals before succeeding Raymond Domenech as France coach that summer, leading his new team to UEFA EURO 2012.