Marcel Desailly to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Paris
  • Last updated on

Desailly created a stir on Thursday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

Sad news for Desailly fans. Speculation had been rife that the French footballer will announce his retirement from sports, at age 57, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 16/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouMarcel

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouMarcel was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouMarcel.”
— @DesireePlum, 15 Jan 2026
“Desailly wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 15 Jan 2026

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