Ghanaian-born retired France footballer Marcel Desailly has told Football Made in Ghana about how he ended up playing for ‘Les Bleus’ instead of the Black Stars.

Desailly a son of a diplomat was born in Ghana but left the country for France at the age of 4. He eventually saw his growth and development through the French system and would later go on to have an extraordinary career as a footballer.

The crowning moment will come when Desailly played a pivotal role in helping France to their first and only FIFA world cup conquest in 1998 on home soil.

He would later captain the side to glory at the continental level when France overcame Italy in a crunch final to win the EURO Championship in 2000.

Desailly who says he regrets never getting the chance to feature for Ghana says he had no choice than to settle on France.

In an exclusive interview with Football Made in Ghana, Desailly insisted it is awkward he is mostly seen as a European whereas he is Ghanaian.

He told FMIG “It’s strange when you say he won the World Cup with France. People straightaway identify me with some sort of European but I am Ghanaian. My both parents are Ghanaians (sic).

“You know in the 80’s I left Ghana, I was 4 years old. So I reached France and I entered into the football system slowly. I didn’t really have the choice, I was inside the system and (at) Under-13 I was already playing for France National team.

“So I did not have a choice really, I was already in the system,” he noted.

Desailly played 116 times for the French National side and retired from international football in 2004 after the European championship.