Youth and Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga has urged footballers who have been blessed with resources to follow the shining example of former French international Marcel Odenke Desailly.

The Minister commended the former defender for investing proceeds of his hard work in the Lizzy Sports Complex, an ultra-modern facility at East Legon in Accra.

At the unveiling of a bronze sculpture of Desailly last Friday at the Sports Complex, the Minister said, “Desailly made it through hard work and with good facilities, so he wants the children of Ghana to be able to follow in his footsteps; that is why he invested the proceeds of his hard work in the ultra-modern facilities of the Lizzy Sports Complex.

“That is the example we must all learn from the life of this great man. This is why it is an honour to be at this ceremony to unveil this sculpture.

“I will urge all the ex-players who have been blessed with resources to join in the efforts of investing in sports infrastructure.”

Black Stars Management Committee member George Afriyie pointed out that the 1998 World Cup winner and the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador typifies a true sportsman, having accorded sports infrastructure the needed attention in the country.

The sculpture, commissioned by Dr Gerry Waldron, was in recognition of the achievements of the former Chelsea/AC Milan man.

Desailly expressed profuse appreciation to the sculptor for his excellent handiwork and gave the assurance of his commitment to football development in the country.

Though he was a central defender, his hanker for victory was rewarded with 23 goals in his entire illustrious career, spanning 1986 to 2006, after 539 appearances for clubs like Nantes, Marseille, AC Milan, Chelsea, Al-Gharafa and Qatar SC, where he hanged his boots.

He began his international career with the France national team in 1993 and retired in 2004, after 116 appearances and hitting the back of the net three times.

Born Odenke Abbey on September 7, 1968, he featured prominently in the famous France 1998 squad that won the World Cup in 1998 when the French hosted the event and went on to win the Euro 2000 silverware.