Footballer then actor (in Hollywood, the theater and in TV advertisements), Frank Lebœuf is a man of challenge. Emblematic player of RC Strasbourg in the 90s, after having burned on the terrains of hexagonal D3, the central defender then won English football by being the Taulier of Chelsea, even before being crowned 1998 world champion with the French team. As a reminder, he was holder in the final against Brazil (3-0) in place of a suspended white Laurent.
At 33, Lebœuf noted a sacred challenge by signing at OM in 2001. A native of Marseille, he grew up in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, a village near La Ciotat, and was formed in Toulon. The Marseille club was then in the middle of a storm. Bernard Tapie made an unconvincing return and Robert Louis-Dreyfus told Christophe Bouchet. The 98 world champion lived an eventful first season (with six coaches!) Then held the hut under the orders of Alain Perrin for a qualification in the Champions League.
A few years later, Frank Lebœuf said he had “Never had any pleasure” To play PSG-OM (which we did not yet call the “classics”). It must be said that it turned to humiliation. During the 2002-2003 season, the Marseillais sank each time against the Parisians on the 3-0 score, first in a park of delirium princes, in October 2002, with a double of Ronaldinho. The Vélodrome stadium made a noise not possible for the reception of the national rival, in March 2003, with a heated reception more particularly for Luis Fernandez.
Lebœuf launches Ronaldinho …
Ronaldinho, future Ballon d'Or 2005, offered another recital in the lair of OM. A memorable show, commented on Canal+ by Thierry Gilardi (who would have celebrated his 67th birthday this Saturday). The Brazilian dribbler, who had Bartholomew Ogbeche as an attack partner, took advantage of a failed transversal of Lebœuf to go to goal and double the put before the time of play. Ronaldinho concluded his demonstration by putting on the ground Vedran Runje and Brahim Hemdani for a second goal by Leroy.
Despite these two routs, OM therefore ended on the French D1 podium. A few weeks after humiliation against PSG, Lebœuf scored its last goal in France, on penalty, during a success in Lens. The bike residents then validated 3rd place during the penultimate day, at home, against Sedan (4-2), thanks to goals from Sébastien Pérez, Cyril Chapuis, Brahim Hemdani and Lamine Sakho. Another era.
