Marcel Desailly won everything over the course of his career: 2 Serie A titles, one Ligue 1 title (later revoked), an Italian Super Cup, an FA Cup, an English Super Cup, a Qatari league title, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 Champions League titles, 2 Confederations Cups, a European Championship, and a World Cup. From 1993 to 1998, he wore the AC Milan shirt and was a key player for the Rossoneri. The former defender spoke to Sky Sport Insider about João Félix, Theo Hernandez, and Mike Maignan:
What’s your opinion on João Félix?
“A very talented guy, no doubt. But he still hasn’t found his place: he was at Chelsea, Atlético Madrid, now at Milan — without putting up big numbers or leaving a strong impression. At this point in his career, he would need a club with a clearly defined philosophy — like Paris Saint-Germain, for example. A team with a clear identity that could make him central to their project and put him in a comfortable environment so he can unleash his full potential, which we haven’t seen yet. What he lacks isn’t technique, but character — he doesn’t seem like a leader to me. Right now, he’s not what Milan needs; he doesn’t have the mental strength to lift the Rossoneri. But the opposite is true as well.”
Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez, two Frenchmen like you, aren’t performing up to expectations... Desailly commented:
“They’re both players of international caliber. With France, they’ve done great things recently. Maignan is a regular starter, and Hernandez is highly valued by coach Deschamps despite the competition in his role. As I said earlier, I don’t think it’s an issue of individuals. Milan has many good players who unfortunately don’t complement each other: Leão, Abraham, Pulisic, Giménez, Reijnders. All of them are quality players, but there’s no real leader, no one who stands out for personality. That’s what Milan needs. So, I don’t think it’s a problem with Maignan and Hernandez. I hope to see them still wearing the Rossoneri shirt next season and maybe have a great Champions League campaign. After the investments made by the club, reaching it would be very important."
