1. Overview
Éric Yves Di Meco, born on September 7, 1963, is a French former professional footballer who primarily played as a left back but also started his career as a midfielder. Renowned for his long tenure and success with Olympique de Marseille, he won multiple Ligue 1 titles and the UEFA Champions League with the club. He also played for AS Monaco where he secured another league title before retiring in 1998 at nearly 35 years of age. Internationally, Di Meco represented the France national football team, participating in tournaments such as the Kirin Cup and UEFA Euro 1996. After his retirement from professional football, Di Meco transitioned into a political career, serving as a municipal council member in Marseille for the UMP political party.
2. Early life and background
Éric Yves Di Meco was born on September 7, 1963, in Avignon, located in the Vaucluse department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. He stands at 71 in (180 cm) tall.
3. Playing career
Éric Di Meco's professional football career spanned from 1980 to 1998, during which he became a prominent defender, predominantly known for his role as a left back. He began his career as a midfielder before settling into his defensive role.
3.1. Club career
Di Meco spent the majority of his club career with Olympique de Marseille. After beginning his professional journey, he was loaned out to other French clubs early in his career to gain experience. He played for AS Nancy during the 1986-1987 season, making 30 appearances and scoring 1 goal. Following this, he had another loan spell with FC Martigues for the 1987-1988 season, where he played 31 matches and scored 2 goals.
He returned definitively to Olympique de Marseille in 1988 and became a key figure in the team. During this period, he amassed 153 appearances in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. With Marseille, Di Meco was part of a dominant era, winning four consecutive Division 1 titles in the 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, and 1991-92 seasons. He also contributed to Marseille's victory in the Coupe de France in 1988-89. Furthermore, he was part of the squad that reached the final of the 1990-91 European Cup, where Marseille finished as runner-up, and famously won the 1992-93 UEFA Champions League title.
However, Marseille faced significant challenges at the end of the 1993-94 season due to irregularities, specifically a match-fixing scandal. As a result, the club was relegated to the second division. Following Marseille's relegation, Di Meco moved to AS Monaco in 1994. He continued to be a regular player for Monaco until his retirement in 1998. With AS Monaco, Di Meco added another Ligue 1 title to his honors, winning the 1996-97 season. He played 65 matches and scored 1 goal for Monaco. He retired from professional football at the age of almost 35.
3.2. International career
Di Meco also represented the France national football team at the international level. He made 23 appearances for the national team, though he did not score any goals. His international career saw him participate in several notable tournaments.
In 1994, he was part of the French squad that won the Kirin Cup. He was also selected for the squad that competed in UEFA Euro 1996. During Euro 1996, Di Meco primarily served as a backup to the younger Bixente Lizarazu. After the conclusion of this tournament, he chose to retire from international football.
4. Post-retirement activities
After concluding his professional football career in 1998, Éric Di Meco embarked on a new career path in politics. He became actively involved in public service, serving as a municipal council member for the UMP party in his hometown of Marseille. His political engagement began as early as June 1999.
5. Honours
Marseille
- Division 1: 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92
- Coupe de France: 1988-89
- UEFA Champions League/European Cup: 1992-93
- Runner-up: 1990-91
Monaco
- Division 1: 1996-97
France
- Kirin Cup: 1994
Orders
- Knight of the National Order of Merit: 1996