Former French football player, coach and pundit Rolland Courbis dies aged 72

Former French football player, coach and media pundit Rolland Courbis has died at the age of 72. 

In a statement announcing the news, his employer, RMC radio, didn’t disclose the cause of death.  

Born in Marseille, Courbis came through the club’s academy and joined the squad as a defender. He was part of the team that won the French league and cup double in 1972 and returned to the club in the late 1990s as coach. 

As a player, he also won two French league titles and a French Cup with Monaco.

"A Marseillais at heart, he embodied popular, dynamic football. His unmistakable accent carried his frank, direct, often passionate and always sincere words," Marseille said in a tribute.

His coaching career also took him to Bordeaux, Lens, Montpellier and USM Alger. While at Bordeaux, he trained French star Zinedine Zidane, reportedly giving him the nickname that stuck: Zizou. 

“He meant a great deal to me as a coach and on a personal level; he was a very endearing, authentic guy,” Zidane posted on social media on Monday. 

Among the many defining moments of Courbis' career was a stunning comeback he oversaw when coaching Marseille. His team found itself 4-0 down at home to Montpellier in 1998 but fought back to seal a remarkable 5-4 victory.

Tumultuous life

Courbis had a taste for casino gambling and lived with an Italian countess for a while and led a tumultuous life. He was shot and seriously wounded in 1996 when gunmen fatally shot the president of a French club outside a stadium. Courbis was also involved in legal cases and sentenced to prison.

France coach Didier Deschamps said that with Courbis' death French soccer lost "a fine connoisseur of football and its inner workings, but also of the game itself."

"He was a true passionate figure. And in recent years, he chose to pass on that passion behind a microphone, with a turn of phrase all his own."

After stepping away from coaching in 2002, Courbis became a familiar voice in the sports media landscape, working as a radio commentator, known for his outspoken manner.

"His passion came through in his trademark Marseille accent and in a very direct rapport with listeners," RMC said. "A freedom of tone that kept the language of the supporters, while sharing their questions and emotions. He was particularly successful in remaining approachable and warm, while still being demanding on substance."