Desailly

Desailly is a French surname. It is typically considered to be toponymic, derived from a place name such as Sailly in northern France, with the prefix de indicating origin, and the modern spelling Desailly reflecting that lineage. The name remains most common in France and among Francophone communities.

Notable people with the surname include Marcel Desailly (born 1968), a French former professional footballer who played as a defender and defensive midfielder. He was a member of the French national team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship in 2000. At the club level, he is best known for his time with AC Milan and later with Chelsea, where he contributed to major domestic and international successes. Desailly is widely regarded as one of France’s outstanding players of his generation.

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