Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 12, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRolland Courbis, a prominent figure in French football and media, has died at 72. Known for his coaching and media work, he leaves a lasting legacy.
PARIS, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Former French footballer, coach and outspoken media commentator Rolland Courbis has died aged 72, his employer said on Monday.
Born in Marseille, Courbis dedicated his life to the game, ending up as one of the most recognisable voices in French sports media.
A former defender, he played for several clubs including Olympique de Marseille, AC Ajaccio, Olympique Lyonnais and AS Monaco before moving into management.
As a coach, he worked with clubs including Bordeaux, Montpellier, Rennes, Ajaccio and Marseille, which he led to the UEFA Cup final in 1999.
French radio station RMC announced Courbis' death without giving more details.
"His passion was expressed through his emblematic Marseille accent and a very direct closeness with listeners — a freedom of tone that preserved the language of supporters while sharing their questions and emotions," RMC said in tribute.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
A coach in football is responsible for training and developing players, creating game strategies, and leading the team during matches.
The UEFA Cup, now known as the UEFA Europa League, is an annual club football competition organized by UEFA for eligible European football clubs.
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