Dhorasoo reveals how AC Milan stood him up at Marseille in 2004

In summer 2004, Vikash Dhorasoo was on the verge of joining Olympique de Marseille. It is the former French international midfielder himself who lifts the veil on this forgotten episode, in Smail Bouabdellah’s podcast, Kampo.

After six seasons at Lyon, the 53-year-old from Normandy found himself being persistently courted by the Marseille club. “Marseille wants me at all costs. President Dreyfus calls me, José Anigo calls me too. They were offering me a good salary and everything. At that moment, I’m ready to commit to OM,” he confides. His attachment to OL — Marseille’s great rival — weighs on him, but Dhorasoo is determined to take the plunge.

Then his agent at the time, Jean-Pierre Migliaccio, calls him and changes everything: “You’re leaving Monday to have your medical at Milanello. Everything is settled and you’ll play for AC Milan next year.” The offer from the Lombard club leaves no room for hesitation. “When my agent told me there was AC Milan, I quickly made the decision to go, I didn’t even think about it!”

However, the Italian adventure is short-lived. From the 2005 off-season onwards, Dhorasoo joins PSG, where he will end his professional career. Fate then plays a delicious trick on him: in April 2006, he scores a decisive goal in the Coupe de France final… against Marseille. A few months later, in October 2006, the Paris club suspends him and then fires him after public criticism of his coach Guy Lacombe.

He who earned 18 caps for the French national team between 1999 and 2006 will thus have passed through the history of French football without ever wearing the Marseille shirt — by a phone call’s margin.