How Di Meco Left Marseille in 1994 Despite Tapie's Wife's Appeal

Éric Di Meco wanted to finish his career at Olympique de Marseille, the club that had developed him. He ultimately played the final four seasons of his professional life in the colours of AS Monaco, following a summer of 1994 marked by financial turmoil at the Phocaean club.

Relegated to Ligue 2 following the VA-OM scandal, Marseille was forced to offload part of its squad. Di Meco, 30, discovered upon returning from holiday that his contract had not been ratified. “I contact Bernard Tapie, who tries to reassure me about the arrival of the bank guarantees needed for ratification. But nothing comes,” he confided in an interview with Kairos Podcast.

Faced with the club’s inaction, the left-back informs Tapie of Monaco’s interest and his own desire to join the Principality. The Marseille president’s response takes an unexpected form: it is his wife, Dominique Mialet-Damianos, who picks up the phone to try to keep him. “She calls me to tell me not to leave. And there, I admit she won me over,” Di Meco admits.

The intervention is not enough. A close friend of the French international eventually convinces him to sign for Monaco. Di Meco spent four seasons there, the last two of which were largely cut short by a serious injury.