Biography

Didier Digard is just 18 years old, but he's already a Ligue 2 regular in the colours of Le Havre. A stand-out peformer in the 1986 generation that also features Hugo Lloris and Yohan Cabaye — the defensive midfielder wore the captain's armband in several youth categories of the French national team.

An established Ligue 2 performer by the age of 20, he caught Paris Saint-Germain's eye, and played a season with them before moving to Middlesbrough. Eighteen months later, he joined Le Gym on loan before later signing on a permanent basis.

Industrious in the centre of pitch (one of the players with the most touches in Ligue 1), the midfielder overcame a string of injuries to become the fulcum of the team and one of the best players in his position in France. A natural leader, he was named OGC Nice captain before the 2011/12 season, shone in a very good side in 2012/13 before keeping the ship afloat in the difficult period of 2014 to '15.

In May 2015, he scored his sixth and last goal against Lens, helping secure top-flight survival for Claude Puel's men after a tough season.

After a spell in Spain (Real Betis, Osasuna, Lorca), he ended his playing career in 2018 before returning to OGC Nice the following year as U17 assistant coach. During summer 2021, he was named the reserve team's head coach following a period working alongside Adrian Ursea and the first team.

In November 2022, he was named assistant to Lucien Favre. At the start of January 2023, he succeeded him as head coach. In his first game as first-team boss, Le Gym won 6-1 against Montpellier.