PARIS: Veteran French coach Jean Louis Gasset, who was fired at the last Africa Cup of Nations by Ivory Coast before they went on to win the trophy, has died aged 72, his former French club Montpellier announced on Friday.

Hosts Ivory Coast were sensationally beaten 4-0 by minnows Equatorial Guinea in their last group game at the 2023 edition in the biggest upset in tournament history, finishing third in their group.

Gasset was dismissed after the shock defeat but the Ivorians earned a reprieve as one of the best third placed finishers to qualify for the knockout rounds and eventually won the title under Gassets assistant Emerse Fae.

One month after returning to France, Gasset was appointed coach at Olympique de Marseille but stayed for only four months.

He went back to Montpellier last season but when they were headed for relegation, he was sacked in April.

Gasset spent most of his playing career at Montpellier, co-founded by his father, Bernard Gasset, with Louis Nicollin.

Born in Montpellier, he played 10 years for the club as a midfielder, racking up 231 appearances between 1975 and 1985, before three spells as coach, most recently last year.

“A child of the club, he left a mark on everyone he met with his professionalism, kindness, and passion for passing on knowledge,” the club said in a statement, adding that it has “lost one of its emblematic figures”.

“Our sorrow is immense when we remember his smile, his unmistakable voice, and his sharp turn of phrase,” the club said.

Gasset’s only managerial success with Montpellier was the 1999 Intertoto Cup, he was also a long-time assistant to Laurent Blanc.

Together they worked at Bordeaux and Paris St Germain as well as with the France team between 2010 and 2012.

Gasset also coached other French teams, including St Etienne and Bordeaux.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2025