The death of Didier Roustan, a journalist who made his mark on the recent history of football and who notably worked for TF1, Canal+ and L’Equipe, was announced on Wednesday, September 11. He was 66 years old.
Didier Roustan is dead. It was David Lisnard, the mayor of Cannes, a city of which the journalist had become one of the most fervent representatives, who announced it on social networks this Wednesday, September 11, 2024. The death of Didier Roustan, known and recognized for his expertise in the world of football of which he was an unconditional lover, caused a shock within the media as well as clubs, starting with AS Cannes. Having notably appeared on TF1 or Canal +, Didier Roustan was indeed attached to the former flagship club in the 1980s-1990s, known for having trained Patrick Vieira or Zinédine Zidane.
“I learned with emotion of the death of Didier Roustan. A passionate Cannes resident, attached to the red and white, he loved football, above all the beautiful game and the beautiful stories. He had invented a new television language around the round ball, filled with positive spirit and poetry”, wrote the mayor of Cannes on his X account this Wednesday. Didier Roustan was 66 years old, he had still commentated on the Copa America football match at the beginning of the summer.
The cause of Didier Roustan’s death was revealed in the press shortly after his death was announced. The journalist “was taken by a fulminating liver cancer” according to TV Magazine, Le Figaro’s magazine dedicated to the small screen. The RMC Sport channel mentioned a “recently detected cancer” regarding this sudden death. L’Equipe had indicated a little earlier that the journalist’s death was the result of an “illness” that he had been battling “for several weeks”. Didier Roustan, who worked on the L’EquipeTV channel, where he regularly appeared on the set of the show L’Equipe du Soir, had been absent from the air “since the end of June”. “After fighting tirelessly against the illness, Didier Roustan succumbed during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday”, the newspaper on X specified.
Passionate and defender of football and its players
Born in Brazzaville on October 10, 1957, Didier Roustan became known to the general public in the mid-1980s, by presenting the TF1 show Téléfoot. He was its editor-in-chief until 1989. In the following decade, he joined Canal+ then France 2 and turned to the magazine, then, in the 2000s, joined L’EquipeTV for the talk show “Enfin du foot”. He also worked at TV5 Monde.
Passionate, Didier Roustan was also a defender of football and its players. After participating in the 1990s in the creation of the International Association of Professional Players (AIFP), the first global football union, he would be the founder of the Foot Citoyen association in 2003. Alongside Arsène Wenger, he would develop the fight against violence and racism in football.
13:55 – Canal+’s message to its ex-journalist
On the X account (ex-Twitter) of Canal +, a message was published this Wednesday to pay tribute to Didier Roustan, who joined the encrypted channel in the early 1990s. “It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Didier Roustan, an emblematic figure of sports journalism. His passion for football, his expertise and his charisma have left their mark on generations, particularly on CANAL+ with Mag Max. Our thoughts go out to his family, his loved ones and his colleagues.”
1:35 p.m. – Tribute from L’Equipe journalist Vincent Duluc
In an article published at midday on the L’Equipe website, Vincent Duluc looks back on his memories and the personality of Didier Roustan. “Hawaiian shirt, bandana, flip-flops under the table, old memories and young indignations: at L’Équipe du soir, everyone knew very well what not to say in front of him, or what to say to reawaken his anger, criticize an Argentinian or a Brazilian, praise a French coach under 60, dare to suggest that Pelé was not the best player of all time, recall the demons of Diego Maradona, prefer the result to the beautiful game”, writes the journalist who also published a message on his X account (ex-Twitter): “He was a voice, a memory, the face of 45 years of football on TV, and a great companion for evenings, which will never be the same again. Shock and sadness.”
1:35 p.m. – “Inhabited by a passion for the game”, Michel Denisot’s tribute
Michel Denisot paid tribute to his former colleague at Canal+ in the early 1990s, Didier Roustant, whose death was announced this Wednesday. “He was driven by a passion for the game, the business of football didn’t interest him,” said the former presenter of Nulle Part Ailleurs, interviewed on Europe 1.
13:17 – A book of memories published in 2023
Last year, Didier Roustan published a collection of his football memories under the title “Puzzle”. “Didier Roustan delivers here, in disorder, Puzzle obliges, some of the most striking pieces of his career. He recounts with mischief and humor often, seriousness sometimes, some captivating cinematographic scenes in the intimacy of a colorful cast”, specified his publisher Marabout.
12:55 – The Euro 84 semi-final, commentated by Didier Roustan, rebroadcast this evening
In its tribute to Didier Roustan, the L’Equipe channel states that it is changing its scheduled programs for Wednesday evening. In addition to a tribute program “L’Equipe du soir”, the channel will rebroadcast the semi-final of Euro 1984, France-Portugal, commented on by the journalist.
12:45 – A special broadcast from L’Equipe du Soir
“For him, for you, tonight’s show will be special in order to pay tribute to him. Let’s remember together all the good times spent with him so as to never forget. We will always love you Didier”, writes L’Equipe du Soir on X.
12:34 – Didier Roustan’s tackle on Mbappé
A champion of the beautiful game and a slayer of football business, Didier Roustan did not mince his words about the evolution of his favorite sport and admitted to being out of step with the younger generation. In 2022, Le Monde recalled in a recent portrait published this summer, he did not hesitate to say that he would not pay for a seat in a stadium “to see Mbappé” and explained why. “He is an absolute crack, but he is a man of his time. For me, football is first and foremost a matter of emotion. Do you understand?”
12:23 – “A fervent supporter of our club”: AS Cannes prepares a tribute
“It is with deep sadness that AS Cannes Football learned of the death of Didier Roustan, an emblematic figure of sports journalism and fervent supporter of our club, which he followed with passion since his childhood,” wrote AS Cannes, which published a press release. “Didier Roustan, through his unconditional love for football and his commitment to the world of sport, had forged an unbreakable bond with AS Cannes. His childhood memories in the stadium stands and his loyalty to the club, even in the most difficult times, made him a full-fledged member of the great Cannes family. A respected journalist and essential voice of French football, Didier was able to skillfully convey his passion for our sport and for the values that are dear to him. Beyond his media role, he embodied the essence of the authentic supporter, the one who vibrates for his favorite club, in victories as in defeats. AS Cannes Football sends its most sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones and to all those who, like us, shared this love of football with him. His memory will remain forever engraved in the history of our club.” A tribute will be paid to him during our next home match so that the entire Cannes community can salute him one last time. Rest in peace, Didier. You will remain forever in our hearts.❤️????”
12:15 – Pascal Praud’s tribute to Didier Roustan
Pascal Praud had worked alongside Didier Roustan when he arrived at TF1 in the sports department. The Europe 1 journalist paid tribute to him this Wednesday in the preamble to his radio show Pascal Praud et vous. “He was the first one who made me work at TF1 in 1988, and everyone who met him knows his immense talent, his concern, his kindness, especially with the youngest,” he stressed after the announcement of the death of Didier Roustan, aged 66.
12:14 – OGC Nice salutes “a passionate journalist and a much-loved character”
“OGC Nice learned with great sadness of the passing of Didier Roustan. He was a passionate journalist and a much-loved character, a lover of the beautiful game, beautiful words and beautiful stories. A character apart. The Club presents its condolences and sends all its thoughts to his family, his loved ones and to all the people who had the chance to know him,” wrote the club on X.
12:12 – His last match commented on television
Didier Roustan had commentated on June 21st the Argentina-Canada match, the opening match of the Copa America, which was broadcast in France by La Chaîne L’Equipe. L’Equipe reports that its journalist had made his last appearance on the show L’Equipe du Soir on June 22nd.
12:05 – He created the first players’ union
Surrounded by football figures such as Eric Cantona and Diego Maradona, Didier Roustan had participated in the creation of the International Association of Professional Players (AIFP), a union dedicated to defending the interests of professional players. The association had been created in 1995 before becoming its general secretary until 1998.
11:57 – Rolland Courbis “very touched”
“I am very touched by the passing of Didier Roustan. More than 30 years of interviews with him. He was the forerunner of documentaries on football. A man of immense footballing competence. I am very sad. My condolences to his loved ones. May he rest in peace!”, wrote Rolland Courbis on X.
11:56 – Didier Roustan “taken by fulminating liver cancer”
According to TV Magazine, the magazine of Le Figaro, “Didier Roustan was taken by a fulminating liver cancer”. The weekly does not say more and is content in its article to repeat the information from L’Equipe, which indicated a little earlier that “the journalist died suddenly during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday after several weeks of battling the disease”.
11:41 – Newly Detected Cancer
The RMC Sport channel discusses in an online article “newly detected cancer” regarding the sudden death of Didier Roustan. “Journalist Didier Roustan died this Wednesday at the age of 66 from a recently detected cancer. He had been working on French television for over 40 years,” the channel wrote.
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