Former French Football Federation president Claude Simonet has died at the age of 92, the FFF announced on Wednesday. The leader, based in local authorities in Loire-Atlantique and Nantes, had chaired the FFF from 1994 to 2005, the France team winning its first world title during his tenure, in 1998. He had previously had a career as a footballer amateur, at Le Mans and Nantes in particular, where the current coach Didier Deschamps also passed. “With the disappearance of Claude Simonet, French football loses a leader who marked the history of our sport since he was our President when we had the good fortune to win the World Cup in 1998 (…) then the ‘Euro 2000,’ responded Deschamps in a statement. “He brought the French team back on the path to success. I will keep strong images of him, of intense happiness. The acting president of the FFF Philippe Diallo for his part testified to his “deep affection” for the former leader, and “great respect” for his career. “He took the reins of the Federation when it was going through turbulence and put it back on track,” he added.