Didier Six

France’s attacking balance in the late 1970s and early 1980s depended partly on the kind of width Didier Six could provide. Left footed, quick and technically assured, he operated mainly from the left, stretching defensive lines, carrying the ball forward and giving Michel Hidalgo’s side a more natural outside threat around its central creators. His club career moved across France, Belgium, Germany, England and Turkey, which makes his legacy less tied to one single team than to a recognisable playing profile: acceleration, close control, angled crosses and the courage to receive wide under pressure. At the 1982 World Cup, he belonged to the French side that reached the famous semi final against West Germany, even though his missed penalty in the shootout became an unfairly heavy memory. Six was more than that moment. He was a genuine international winger, fluid, mobile and technically clean, valuable because he gave elegant teams the directness they still needed.