Henri ZAMBELLI

Born in Marseille, Henri Zambelli began his footballing days with a local club in his region, before joining the Academy set-up of OGC Nice in 1972. He was drafted into the professional squad in 1974 aged 17 as right back. I would stay on the Côte d'Azur until 1979, and play over 180 games for the club, notably reaching the French Cup Final in 1978. He also achieved the honorific title of runner-up to the great Saint Etienne side of the time in 1976. In 1979, he left for his hometown club, Olympique Marseille, who were aiming to compete with the top clubs in the First Division. Unfortunately for Zambelli, Marseille would have a poor season, and were relegated to the second tier. The following season, he decided to return to Nice, where he would spend two seasons, the last of which saw Nice relegated. In 1982, he signed for Lyon, where he would end up being relegated again at the end of his first season there. He still chose to stay there for the next two seasons in the Second Division. In 1985, Brest were in the First Division, and they recruited Zambelli to bolster their defence, and just as with all the clubs, he would impose himself as a first-choice defender. In 1986, he departed Brest to join Stade Rennais to help them stay up in the top flight by adding his experience to the team as a central defender. Unfortunately, his stay at Rennes would not be a successful one. In spite of 36 appearances in the First Team, Zambelli ended up being relegated at the end of his solitary season with the club. In 1987, he started three seasons with Orléans in the Second Division, where he was named as captain. Throughout his career, he was regularly called up for the French U21s and Olympic squads. His playing days as a professional came to an end in 1990. He spent the following year playing in Amateur football before becoming an agent to players, a job he would do for two decades, notably looking after the interests of some familiar old faces from Rennes, such as Jimmy Briand and Philippe Montanier.