After taking over as interim following the withdrawal of Noël Le Graët in January 2023, Philippe Diallo landed his first “real” four-year mandate at the head of the French Football Federation. A look back at the journey of this man, originally from Saint-Nazaire.
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His mission is not finished.
This Saturday, December 14, Philippe Diallo won the election for the presidency of the French Football Federation (FFF). Facing Pierre Samsonoff, his opponent, he obtained 55.34% of the votes.
So here he is, leaving for four years in office, he who has been at the head of the institution since the withdrawal of Noël Le Graët, in January 2023. “What remains important, as in football, is to win matches”he welcomed the announcement of the results, despite a low participation (40%).
But, before becoming the face of the largest sports federation in France (2.4 million members), it was during his childhood in the Loire" rel="tag">Pays de la Loire that Philippe Diallo fell in love with football.
Indeed, the native of Saint-Nazaire grew up in the sporting world: his father, Souleymane Diallo, was crowned French boxing champion three times. However, as a child, young Philippe preferred crampons to gloves and chose football.
Far left, Philippe Diallo. Second row, fourth from left, Didier Deschamps
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© Photo Philippe Tharreau – FC Nantes 1983/84 – Archives
From the age of six, he joined the FC Nantes youth teams before joining the training center. Alongside a certain Didier Deschamps, There he received lessons from Raynald Denoueix and Jean-Claude Suaudeau, two major figures of the club.
However, the Nazairian never took the step of playing with the professionals. The level is too high for him, so he turns to studies.
A graduate of Sciences Po Paris, Philippe Diallo has always kept a link with football during his studies in public law and business law: he occasionally returned to the Loire region to write, in particular, match reports then published in the newspaper West France.
Upon leaving studies, Philippe Diallo is quickly making a name for himself in the world of French football. For nearly thirty years, he led the Union of Professional Football Clubs (UCPF), the employers’ union of professional clubs.
Considered a leading figure in the organization, he particularly participated in the delicate reforms of player transfers. Other ifIn keeping with his technocratic profile, he also has international experience as sole judge in FIFA’s dispute resolution chamber.
Those who worked alongside him praise his skills and speak of him as a discreet man. “He is a man who listens a lot before making decisions. He is a person who is pleasant to work with, even when there are disagreements”, Didier Essor, president of the Pays de la Loire Football League, assured us on January 12, 2023.
Philippe Diallo is a pleasant, calm and discreet man.
Didier Essor,president of the Pays de la Loire Football League
Then, his rise within the FFF begins in March 2021. This month, he becomes general treasurer within the executive committee (Comex). Following which, he progressed in the organization chart by becoming deputy vice-president in December 2021, replacing Brigitte Henriques, elected head of the National Olympic Sports Committee (CNOSF).
Recognized for his professional qualities, he is not unanimously unanimous. Some within the committee may have suspected him of having become closer to Florence Hardouin for political reasons. The objective? Form a tandem aiming to take power at the FFF.
Ultimately, it is the only one who will act as interim head of the institution, following the resignation of Noël le Graët.
Despite everything, since 2023, Philippe Diallo has been able to convince. This by signing, in particular, a historic contract with Nike, in June 2024: 100 million euros annually, cash and endowment, offered by the equipment manufacturer of the national selections between 2026 and 2034.
A finely managed negotiation which, in the long term, will allow aid to amateur football to be increased from 100 to 150 million euros annually. It was one of his big campaign arguments.
In his program, the technocrat also promises to develop women’s football, aiming to double the number of licenses in five years. Nice challenge, but not the least when we see the still too timid enthusiasm for professional women’s teams.
So, the match does not seem to be won in advance.
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