SOCCER: Former Ivory Coast coach Gasset dies

Veteran French coach Jean Louis Gasset, who was fired at the last Africa Cup of Nations by Ivory Coast before they went on to win the trophy, has died aged 72, his former French club Montpellier announced on Friday.

Hosts Ivory Coast were sensationally beaten 4-0 by minnows Equatorial Guinea in their last group game at the 2023 edition in the biggest upset in tournament history, finishing third in their group.

Gasset was dismissed after the shock defeat but the Ivorians earned a reprieve as one of the best third placed finishers to qualify for the knockout rounds and eventually won the title under Gasset’s assistant Emerse Fae.

One month after returning to France, Gasset was appointed coach at Olympique de Marseille but stayed for only four months.

He went back to Montpellier last season but when they were headed for relegation, he was sacked in April.

Gasset spent most of his playing career at Montpellier, where his father had been one of the club founders.

The cause of death was not given.

-Mark Gleeson/Reuters