The France coach is determined to have Makelele available for the opening games of their Group B campaign. Under Fifa rules, any player who refuses an international call-up can be banned for two ...

But coach Raymond Domenech refused to accept the player's decision to stand down and picked him nevertheless, threatening him with domestic suspension under Fifa's rules. While Makelele moved to ...

A position that was revolutionised by greats such as Claude Makelele, the role is employed by nearly every team in the world in the modern day. In a list that includes a Ballon d'Or winner ...