A former defender, he enjoyed a solid if unspectacular professional career, running out for clubs such as Bordeaux, Guingamp and Angers between 1977 and 1989. When his playing days were over, he moved quickly into coaching and has been helping France’s young female talents flourish since 2012. He steered them to the UEFA Women’s Under-19 EURO title in 2013 and again in 2016, following up on both occasions by guiding his charges to top-three finishes at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Having ended up on the losing side in the 2016 final, Eyquem will be anxious to go one better on home soil.