Trésor anticipates EURO boost for Bordeaux

Former French international defender Marius Trésor, now assistant coach of the FC Girondins de Bordeaux reserve team and a resident of the region for more than 30 years, told UEFA.com that he is delighted the city has been chosen as one of the UEFA EURO 2016host venues.

Don't miss out on EURO tickets

UEFA.com: Do you remember the day in 2010 when France was named as host of UEFA EURO 2016?

Marius Trésor: I was as happy as anyone who likes football would have been. I was thinking how every time France organises a major international tournament, the national team manages to do well! Being chosen by UEFA has given France the chance to become European champions at home for the second time, having also hosted and won the title in 1984. The same thing happened with the FIFA World Cup in 1998. As we say in French: "Good things always happen in threes."

UEFA.com: You've been settled in the Gironde area for about 30 years. What do you think UEFA EURO 2016 can bring to Bordeaux and the surrounding region?

Trésor: This will be something extraordinary for all the cities that have been selected, including Bordeaux. We will have a new facility – a brand-new stadium – which is something extraordinary in itself. What's more, Bordeaux is a tourist city, and with all the people who will descend on the region it's a magnificent opportunity for all the businesses, shops and the local economy.

The name of the city is known throughout the world: it's Bordeaux! That will be enough for plenty of wine connoisseurs to make the effort to come. Beyond the wine, there are plenty of other places to visit. Bordeaux is very well located: Arcachon Bay, the Medoc region ... I have lived in Medoc since 1992; there are lots of major chateaux on the wine route and I am expecting a large number of cars to pass my window.

UEFA.com: You mentioned the new Stade de Bordeaux – what do you think of it?

The Stade de Bordeaux will open in May©Herzog et De Meuron

Trésor: I am chairman of Bordeaux's former players' association; we were all invited to visit the stadium and it's a real jewel. The concourse that enables fans to get right around the stadium without barriers is amazing, and I think this is one of the only stadiums in Europe to be set up like this. It really is very nice. The best view of the stadium is from the Pont d'Aquitaine at the entrance to the city. It stands out in the distance, all in white ... I think it looks lovely.

UEFA.com: Do you have a favourite for UEFA EURO 2016?

Trésor: The world champions – Germany – will be there; Belgium have some very good footballers; Spain's heads have dropped a little but they'll be keen to rediscover their best form. And then there's France, of course. I think it will be a fairly open tournament.

UEFA.com: What chance do the current France team have of winning?

Trésor: The French side is made up of players that are the envy of the rest of Europe. Apart from that, it will be up to Didier Deschamps to bring out the little spark that we saw at the World Cup in Brazil. We can't think that just because it's in France we're going to win; it's through our performances on the pitch that we will have a chance of bringing down the powerhouses of European football.