L’AS Monaco mourns Jean Petit as symbol of unwavering loyalty

L’AS Monaco are in mourning after the death of former midfielder Jean "Jeannot" Petit on 23 January 2024, aged 74. Former coach Rolland Courbis described him as the very embodiment of loyalty, having witnessed the club’s highs, lows, relegation, promotion and title triumphs while remaining ever‑present.

Career devoted to a single club

Born in Toulouse and trained at the Violets, Petit spent his entire professional playing career at AS Monaco, featuring in 426 matches between 1969 and 1982 and scoring 78 goals. He lifted the French championship twice, in 1978 and 1982, and was named French Player of the Year in 1978.

From player to lifelong servant

After hanging up his boots, Petit served the Principality in numerous capacities: assistant coach to Didier Deschamps, interim manager, sporting director and finally sporting adviser, accumulating more than four decades of service. He worked alongside legends such as Arsène Wenger, Jean Tigana, Claude Puel, Ricardo, Claudio Ranieri and Marco Simone from 1987 to 2014.

Former teammate Sébastien Squillaci recalled Petit as a “always benevolent, good‑humoured and even joking assistant coach”. Young coach “La Dèche”, who spent 2001‑2005 at the club, said Petit’s support was “total and precious” during his first three years as a coach, especially after a difficult debut season.

Courbis summed up the tribute, saying: “The word ‘gentle’ is an obvious way to describe Jeannot. It was difficult, if not impossible, to argue with him! He is the very symbol of fidelity, having arrived at Monaco and experienced everything there – the highs, the lows, the drop to the second division, the rise again and the titles… and he always stayed.”

Petit would have celebrated his 77th birthday on Thursday, a milestone that underscores the length of his association with the Rocher.