Franck Leboeuf may be best known for winning the FIFA World Cup and starring with Chelsea. But the former France defender perhaps left the biggest imprint of all in Alsace, where he shone for his beloved Strasbourg.

"Lots of good memories, it's where my life changed," Leboeuf explained to the Ligue 1 Show on beIN SPORTS.

"When Strasbourg contacted me they were in Ligue 2 at the time, and in fact it was a real revolution. They asked me to come and very quickly they asked me to become the penalty-shooter and also the captain, and we went up, and then it became very crazy for me, where the national team called me, where we played Europe, we played the final of the French Cup.

"So Strasbourg represents a city where it's very nice to live, people are so nice, the city is absolutely beautiful. But also a family club. And it's still a family club."

Leboeuf has kept close ties with Le Racing - notably through his friendship with Marc Keller, the club's president since 2012. 

"I was with Marc Keller last week, he's my former teammate, we went to the stadium to see a game," continued Leboeuf. "It was still the family, singing dancing, being crazy, in a nice way, and, It's always a pleasure to go there, it's really absolutely fantastic, and it's great football!"

Strasbourg put on a show for Leboeuf, thrashing Girondins de Bordeaux 5-2 in a performance that highlighted just how far the club has come. They had to start again from the bottom of the French football pyramid after going bankrupt in 2011, but their fortunes have been totally transformed under Keller's presidency.

Watch: Highlights of Strasbourg's 5-2 win over Bordeaux

"He is a kid of Alsace, he was born there, he couldn't stand the fact that the club was about to get out of the system," said Leboeuf. "He put a bit of money in and called some important people from the region: the club needs you. It's a club with good finances and they are very clever on the players they hire."

Strasbourg returned to the top tier in 2017, and they survived their first season back thanks to Dimitri Liénard, the long-serving winger who has stuck with the club through thick and thin - he was there back in the dark days, playing in the amateur leagues, and his continued presence makes him a powerful symbol.

"You are somebody who give his life for the club, you are part of the family," Leboeuf said of Liénard. "Against Bordeaux I saw him running, limping at the end of the game because he was dead, he's like 33, 34, I don't know, he was limping. I said, 'he's going to get out'. He never got out. He worked hard. He has talent, he is a hard worker, he is what we need in Strasbourg, he is what we like."

These days, coach Julien Stéphan can also count on three deadly attackers. Senegal striker Habib Diallo has netted eight goals this season, Ludovic Ajorque nine, and Kevin Gameiro has found the net four times since returning to the club where it all began for him 16 years ago.

"Kevin is a soldier, never complained, worked hard," said Leboeuf. "I talked to him after the game, and I said thank you for coming back because you made Strasbourg better. He is at his prime normally, but I feel he came late into the business, so he still has some years to improve his game.

"Strasbourg is the essence of football. Of course PSG is a top club, it's fantastic, but you need clubs like Strasbourg, you need identity, and that's what represents Strasbourg for me, and I'm so proud of being part of the history of that club and I'm so proud of seeing them doing so well."