The midfield thinker joins a cross‑disciplinary panel as the pageant sets up in Bangkok.

Claude Makélélé made a career out of calming storms. Now the French great will read a different kind of stage. “We are honored to welcome @makeleleofficial to our 74th Miss Universe Selection Committee.” The Miss Universe Organization introduced him with that line on its official channels, confirming his place on the deciding panel.

Finals night lands on November 21 at Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, just outside Bangkok. The organization says 130 delegates will gather in Thailand under the theme “The Power of Love,” a month‑long build that culminates in the crown.

Makélélé will sit alongside a group that reflects MUO’s recent taste for broader culture and global reach. Confirmed selection‑committee names include Brazilian artist Romero Britto, Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, Venezuelan model and entrepreneur Sharon Fonseca, and Lebanese‑French composer and businessman Omar Harfouch, each introduced in separate MUO posts.

The jokes write themselves. The “Makélélé role” on the runway. A ball‑winner for a show built on poise. A judge who knows how to screen chaos, make the simple decision, and let performance breathe. There is also a logic to it. Miss Universe increasingly values composure, clarity under pressure, and a grounded presence, qualities that defined him at the peak of his playing days.

From holding midfield to the (unusual) selection committee

His résumé travels well. With Nantes, Real Madrid, and Chelsea, he turned the defensive midfield into a metronome position that others copied. At Chelsea, he was a permanent fixture, helping establish a title-stacking era. In Madrid, his work is often a topic of discussion in the balance between star power and other considerations.  

For Miss Universe, this appointment is as much of a signal as a celebrity. The committee balances aesthetics with judgment under time pressure, and the organization has sought to broaden its audience while upholding integrity and fairness. That mission is now under new leadership, with Mario Búcaro stepping in as CEO ahead of the Thailand edition.

What will Makélélé change? Probably not the rubric, which still relies on interviews, stage presentation, and the final question. He does change the optics.

Jokes aside, viewers who grew up looking at his positioning will watch to evaluate the judges. Contestants will encounter a panelist who values calm, leadership, and control—qualities that made him essential when others sought the spotlight. On a night focused on performance, he understands when to step in and when to hold back, which is the key.