Just Fontaine, the all-time prime scorer in a single World Cup finals with 13 targets, has died aged 89, his household instructed AFP on Wednesday.
Fontaine achieved the file within the 1958 finals in Sweden the place France reached the semi-finals for the primary time of their historical past, shedding to Pele’s Brazil.
Part of a beautiful attacking trident at that World Cup alongside Roger Piantoni and Raymond Kopa, Fontaine would possibly by no means have gone to Sweden in any respect.
Only accidents to fellow forwards Thadee Cisowski and his Reims teammate Rene Bliard noticed him make the squad after which the beginning line-up.
Fontaine additionally gained 4 French league titles, one with Nice and three with the nice Reims aspect of the post-war period.
He performed within the Reims group that misplaced to the Real Madrid of Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Raymond Kopa within the 1959 European Cup last.
Reims paid tribute to their former star by posting an image of him within the membership’s colors throughout his enjoying profession, calling him an “eternal legend”.
Nice, for whom Fontaine scored 52 targets in 83 matches, mentioned there could be a tribute to him forward of their Ligue 1 recreation towards Auxerre on Friday.
Fontaine was compelled to retire in 1962 on the age of simply 28 after he suffered a double leg fracture.
He later moved into administration, lasting simply two matches accountable for France in 1967 earlier than main Paris Saint-Germain to promotion to the highest division in 1974 after which teaching Morocco to 3rd place on the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
“A monument of French football has left us,” PSG mentioned in an announcement.
“It is a sad day for all those who love Paris Saint-Germain, a club he led into the first division 50 years ago.”
Source: www.anews.com.tr
