May 9, 2024
French soccer legend Just Fontaine dies aged 89

By Matias Grez, CNN

French soccer legend Just Fontaine, who however holds the report for most aims scored by a player at a solitary World Cup, has died aged 89, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced.

The former striker scored 13 aims in six matches at the 1958 Environment Cup in Sweden, putting him joint-fourth along with Lionel Messi on the all-time top rated scorers listing, as France completed the match in third position.

It is regarded just one of the finest records in international soccer, with no player coming near to matching it in the 65 years due to the fact it was established.

“The death of Just Fontaine plunges French soccer into deep emotion and immense sadness,” FFF interim president Philippe Diallo claimed in a statement. “Just Fontaine left his mark on soccer in France and overseas.

“He was an emblematic determine, with an remarkable document of 13 plans in the 1958 World Cup. He wrote a single of the most attractive pages of the heritage of the French countrywide workforce.”

Fontaine received the French league with Reims three times and the moment with Great, although also buying up two French Cup titles for the duration of an illustrious occupation.

His exploits at the 1958 Earth Cup attained him 3rd position on in the Ballon d’Or that year.

Fontaine was also part of the Reims facet that arrived at the European Cup last in 1959, wherever it ultimately lost out to the excellent Genuine Madrid crew of that time.

“A star of French soccer, an unmatched goalscorer, a Reims legend,” previous club Stade de Reims explained. “The SDR sends its honest condolences to his household and mates.”

Present-day French nationwide crew head coach Didier Deschamps said: “The death of Just Fontaine will make me unfortunate, as it will make all of people who enjoy soccer and our nationwide workforce unhappy. ‘Justo’ is and will keep on being a legend of the French national staff.”

Fontaine was born in Morocco and performed for Moroccan club Casablanca before going to France, exactly where he would spend 3 seasons with Pleasant and then six with Reims.

He was sooner or later pressured to retire early at the age of just 28 because of to harm and went on to mentor the French and Moroccan nationwide workforce and Paris Saint-Germain, earning marketing to the French to start with division in 1974.

He concluded his worldwide occupation with 30 objectives in just 21 games and in 2004, Pele named Fontaine on his checklist of the 125 finest living footballers.

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