Just Fontaine facts for kids
Fontaine with France at the 1958 World Cup
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 18 August 1933 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Marrakech, French Morocco | ||||||||||||
| Date of death | 1 March 2023 (aged 89) | ||||||||||||
| Place of death | Toulouse, France | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Striker | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 1950–1953 | USM Casablanca | 48 | (62) | ||||||||||
| 1953–1956 | Nice | 69 | (42) | ||||||||||
| 1956–1962 | Reims | 131 | (122) | ||||||||||
| Total | 248 | (226) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 1953–1960 | France | 21 | (30) | ||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||
| 1967 | France | ||||||||||||
| 1968–1969 | Luchon | ||||||||||||
| 1973–1976 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||||||||||||
| 1978–1979 | Toulouse | ||||||||||||
| 1979–1981 | Morocco | ||||||||||||
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Honours
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Just Louis Fontaine (born August 18, 1933 – died March 1, 2023) was a famous French football player. He was a forward, known for scoring many goals. His most amazing achievement was scoring 13 goals in just six matches during the 1958 FIFA World Cup. This is still the record for the most goals scored by one player in a single World Cup tournament! In 2004, the legendary footballer Pelé even named him one of the 125 greatest living footballers.
Contents
Fontaine's Football Journey
Just Fontaine was born in Marrakesh, which was then part of French Morocco. His father was French, and his mother was Spanish. He later moved to Casablanca and went to school there.
Starting His Career
Fontaine began playing football as an amateur for a club called USM Casablanca from 1950 to 1953. He quickly showed his talent for scoring goals.
In 1953, the French club Nice signed him. He played for Nice for three seasons, scoring 44 goals. This was a great start to his professional career.
Playing for Stade de Reims
In 1956, Fontaine joined Stade de Reims, another top French club. Here, he played alongside other famous players like Raymond Kopa. Fontaine scored an incredible 121 goals in six seasons with Reims.
During his time at Reims, he helped the team win the Ligue 1 championship twice, in 1958 and 1960. He also played in the 1958–59 European Cup final, where Reims faced Real Madrid. Fontaine was the top scorer in that competition with ten goals.
World Cup Hero
Fontaine's most famous moments came when he played for the French national team. In his very first game for France on December 17, 1953, he scored three goals (a hat trick) as France beat Luxembourg 8–0. Over seven years, he scored 30 goals in just 21 matches for his country.
His performance at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden was truly legendary. He scored 13 goals in only six games. This included scoring four goals against the defending champions, West Germany. This record for most goals in a single World Cup still stands today. Because of this amazing achievement, he won the Golden Boot award. As of 2022, he is tied with Lionel Messi as the fourth-highest scorer in World Cup history.
Early Retirement and Coaching
Sadly, Just Fontaine had to stop playing football early because of a serious injury. He played his last match in July 1962, when he was only 28 years old.
After retiring as a player, Fontaine tried coaching. He briefly managed the French national team in 1967. He also coached the Moroccan national team from 1979 to 1981, leading them to third place in the 1980 African Cup of Nations. He also helped Paris Saint-Germain F.C. get promoted to the first division as their sporting director.
Life After Football
In March 2004, the famous Brazilian footballer Pelé included Just Fontaine in his list of the 125 greatest living footballers. In 2003, the French Football Federation also named him the best French player of the last 50 years.
Fontaine was also a founder of the National Union of Professional Football Players in 1961, which helps support football players.
Just Fontaine passed away on March 1, 2023, at the age of 89, in Toulouse, France, where he had lived for many years. He will always be remembered as one of football's greatest goal scorers.
Honours
Nice
- French Division 1: 1955–56
- Coupe de France: 1953–54
Reims
- French Division 1: 1957–58, 1959–60, 1961–62
- Coupe de France: 1957–58
- Trophée des Champions: 1958, 1960
- European Cup: runner-up 1958–59
France
- FIFA World Cup third place: 1958
Individual
- Ballon d'Or third-place: 1958
- Golden Foot: 2003, as a football legend
- FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 1958
- French Division top scorer: 1957–58, 1959–60
- European Cup top scorer: 1958–59
- FIFA 100: 2004
See also
In Spanish: Just Fontaine para niños
