On Wednesday, Fontaine’s passing was made public by his former club, Reims. Fontaine was added to the French squad at the last minute of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
It took him six games to accomplish his feat. The French soccer great Just Fontaine, who set a World Cup record with 13 goals in 1958, has passed away. He was 89.
On Wednesday, Fontaine’s passing was made public by his former club, Reims. Fontaine was added to the French squad at the last minute of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, and it took him six games to accomplish his feat.
Fontaine, who was born in Morocco, was a little-known forward outside of the French league when he entered the tournament. He tormented opponents.
However, using someone else’s boots as well as his speed and finesse. After he broke his own boots in practice, he had to borrow some cleats.
In the third-place match against West Germany, Fontaine scored four goals, but if he had taken the penalty kick, he could have scored five.
Fontaine coached Luchon, Paris Saint-Germain, Toulouse, and the Moroccan national team after retiring for a brief period of time.
The Golden Boot award is now given to the player who scored the most goals during a World Cup tournament. Fontaine set the record when FIFA didn’t present a particular honor for the competition’s top scorer.
“Did you beat my record? In a 2006 interview, Fontaine stated to The Associated Press, “I don’t think it can ever be done.”
Doesn’t the person who wants to defeat me have a huge task at hand? In seven games, he must score two goals per game.
France fell 5-2 to a Brazil team led by 17-year-old Pele in the semifinals, playing in a time when no substitutions were allowed.
Fontaine, who scored in each match, scored the first goal Brazil conceded in the tournament, giving France an early lead. Robert Jonquet, a France defender, broke his leg at 1-1.
Amazingly, he continued to play, attempting to compete with Pele’s genius, but the French defense was significantly weaker.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who participated in four World Cups, holds the men’s record for the most goals scored in a World Cup career with 16.
Fontaine only participated in one World Cup, but he broke the record set by Hungary striker Sándor Kocsis in 1954 when he scored 11 goals.
Marta, a Brazil striker who has participated in five tournaments, has scored 17 goals at the Women’s World Cup.