French footballer Just Fontaine dies at 89

Kriralok Desk: French footballer Just Fontaine has left us heartbroken. He is no more.Fontaine’s family confirmed news of Fontaine’s death on Wednesday (March 1). Fontaine’s former club Reims and the French soccer federation announced his death, but did not say where he died or a cause.

He is known to be one of the major contributor in football during the period of the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden. His position is fourth in the list of highest goal scorers in the World Cup. The news of Fontaine’s death has cast a pall over the football world.

Only three players have scored more goals than Fontaine in World Cup football history. But he played only in 1958 World Cup. There is also a history of equations. Fontaine might not have played in the World Cup in Sweden if not for the injuries of the then regular strikers of the French team, Thede Chiowski and René Billiard.

Fontaine scored in every match played in that tournament. Among them, he scored four goals alone in the third place match against Germany. France won the match 6-3. Fontaine played for France from 1953 to 1960. During this period he scored 30 goals in 21 matches.

He spent most of his club career at Stade de Reims. He scored 145 goals in 152 matches for the club. Won three League One titles. In 1959, his team reached the final of the European Cup. However, Reims lost to Alfredo Di Stefano and Frank Puskas’ Real Madrid. Fontaine has also played for French club Nice and Moroccan club USM Casablanca. The French legend was forced to retire at the age of 28 due to severe leg injuries.

Fontaine coached the French national team for two matches in 1967. Then in 1974 he took PSG to the first division. The Paris club was never relegated after that. He then briefly coached Toulouse. From there he moved to Morocco, the country of his birth. The Moroccan national team finished third in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations under his coaching.

In 2004, Brazilian legend Pele named Fontaine among the world’s 125 most famous living players.

It is really heartbreaking to lose a great contributor in football. May his soul rest in peace.

Kri/sp-001