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Just Fontaine, the French footballer who scored a record 13 goals in the 1958 World Cup, has died aged 89.
Fontaine’s former club Reims announced his death on Wednesday.
Fontaine took six games to achieve the feat at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, when he entered the France squad at the last minute.
Entering the tournament, Moroccan-born Fontaine was an unknown striker outside of the French league. But he torments opponents with his speed and finishing touch – and even wears other people’s boots. He had to borrow a pair of cleats after destroying his own boots in practice.
Just Fontaine scored four goals in the third place match against West Germany in the 1958 World Cup
Fontaine scored four goals in the third-placed game against West Germany, but could have made it five had he taken the penalty.
The top goalscorer at the World Cup is now recognized with the Golden Boot. Fontaine set a record when FIFA did not award a special award to the tournament’s top goalscorer.
French forward Just Fontaine dribbles past Brazilian goalkeeper Gilmar during the 1958 World Cup semi-final
“Beat my record? I don’t think it’s possible,” Fontaine told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview. “Anyone who wants to beat me has a big job, right? They have to score two goals a game in seven games.”
Playing when no substitutions were allowed, France lost 5-2 in the semi-finals against a Brazil team featuring a 17-year-old Pele.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Just Fontaine
Fontaine, who has scored in every game, gave France an early lead with Brazil’s first goal of the tournament. But when the score was 1-1, French defender Robert Jonquet broke his leg. Amazingly, he played, trying to contend with the genius of Pele, but the French defense was weakened.
The record for most goals scored in a World Cup career is 16 goals by Germany forward Miroslav Klose, who played in four tournaments. Fontaine, who broke Hungarian striker Sndor Kocsis’ record of 11 goals in the 1954 tournament, played in just one World Cup.
Fontaine’s remarkable rise as a goal scorer scored 200 goals in 213 games. He scored 30 goals in 21 games for France.
Fontaine’s career was cut short dramatically when he was only 28 years old. The Frenchman – famous for his lightning speed and ruthless finishing – suffered a horrific broken leg after a botched tackle in March 1960.
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