Ajit Karn
France placed third at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where Fontaine scored 13 goals in only six matches.
He is tied for fourth on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list with Lionel Messi of Argentina.
His former club, Stade de Reims, referred to him as “a French football legend, an outstanding striker, and a Reims legend.”
Paris Saint-Germain, one of his previous clubs, stated: “A consideration for Just Fontaine A French football icon who has left us.”
The French Football Federation (FFF) referred to Fontaine as “the immortal goalscorer” and a “football legend.”
Philippe Diallo, interim president of the FFF, remarked, “The death of Just Fontaine has thrown French football into a state of profound emotion and profound grief.”
He contributed one of the most beautiful chapters to the French team’s history.
Didier Deschamps, manager of the France national team, stated that Fontaine’s passing will “sadden all football fans” and that he “is and will remain a France team legend.”
A minute of applause will be held in tribute to Fontaine at all French football stadiums, beginning with Wednesday’s French Cup matches.
A prolific scorer who holds numerous records
Only three players have scored more goals at the World Cup than Fontaine, a remarkable statistic considering he only participated in the 1958 tournament.
He would not have been able to play there if not for injuries to fellow forwards Thadee Cisowski and Rene Bliard of Reims.
The striker went on to score in every game in Sweden, including four goals in the third-place play-off victory over West Germany.
Between 1953 and 1960, Fontaine scored 30 goals in just 21 appearances for France.
The majority of his club career was spent at Stade de Reims, where he scored 145 goals in 152 appearances, won three Ligue 1 titles, and advanced to the 1959 European Cup final, where they were defeated by a Real Madrid team that included Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
After suffering a double leg fracture in 1962, he was forced to retire at the age of 28 after playing for Nice and USM Casablanca.
As a manager, Fontaine led France in two matches in 1967 before guiding Paris Saint-Germain to promotion to the premier division in 1974, where they have remained ever since.
After a brief stint with Toulouse, he took charge of his native Morocco and led them to third place at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
In 1961, Fontaine became the first president of the French player’s union, the UNFP, which he helped establish.
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In 2004, Pele included him on his list of the 125 greatest living footballers.
