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Kopa, the Napoleon of football

Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Friday, October 07, 2022 at 10:03 p.m.

We are honoring the four French Ballons d’Or, before the 2022 ceremony which may see a fifth. Raymond Kopa’s first triumph, in 1958, was unanimous, with Alfredo Di Stefano or Pelé not yet eligible.

End of season 1957-58

If Raymond Kopa obviously surfed on the World Cup, above all, to get the first Ballon d’Or in the history of French football, there was first a beginning of the calendar year 1958 to launch his season. at Real Madrid – he was then playing the second of his three years in the Spanish capital. From January 23, the former Rémois scored twice during the card inflicted by the Merengue on the neighbors of Seville (8-0), in the quarter-finals of the Champions Club Cup. Much less prolific in La Liga, he had to wait five games and the beginning of March to find the fault during the Spanish championship.

On March 2 and then March 9, the “Napoleon of football” scored in the draw against Real Sociedad (2-2) then against Gijon (4-0). Also a scorer in April for the victory at Espanyol Barcelona (2-4), he is above all one of the symbols of the perfect end to the season for Madrid, who concluded La Liga with eleven games without defeat and went for the title with three points. ahead of Atlético – a necessary series, Real only definitively seizing first place on the 24th day out of 30. And then, of course, there is the Champions League: if Raymond Kopa does not scored more, including in the final won 3-2 in extra time against AC Milan, he is nonetheless one of the major attacking players, just as much as Alfredo Di Stefano or Francisco Gento even if the two other stars score a lot more (including one goal each in the final).

world Cup

Naturally, it is this competition that will make the difference in favor of the French striker, while the Ballon d’Or is only in its third edition and rewards – as until 1995 – the best European footballer. Since Brazil beat Sweden in the final (5-2), it is logical that the leader of the Blues, third, bursts the screen. Although Nils Liedholm, considered the star of the Scandinavian team and who played for AC Milan (Champions League finalist) and only finished eighth with six small points, was made little case , a far cry from Raymond Kopa’s 71 points – his teammate Kurt Hamrin, Fiorentina striker, finished fourth with fifteen points.

If this World Cup remains marked by the exceptional performance of Just Fontaine, author of thirteen goals (record which still stands on a single edition) and who will take the opportunity to finish third in the Ballon d’Or, Raymond Kopa is the undisputed leader of the team. of France. Even if he must thank the president Santiago Bernabéu, who could have refused to release him for the final phase, Real playing in full competition his Copa del Rey final. He must also take a little time to create automatisms, having not been authorized to play the previous friendly matches… Which does not prevent him from scoring in the first match, a card against Paraguay (7-3), then during the decisive meeting for the qualification in quarter-finals, in front of Scotland (2-1).

Helpless in the semi-final lost 5-2 against Pelé’s Brazil, marked by a match played at ten from the half hour mark, captain Robert Jonquet breaking his leg – there was then no substitution allowed -, Raymond Kopa scored a third goal in the match for third place won against Germany (6-3). And perhaps much more decisive than we imagine for the Ballon d’Or, since it was his opponent Helmut Rahn, author of six goals during the World Cup, who finished second at 31 points from the winner. “Those who appointed me are intelligent”, comments the main interested party, referring above all to the spectacular feat of Just Fontaine which could easily have designated him as the best player of this year 1958.

Start of the 1958-59 season

Ferenc Puskas, the absolute idol of Raymond Kopa, began his career at Real Madrid. The latter scored five goals in La Liga in November, as well as another in the Champions League, just to definitely ensure his personal success which is announced. He also takes the time, again, to shake the nets in the France team during a match in October, a first qualifying round for the Euro against Greece (7-1). “His real place is not that of a winger or an interior, or even a center forward: it is to be created”, wrote on December 16 Gabriel Hanot, editor-in-chief of France Football and who appears among the creators of the Ballon d’Or.

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