Just Fontaine

The Frenchman who scored thirteen goals in one World Cup summer.

via Wikipedia: Just Fontaine · see source

Just Louis Fontaine was a French striker who holds the record for the most goals in a single World Cup: 13 in six games at the 1958 tournament. Born in Marrakesh, French Morocco, to a French father and a Spanish mother, he grew up in Casablanca and attended Lycée Lyautey. He started playing amateur football for US Marocaine from 1950 to 1953, then signed with Nice, where he scored 44 goals over three seasons. In 1956, he joined Stade de Reims, later teaming up with Raymond Kopa.

Over six seasons there, he netted 121 goals. In total, he scored 165 goals in 200 Division 1 matches, winning the league title twice (1958 and 1960). He also reached the 1958–59 European Cup final with Reims, finishing as the competition's top scorer with ten goals. On his France debut in December 1953, he scored a hat trick in an 8–0 win over Luxembourg.

Across 21 international appearances, he scored 30 goals. His 13 goals in six games at the 1958 World Cup included four against West Germany in the third-place playoff. As of his death, he ranked seventh on the all-time World Cup scoring list, behind players who all appeared in at least two tournaments. A recurring leg injury forced him to retire in July 1962 at age 28.

He briefly managed France in 1967, losing both friendlies, then coached Morocco to a third-place finish at the 1980 African Cup of Nations, helping develop players like Badou Zaki, Mohammed Timoumi, and Aziz Bouderbala. Morocco reached the final stage of 1982 World Cup qualifying but lost to Cameroon. As sporting director of Paris Saint-Germain, he helped the club earn promotion to the top division. Pelé named him to the FIFA 100 list in 2004, and the French Football Federation chose him as the best French player of the previous 60 years in 2003.

He co-founded the National Union of Professional Football Players in 1961. He later criticized the French team's performance at the 2010 World Cup. For over 60 years, he lived in Toulouse, where he owned two Lacoste shops and spent his time playing belote and watching football on television. He died in Toulouse on 28 February 2023 at age 89.

Quick Facts

Full name: Just Louis Fontaine
Born: 18 August 1933
Birthplace: Marrakesh, French Morocco
Died: 28 February 2023
Place of death: Toulouse, France
Height: 1.74 m / 5 ft 9 in
Position: Striker
Total caps: 248

Facts from the source article.

Background

Fontaine's international debut came on 17 December 1953, when he scored a hat trick as France defeated Luxembourg 8–0. In seven years, he scored 30 goals in 21 matches. At the 1958 FIFA World Cup, he scored 13 goals in just six matches, including four against defending champions West Germany in the third place playoff. That remains the highest number of goals scored by a player at a single World Cup tournament.

As of 2026, he is the seventh-top scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with each of the six ahead of him—Gerd Müller (14 goals), Harry Kane (14 goals), Ronaldo (15 goals), Miroslav Klose (16 goals), Lionel Messi (21 goals), and Kylian Mbappé (22 goals)—having played in at least two tournaments. Fontaine played his last match in July 1962, forced to retire early at 28 years and 11 months old due to a recurring leg injury. He briefly managed the France national team in 1967, but was replaced after two friendly defeats.

As coach of Morocco, he led the Atlas Lions to a third place finish in the 1980 African Cup of Nations, overseeing the emergence of players like Badou Zaki, Mohammed Timoumi and Aziz Bouderbala. Morocco reached the final stage of 1982 World Cup qualification but were beaten by Cameroon. As sporting director of Paris Saint-Germain, he helped promote the club to the first division.