JUST FONTAINE 1958

Sometimes, the stars align at a World Cup. Everything clicks. Right place, right time.

Just Fontaine appeared in only one finals tournament. In 1958 the France forward played in six matches and scored a scarcely credible 13 goals. And he did it all wearing boots borrowed off his team-mate, Stephane Bruey.

“My big advantage was that I’d had a knee operation in December 1957 and came back in February,” Fontaine later said. “That gave me a little winter break which meant that I was fresh.”

Both Fontaine and Reim’s Rene Bliard were told they’d be starting for Les Bleus, but the latter’s ankle injury gave the former his chance.

Just grabbed it, firing a hat-trick in a win over Paraguay, two more against Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland, one against Scotland and one in the semi-final loss to Brazil.

He needed a brace against West Germany in the third-place match to tie Sandor Kocsis’ record haul of 11. He hit four...

Best of luck trying to beat that.