France World Cup goals record-holder Just Fontaine dies aged 89

Morocco-born striker scored most goals at a single tournament with 13 in Sweden in 1958

(FILES) French forward Just Fontaine (C) celebrates and is lifted by teammates Yvon Douis, Andre Lerond and Jean Vincent, after he scored four goals against Germany during a third place match of the 1958 Swedish World Cup, in Goteborg on June 28, 1958. - Just Fontaine, a recordman of 13 goals in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, died on March 1, 2023 at 89-years-old, announced his family. (Photo by STAFF / AFP)

France striker Just Fontaine juggles the ball during training at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. Getty

French striker Just Fontaine examines an X-Ray of his fracture in a clinic in Paris after he injured himself during the Reims-Limoges match in 1961. Getty

1958 World Cup legends Pele and Just Fontaine on the 40th anniversary of the tournament in Sweden in 1998. Reuters

Just Fontaine of France is welcomed into the Fifa Hall of Champions by Germany's Franz Beckenbauer in 1999. Getty

Just Fontaine in 2011 with a France jersey showing his goals tally at the 1958 World Cup. AFP

Former France international Just Fontaine receives the Adidas Platinum Boot award from former Brazil international Ronaldo and Uefa President Michel Platini in 2014. Getty

Just Fontaine at the funeral in 2017 of Raymond Kopa, his France strike partner at the 1958 World Cup. EPA

Former France striker Just Fontaine, who scored a record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, has died at the age of 89.

Fontaine, who was born in Marrakech, Morocco, in 1933, passed away at his home in Toulouse, France, on Wednesday.

His 13-goal tally at the finals in Sweden, where he put four goals past West Germany in the third-place play-off match, is the highest at a single tournament. Fontaine is tied with Lionel Messi with the fourth highest goals total at World Cups, with only West Germany's Gerd Muller (14), Brazil's Ronaldo (15) and Germany's Miroslav Klose (16) ahead of him.

Fontaine, scored 30 goals in just 21 games for France before his career was cut short by injury.

The forward scored 226 goals in 248 games in a club career that began at USM Casablanca before moving to Nice and Stade Reims in France.

He won the French first division title four times as well as the French Super Cup and the Couple de France.

When his playing career ended due to injury at the age of 28 in 1962, he went into management. He briefly managed the France national team in two friendly matches in 1967 before being replaced.

He also managed Paris Saint-Germain between 1973 and 1976 – winning a first division title – and Toulouse between 1978 and 1979.

Perhaps his greatest managerial achievement was to lead Morocco, who he managed from 1979 to 1981, to third place at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980.

PSG led the tributes to their former manager, tweeting: “A thought for Just Fontaine. A monument of French football has left us.

“It's a sad day for lovers of Paris Saint-Germain, a club he led to the first division 50 years ago.”

Fontaine was named by Pele as one of the 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.