Legendary France striker Just Fontaine has died at the age of 89.
The former Stade de Reims forward famously scored 13 goals in just six games at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the highest-ever tally in a single edition of the tournament.
That was the only World Cup that Fontaine played in, but only three players in the competition's history have scored more than his 13 - Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo and Gerd Muller.
Fontaine is currently fourth on that list, level with Lionel Messi, but has the best goals-to-game ratio of any player to have scored 12 or more World Cup goals, including the likes of Ronaldo, Muller, Messi, Pele and Kylian Mbappe.
Throughout his whole international career, Fontaine scored 30 goals in just 21 games for his country from 1953 to 1960, boasting the best goals-per-game ratio among any player to have played 10 or more times for France.
"A star of French football, an outstanding striker, a legendary Reims player," read a statement from Reims.
Paris Saint-Germain, whom Fontaine guided into the top flight during a spell as manager, added: "A thought for Just Fontaine. An icon of French football who has left us."
The Moroccan-born striker began his career with USM Casablanca in the country of his birth, scoring 62 goals in 48 games before earning a switch to Nice.
There, Fontaine netted 51 times in 84 games, before joining Reims where he added a further 145 goals in just 152 appearances.
During his club career, the prolific frontman won four Ligue 1 titles, two Coupes de France and one Trophee des Champions, as well as helping Reims to the 1958-59 European Cup final, where they were beaten by Real Madrid.
Fontaine won the European Cup Golden Boot courtesy of his 10 goals in that year's tournament, while he twice finished as the top scorer in Ligue 1 and eventually finished his career with 165 goals in 200 outings in the French top flight.
Recurring injury issues forced Fontaine into an early retirement shortly before his 29th birthday.
The legendary figure went on to have a short stint as France manager, lasting only two friendly games, before also taking charge of Paris Saint-Germain, Toulouse and Morocco.
Fontaine's exploits at the 1958 World Cup are undoubtedly what he is most famous for, though, having scored in every match during the tournament, including a four-goal haul against defending champions West Germany in the third-place playoff to secure bronze. body check tags ::
