Raymond Kopa suddenly appears in the television news of Antenne 2 (the old name of France 2) and, at the microphone of Pierre Salviac, assures that he can still render services to the French team. At 46, the Ballon d'Or France Football 1958 is ready to make an improbable return to the Blues, while the Blues of Michel Hidalgo are particularly helpless before a friendly match of Gala against Brazil, April 1, 1978. Marius Trésor, Dominique Bathenay, Dominique Rocheteau or Bernard Lacombe are absent.
The Parc des Princes is on fire to welcome the Seleçao triple world champion (1958, 1962 and 1970). Pelé no longer plays, but a new crack is nicknamed the “White Pelé”: Zico. Largely dominated by the Brazilians, the Blues are saved by Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes, the FC Nantes goalkeeper, and rely on their new prodigy, a certain Michel Platini, 22, then attacker of AS Nancy-Lorraine. “Platoche” scored the goal of victory in the 86th minute, for the very first victory of France against Brazil.
The Golden Balls of Real in 2002: Kopa, Figo, Di Stéfano, Ronaldo and Zidane!
This is the beginning of the Platini era, even if the tricolor selection is picking it up once in Argentina for the 1978 World Cup. The French team is overthrown by Italy (2-1) then loses against Argentina (2-1) in the monumental of Buenos Aires, before a 3-1 victory against insufficient Hungary to get out of the hens. Four years before the Seville drama, France-RFA of the 1982 World Cup (elimination for penalties in the semi-finals), and eight years before 3rd place won in Mundial 86 in Mexico after a qualification against Brazil at penalties.
Kopa, the development of Thierry Roland
Raymond Kopa obviously did not play this France-Brazil at the Parc des Princes in April 1978. We were April 1! On TV before the meeting, Thierry Roland confirms that it was a simple April fish. The joke was not very inspired, but the denial of the sports commentator may have disappointed the older ball followers, nostalgic for the big stadium of Reims and the French team in the 50. Kopa was the star player of this decade and has even become a legend of tricolor football.
Number 10 of great talent, Raymond Kopaszewski (native of Pas-de-Calais, he is of Polish origin) led Reims in the final of the Champions Clubs Cup in 1956, for a short defeat against Real Madrid. He just joined Real in stride and won the European trophy three times in a row. Elected best player of the 1958 World Cup after the route of the Blues until 3rd place in the tournament in Sweden, Kopa then received the European Ballon d'Or, becoming the first French winner of the individual reward. Alfredo di Stefano was out of race as title holder. He died in 2017 at the age of 85.
