At 72, Bernard Lacombe saw a well -deserved retirement. Landed in the professional world at only 17 years old, the former striker stretched his career for 18 years before returning to Olympique Lyonnais in the role of adviser to Jean-Michel Aulas, just become president of the Rhone club.
And after having martyred the championship defenses for almost two decades, whether with Olympique Lyonnais, Saint-Etienne then the Girondins de Bordeaux, Bernard Lacombe showed that he had nothing lost to his flair. More than thirty years, the native of Villefranche-sur-Saône has chained the right blows on the transfer market and participated in the development of OL until it became the largest French club in the early 2000s.
Bernard Lacombe was also one of the basic men of the Blues at Euro 1984, holder in the semi-finals and in the final, during which the former Lyonnais notably caused the goal at the origin of the unforgettable goal scored by Michel Platini in front of Luis Arconada.
The tribute of Jacques Vendroux to Bernard Lacombe
However, Bernard Lacombe probably did not make an impression as his acolytes of the French team could have done, at the forefront of which Michel Platini obviously, but also Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, Luis Fernandez or even Maxime Bossis.
A privileged witness of these years, Jacques Vendroux nevertheless paid a tribute supported to the one who ended his career with 255 goals in 592 games, only preceded by Delio Onnis.
“Bernard Lacombe is the top French scorer of all timewrote the old voice of Radio France in the columns of the JDD after having listed its “incredible list”:
“Three times champion of France and two Coupe de France with the Girondins de Bordeaux, a French Cup with Olympique Lyonnais and 1984 European champion with the French team. »»
“OL is obviously its heart team”, He continued, adding nevertheless: “He also succeeded in winning in Saint-Etienne with 18 goals in 37 matches. But the ultimate is Bordeaux, directed by Aimé Jacquet and chaired by Claude Bez for whom he has infinite admiration. »»
Even more than the player, the man also marked Jacques Vendroux. “You were raised while respecting the other. You all brought us something and you have never abandoned your friends, even in difficulty ”he took care to add.
