One is a legend of Olympique Lyonnais, the other is an emblematic player from AS Saint-Etienne in the 1970s but who then made the heyday of the Gones. Bernard Lacombe died at the age of 72 on Tuesday. An essential scorer of the French D1 (in Lyon and Bordeaux) and attacker of the Blues of Michel Platini until the coronation at Euro 1984, Lacombe then became the advisor of President Jean-Michel Aulas, by building the seventeen champion of France team.
Santini met Lacombe from childhood. “Through all the trials that we both went through our lives, we considered each other brothers both, knowing that he had four sisters, and me two. The strongest is friendship that linked us, even if we also had a high -quality OL professional relationship. Our friendship was first of the camaraderie in 1968, 1969, when we played each other in cadet selections, him with the Lyonnais and I with the Franche-Comté ”he explains in Progress.
The two players were then teammates in the French junior team, both by being upgraded. “It brought us closer, like the first bullshit we could do at the time. There was also this final of the Gambardella Cup in 1970, the French military teams, hopes, “recalls the former coach of the French team (2002-2004).
Lacombe brings Santini back to OL
Jacques Santini welcomed Bernard Lacombe at his home during the year spent by the attacker in Le Forez (1978-1979). “His family had a lot for him, like his friends”explains the one who says he has lost “A very dear friend” This Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
The story of friendship is quite incredible since Lacombe then brought Santini to OL, first as a technical director in 1997. The two leaders then organized the arrival of Sonny Anderson in 1999, to the great surprise of “JMA”. Santini resumed the post of Gones coach for a first title with the League Cup in 2001 then the first coronation of champion of France in 2002. “I can never thank him enough for having contributed to bringing me to OL, to know the honors, then to become coach of the French team, it is a lot of emotion”concludes Santini.
