Robert Jonquet

1945/60 Stade de Reims (FRA) 563 matches, 10 goals

(French Championship: 502 matches, 9 goals)

(Coupe de France: 46 matches, 1 goal)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 15 matches)

1960/62 RC Strasbourg (FRA) 67 matches, 3 goals

(French Championship: 19 matches)

(French D2 Championship: 36 matches, 3 goals)

(Coupe de France: 4 matches)

(Charles Drago Cup: 6 matches)

(UEFA Cup: 2 matches)

With the National Team :

58 caps

(Friendly matches: 45 caps)

(World Cup qualifiers: 5 caps)

(World Cup: 6 caps)

(Euro qualifiers: 1 cap)

(Euro: 1 cap)

1st selection: April 4, 1948 against Italy (1-3)

Last selection: July 9, 1960 against Czechoslovakia (0-2)

European All-Star Special Team: 1 selection

Robert Jonquet

Born on May 3, 1925 in Paris (FRA)

Died on December 18, 2008 in Reims (FRA)

French, central defender, 1m76

Nickname: "Hero of Higbury"

Robert Jonquet was born on May 3, 1925 in Paris, France. The young boy made his football debut in the southern suburbs of the French capital in the fields. His adolescence was marked by the German occupation, although the player seemed to have kept his carefree attitude during this period.

Spotted at 17 by the Stade de Reims club, he made his debut with the club at the age of 20 with the professional team at the end of the Second World War. On the field, this very shy player was an elegant, calm, fairly strong defender with excellent endurance.

In a very short time he became an undisputed starter for the French club. At the Stade de Reims, he experienced the Golden Age of the club of which he was one of the greatest representatives. Under the orders of Albert Batteux, he won 5 French championship titles and 2 French Cups, the first in 1950 and the second in 1958.

Reims was then one of the greatest teams of the period and without any dispute one of the greatest French teams in history. Jonquet would win the first international trophy of a French club: the Latin Cup 1953 against AC Milan 3-0. It was a non-match, Reims was largely superior in this match, notably thanks to Jonquet.

In this competition which is one of the ancestors of the Champions League, he would again reach the final in 1955, a final unfortunately lost 2-0 against Real Madrid. With a double from Héctor Rial, which would be the biggest nightmare of Jonquet's club career.

Irreproachable, the 1m76 central defender, will reach the final of the first Champions League in history in 1956, again against Real Madrid, the winning club will unfortunately crack, again by a double from Héctor Rial...

Jonquet's career is like French football of the 20th century, great exploits, but rarely European trophies. After a new Cup-Championship double in 1958, Reims reached the final of the Champions League again in 1959, again against Real Madrid, again a defeat in the final... 2-0 and victory for Real Madrid.

If his longevity and his impressive record in club would be more than enough for his titles of glory, his main feats of arms, Robert Jonquet will know them under with the tricolor selection, of which he will become one of the undisputed executives. He began his international career at the age of 22, against Italy, a 3-1 defeat for the French, but the young player would establish himself as France's defensive leader for 12 years!

The defense was organized around him, with players such as Raymond Kaelbel, Lazare Gianessi and Roger Marche, with whom he formed a legendary duo in the French team and at the Stade de Reims. His greatest feat with the French team would be the 1958 World Cup organized in Sweden.

Jonquet would string together good performances, first against Scotland in the third match of the group stage, conceding only one goal. Then in the quarter-finals, he won 4-0 against Northern Ireland. But the drama would occur in the semi-final.

This semi-final between France and Brazil would forever mark the memories of the French public. On an action, the Brazilian striker Vavà will rush into contact with the ball... and Robert Jonquet who collapses. The Brazilian striker has just broken the French player's leg.

At a time when changes do not exist, at half-time the "doctors" of the French team staff will inject him with a cocktail of substances to counter the pain. Yes, the player will play the entire match with a broken leg. The specialists and journalists of the time spoke of this fact of play as the turning point of the match. Indeed, France was dominant and it is certain that with a Robert Jonquet at 100%, the outcome of the match would have been different.... France unfortunately loses against Brazil with a young Pelé twirling.

But Jonquet will have been part of this first French epic in a major tournament. Contributing greatly to the 3rd place won during this World Cup. After 58 caps, the player retired from international football at the age of 35, after 9 matches as captain of the French national team. He ended his international career in the semi-final of the first Euro against Czechoslovakia (lost 2 goals to 0).

He quietly ended his career at the Strasbourg club, in the French second division, where he subsequently became the team's coach the following season.

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