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French football legend Just Fontaine dies aged 89

Tributes will be paid to Just Fontaine at French games scheduled across the coming days as the sport mourns the passing of another legend following the death of Pele in December.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

Just Fontaine, the French footballing great who scored an "incredible" record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, has died at the age of 89, reports Sky News.

Tributes will be paid to the "emblematic figure" at games on Wednesday evening and at the weekend, said officials in the country.

His former club Reims and the French Football Federation confirmed his death on Wednesday - with the news coming two months after the sport lost arguably its greatest legend, Pele, who died at the end of December.

Fontaine took six games to score 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, when he was a late inclusion into the French squad.

In a 2006 interview, Fontaine, who was renowned for his lightning pace and ruthless finishing, said he felt it was unlikely his tally would ever be beaten.

"Beating my record? I don't think it can ever be done," Fontaine said.

Read more of this report from Sky News.