Raymond Kopa

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Raymond Kopa (born October 13, 1931), né Raymond Kopaszewski, is a French former football midfielder, integral to the French national teams of the 1950's.

Kopa, born in in Nœux-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais, son of Polish immigrants, began his professional career at 17 with SCO Angers, and was transferred two years later to Stade de Reims, with whom he won French championships in 1953 and 1955. With Reims, he was a finalist in the first European Cup final in 1956, losing to Real Madrid and Alfredo Di Stéfano 4-3. He was transferred to Real Madrid the subsequent season, where he was soon joined by Ferenc Puskás. Champion of Spain in 1957 and 1958, Kopa became, with Real Madrid, the first French player to win the European Cup. He would go on to win again in 1958 and 1959, the last against Stade de Reims and Just Fontaine.

Kopa returned to France in the 1959-60 season to finish his career with Reims, where he won Championnats in 1960 and 1962. In total, he scored 75 goals in 346 matches in the Ligue 1, and was given the Ballon d'or by France Football in 1958.

With the France national football team, he scored 18 goals in 45 games between 1952 and 1962. He played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, where the French team finished third, losing to the Brazilian team and Pelé.

He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.