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Just Fontaine, Who Scored 13 Goals at 1958 World Cup, Dies

France national football team's former Just Fontaine shows a jersey during a press conference on March 23, 2011, in Clairefontaine, southern Paris, five days ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Luxembourg. (AFP)
France national football team's former Just Fontaine shows a jersey during a press conference on March 23, 2011, in Clairefontaine, southern Paris, five days ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Luxembourg. (AFP)
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Just Fontaine, Who Scored 13 Goals at 1958 World Cup, Dies

France national football team's former Just Fontaine shows a jersey during a press conference on March 23, 2011, in Clairefontaine, southern Paris, five days ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Luxembourg. (AFP)
France national football team's former Just Fontaine shows a jersey during a press conference on March 23, 2011, in Clairefontaine, southern Paris, five days ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Luxembourg. (AFP)

Just Fontaine, the French football great who scored a record 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, has died. He was 89.

Fontaine's former club Reims announced his death on Wednesday.

Fontaine took six games to achieve his feat at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, when he was a last-minute inclusion on the French squad.

Entering the tournament, the Moroccan-born Fontaine was a little-known forward outside of the French league. Yet he tormented opponents with his speed and finishing touch — and even with someone else’s boots. He had to borrow a pair of cleats after damaging his own boots in practice.

Fontaine scored four goals in the third-place game against West Germany, but could have had five if he had taken the penalty kick.

The highest scorer at the World Cup is now acknowledged with the Golden Boot. Fontaine set the record when FIFA did not present a specific award for the tournament’s top scorer.

“Beating my record? I don’t think it can ever be done,” Fontaine told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview. “The person who wants to beat me has a massive task, doesn’t he? He has to score two goals per game over seven games.”

Playing in the days when no substitutions were allowed, France lost 5-2 in the semifinals against a Brazil team featuring 17-year-old Pele.

Fontaine, who scored in every match, gave France an early lead with the first goal Brazil allowed in the tournament. But at 1-1, France defender Robert Jonquet broke his leg. Amazingly, he played on, trying to contend with the genius of Pele, but the French defense was considerably weakened.

The record for most goals scored in a World Cup career is 16 by Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who played in four tournaments. Fontaine, who broke the record of 11 goals Hungary striker Sándor Kocsis scored at the 1954 tournament, only played at one World Cup.

Fontaine’s meteoric rise as a scorer saw him get 200 goals in 213 games. He scored 30 goals in 21 games for France.

Fontaine’s career was dramatically cut short when he was only 28. The Frenchman — renowned for his lightning pace and ruthless finishing — suffered a horrendous leg fracture after a mistimed tackle in March 1960.

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Djokovic Still Feels Trauma When He Travels to Australia Because of His Deportation in 2022

Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the gardens of Government House the morning after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. (AP)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the gardens of Government House the morning after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. (AP)
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Djokovic Still Feels Trauma When He Travels to Australia Because of His Deportation in 2022

Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the gardens of Government House the morning after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. (AP)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in the gardens of Government House the morning after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. (AP)

Novak Djokovic said he still feels "a bit of trauma" when he travels to Australia, stemming from his deportation in 2022 because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The last couple of times that I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration, I had a bit of trauma from three years ago," Djokovic said in an interview with Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper published Monday, ahead of the Australian Open. "And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching."

Djokovic, who has won 10 of his 24 Grand Slam championships at Melbourne Park, continued: "The person checking my passport — are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling."

Back in 2022, Djokovic sought, and initially obtained, an exemption that would allow him into the Australian Open — and the country — even though there were strict rules requiring shots to protect against the coronavirus. But after his flight landed, he was detained at the airport, his visa was canceled and he was sent to an immigration hotel.

A judge later reinstated the visa and ordered Djokovic’s release, ruling he wasn’t given enough time to speak to his lawyers. Australia’s immigration minister then took away the visa again, based on "public interest."

Djokovic’s appeal of that ruling was denied by a three-judge panel, and he was deported. He faced a possible three-year ban from the country as someone whose visa was revoked, but Australia had a change of government, its pandemic border rules changed and a new immigration minister granted Djokovic a visa in 2023 — when he went on to claim the trophy.

"I don’t hold any resentment, to be honest," Djokovic told the Herald Sun about the saga. "I don’t hold a grudge."

The Australian Open begins Sunday (Saturday EST), and Djokovic will be pursuing his 11th trophy in Melbourne to add to his men's record and an unprecedented 25th major singles title overall.

A year ago, Djokovic lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

"I just hope to, before I retire, get at least one more title there," said the 37-year-old Djokovic, whose only triumph at a tournament in 2024 was his singles gold medal for Serbia at the Paris Olympics in August.

Djokovic opened 2025 at the Brisbane International last week, losing in the quarterfinals to Reilly Opelka.

At the Australian Open, Djokovic will be playing in his first event alongside new coach Andy Murray, his former on-court rival and a three-time major champion who retired as a player after the Summer Games. Murray and Djokovic have said they will partner up through the year's initial Grand Slam tournament.