This article pays tribute to the finest strikers in the history of French football. The player is none other than Roger Piantoni, who was one of the most prominent French players of the late 1950's. He played his entire career in the French league, operating as an inside forward. His prolonged excellence in the French top-flight and heroic display in the 1958 FIFA World Cup are the feats that have made him a legend of France. Let us now look back at his Glorious career.
The Nancy years
It was with French club Nancy that Roger Piantoni began his professional football career at age 19. His first came against RC Lens in the 1950–1951 season, where he scored a memorable brace. This was a sign of great things to come, as the Frenchman finished the season as championship top scorer with 27 goals. He was nothing short of a terrorizing figure for defenders at the time, as evident by Piantoni scoring 5 goals in a single match against Le Havre at the time. The heroics at club level also led to him being called up to the national side.
Piantoni went on to play for Nancy in the next 7 seasons, during which he scored a total of 92 goals. The Frenchman and his teammates were impressive in particular during the Coupe de France tournament. They were able to reach the semi-finals on two occasions, and the final once as well, although they ultimately failed to win the final prize. It was during this period that Nancy faced the mighty Real Madrid in a friendly match, which they surprisingly won 4-2.
The future wasn't so kind to the club though, as they later faced severe financial problems. During the 1956–1957 season, Nancy got relegated to the second division. This spelled the end for Piantoni at the club, who was sold to Stade de Reims.
Golden period of success
The move to Stade de Reims saw Piantoni link up with talented players Just Fontaine and Jean Vincent. With a pool of such talented players, Reims won the French Championship in 1958. It was a special moment for Piantoni, whose goalscoring excellence was finally rewarded with his first ever major title win.
It was the beginning of a dominant period for the club, which saw them destroy their league rivals during the the 1950s and the early 1960s. Piantoni in particular scored 17 goals in 32 games during the 1957–1958 season, followed by scoring a further 20 goals next season. His partnership with Just Fontaine was nothing short of magnificent, and a huge part of their success at the time.
It was during this time that the next World Cup began as well, and this was where Piantoni made his mark in French international football history. He played a key role in taking France to the semi-finals, where they eventually lost to Pele's Brazilian side 5-2. Piantoni scored 4 goals in his first 5 World cup games, proving instrumental for the French side. Despite the lack of a World title, he is still fondly remembered in France for his heroics in the tournament.
After his return from the tournament, Piantoni and his teammates struggled at Reims. The poor form resulted in them finishing 4th in the League. Piantoni had a fine season individually though, which saw him score 20 goals in 30 matches. The season was also notable for Reims reaching the European Cup final, which they lost to Real Madrid (0-2) on 3rd June 1959.
Piantoni was still able to win 2 more league title with Reims in his remaining years at the club. A serious knee injury in 1959 severely affected the player, which affected his final years at the club. He left the club in 1964, departing as one of their finest.
Final chapter
Piantoni finished his professional football career at Nice, who were in the Second division at the time. The Niçois won the second division championship and gained their promotion in the 1st division for the following season, after which he announced his retirement. It was the end of a beautiful career that'll always be fondly remembered.
