Contents
Raymond Kopa
Winning three European Cups with Real Madrid and the 1958 Ballon d’Or.
Three European Cups · World Cup third place
- Born
- 13 October 1931
- Birthplace
- Nœux-les-Mines, France
- Died
- 3 March 2017
More people
Raymond Kopa
Raymond Kopa was a French attacking playmaker whose close control helped him excel with Reims, Real Madrid and France.
Early life
Mining community
Born into a family of Polish immigrants in northern France.
Early work
Worked in a mine before professional football offered another path.
Career
- 1949–1956
Angers and Reims
Rose through French football and reached the first European Cup final with Reims.
- 1956–1959
Real Madrid
Joined the club’s dominant European side.
- 1959–1967
Return to Reims
Finished his career back in France.
Achievements
Three European Cups
Won consecutive titles with Madrid.
World Cup third place
Helped France achieve its best finish at the time.
Ballon d’Or
Received the individual award.
Beyond football
Players’ rights
Publicly criticised restrictive employment conditions in French football.
Name and heritage
His family surname was Kopaszewski, reflecting his Polish roots.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗UEFA: Ballon d’Or winners ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
