Figure timeline
Raymond Kopa was a French professional footballer, integral to the France national team of the 1950s. At the club level he played primarily for Reims but also for Real Madrid teams that won three European Cups.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
sports · French footballer (1931–2017) · association football player · also Raymond Kopa, Raymond Kopaszewski, Kopa
Born 13 October 1931 · Died 3 March 2017 · Q123118
58 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
2 photos
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
Public attention spiked: 3,810 Wikipedia readers in one day, 7.7× the usual 495, with 4 article edits. Editors noted: Reverted edit by Mixed Messenger (talk) to last version by ~2026-26647-41
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
France Football's Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young football player in the calendar year was named in Raymond's honor
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
ESPN: Farewell to Raymond Kopa, the magic man who helped elevate Real Madrid
Sports Illustrated: Former France great, Ballon d'Or winner Raymond Kopa dies at 85
Yahoo: Former Real Madrid great Raymond Kopa dies at 85
Died 2017-03-03.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Kopa died in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, on 3 March 2017, aged 85.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: UEFA President's Award (2010).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded UEFA President's Award (2010).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Officer of the Legion of Honour (2007).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: Officer of the Legion of Honour (2007).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: Golden Foot (2006).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Pelé named him one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Knight of the Legion of Honour (1970).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: Knight of the Legion of Honour (1970).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Became the first football player to receive the Legion of Honour
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: Division 2 with Reims (1965–66).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: FIFA XI (1963).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: World Soccer World XI (1963).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won the French Ligue 1 with Stade de Reims (1961-1962).
Won: Division 1 with Reims (1961–62).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won the French Ligue 1 with Stade de Reims (1959-1960).
Won award: French Player of the Year (1960).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: Etoile d'Or (1960).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: Division 1 with Reims (1959–60).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Runner-up: Ballon d'Or (1959).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: European Cup with Real Madrid (1958–59).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Played for Stade de Reims (1959–1967) — 244 appearances, 36 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Joined Stade de Reims in 1959.
Won the FIFA Ballon d Or with Real Madrid (1958).
Won: La Liga with Real Madrid (1957–58).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: European Cup with Real Madrid (1957–58).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Third place: FIFA World Cup with France (1958).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: Ballon d'Or (1958).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won award: FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (1958).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded L'Équipe Champion of Champions (1958).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Kopa was awarded the Ballon d'Or
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
And 1959, the latter against former side Reims, where Just Fontaine was playing
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Third place: Ballon d'Or (1957).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: La Liga with Real Madrid (1956–57).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: European Cup with Real Madrid (1956–57).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: Latin Cup with Real Madrid (1957).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Third place: Ballon d'Or (1956).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Joined Real Madrid in 1956.
Played for Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (1956–1959) — 79 appearances, 24 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won the French Ligue 1 with Stade de Reims (1954-1955).
Won: Division 1 with Reims (1954–55).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won the French Ligue 1 with Stade de Reims (1952-1953).
Won: Division 1 with Reims (1952–53).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won: Latin Cup with Reims (1953).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Played for France men's national association football team (1952–1962) — 45 appearances, 18 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Played for France national under-21 association football team (1952–1952) — 1 appearances, 2 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Joined France in 1952.
Played for Stade de Reims (1951–1956) — 158 appearances, 48 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Joined Stade de Reims in 1951.
Kopa began his professional career at age 17 with Angers in Ligue 2 and was transferred two years later to Reims, with whom he won French championships in 1953 and 1955
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Played for Angers SCO (1949–1951) — 60 appearances, 15 goals.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Born 1931-10-13.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Connections