Event | Évence Coppée Trophy | ||||||
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Date | 1 May 1904 | ||||||
Venue | Stade du Vivier d'Oie, Uccle | ||||||
Referee | John C. Keene ( England) | ||||||
Attendance | 1,500 |
The Évence Coppée Trophy ( French: Trophée Évence Coppée) was a one-off competition comprising a single association football match in 1904 between Belgium and France. Held at the Stade du Vivier d'Oie in Uccle, Belgium, the match ended in a 3–3 draw. [1]
The trophy was named after Évence Coppée, the Belgian patron who organised the match to promote Franco-Belgian friendship. [2] Because the game ended in a tie, the trophy itself was not awarded. [1]
The Évence Coppée Trophy marked the official debut of the French and Belgian national football teams [2] [3] and was also the first match between two independent European countries. It was the third official international football game in continental Europe, after the games between Austria and Hungary, [4] [5] and Hungary and Bohemia. [6] It was the third official game between the sides of two independent countries, after matches between Argentina and Uruguay in 1902 and 1903. [7]
Twenty days after the match, Belgium, France and five other European football associations founded the international association football federation, FIFA. [8]
Both teams were selected by their National Football Association (with Belgian chairman Édouard de Laveleye and French chairman Robert Guérin) rather than by a national manager. [9] Because of transportation difficulties and army enrollment, the French delegation was decimated. [10] Since 1 May was not yet considered an international holiday, the French players had to ask for a day off from their employees. [11] At least two French players ( Louis Mesnier and Fernand Canelle) left their country without permission from their employers, and in French reports these two players were referred to using the respective pseudonyms "Didi" and "Fernand". [11] [12]
The French tactics were described as follows. "France play in a classical 2-3-5 formation: two backs, the two half-wingers (G. Bilot and especially C. Bilot) are defensive and hold the opponent's wingers, Davy is half-center. Finally, there are the five forwards. The 'exteriors' Mesnier and Filez who make a break, the 'interiors' are Royet (who is relay runner) and Cyprès and the powerful center ( Garnier), who is also the playmaker." [13]
France played in a white jersey with two rings from the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFS), the former sports governing body in France, blue shorts, and red socks. [12] [13]
Squad : Positions
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Squad : Substitute: |
Despite scoring twice in this match, the Belgian striker Georges Quéritet was not selected again for the national side. [16]
The Belgian goalkeeper Alfred Verdyck later became the secretary-general of the Belgian FA. [17] Robert Guérin, the deputy of the French Football Association, became the first president of FIFA twenty days after this match.
This section needs to be updated.(October 2021) |
Belgium and France have sustained a long-lasting rivalry since this first fixture, with 74 official matches played over more than a century. [2] [3]
The full record between the two countries is as follows: [18]
Competition | Played | Results | Goals | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium | France | Draw | Belgium | France | ||
Friendly* | 62 | 27 | 19 | 16 | 141 | 103 |
World Cup qualifiers | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 |
World Cup | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
European Championship qualifiers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
European Championship | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
TOTAL | 74 | 30 | 25 | 19 | 160 | 127 |