1. Overview
Robert Henri Jonquet (3 May 1925 - 17 December 2008) was a French footballer who primarily played as a defender, considered one of the best central defenders of his era. He spent the majority of his professional career with Stade de Reims, where he became a cornerstone of one of Europe's leading clubs in the 1950s, winning five French championships and reaching two European Cup finals. His exceptional performances earned him the nickname "The Hero of Highbury" after a remarkable display against England in London in 1951. Jonquet was also an integral part of the France national football team throughout the 1950s, participating in the 1954 FIFA World Cup and 1958 FIFA World Cup. After retiring as a player, he transitioned into a managerial role, coaching several clubs including his former teams.
2. Early life
Robert Henri Jonquet was born on 3 May 1925 in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, France. During his youth (1937-1941), he began his football journey with the youth club Robinson, followed by Châtenay-Malabry (1941-1942), and then the amateur club, the Société Sportive VoltaireFrench (1941-1942), all in the countryside around southern Paris.
3. Playing career
Robert Jonquet's playing career spanned from 1945 to 1962, primarily marked by his significant tenure at Stade de Reims, where he achieved numerous domestic and international club honours, and his distinguished service for the French national team, including two FIFA World Cup appearances.
3.1. Club career
Jonquet's club career was almost entirely defined by his time at Stade de Reims, where he made a total of 557 appearances and scored 12 goals, followed by a brief but impactful period at RC Strasbourg before his retirement.
3.1.1. Stade de Reims (1945-1960)
Jonquet joined Stade de Reims in 1945. He made his senior debut in the Division 1 during the 1946-47 season and quickly established himself as a first-team player, earning his first call-up to the France national football team in the spring of 1947. Despite being relatively short for his position at 5.8 ft (1.76 m), Jonquet was renowned for his elegant and talented play as a libero, wearing the number 5 shirt, rather than fitting the mold of a typical "destroyer" centre-back.
During his prolific years with Reims, Jonquet contributed significantly to the club's dominance in French football and their rise on the European stage. His first major honour came in the 1948-49 season, when he won his first French championship. This was followed by a Coupe de France victory in 1950. In 1953, he secured his second French championship and also lifted the Latin Cup. The team continued its success in 1955, winning another French championship and the French Supercup, while also reaching the final of the Latin Cup. The pinnacle of this period was the 1956 final of the newly inaugurated European Cup, where Reims narrowly lost to Real Madrid by 4-3.
Jonquet's individual brilliance was highlighted on the international stage in October 1951, during a friendly match in London against England, which featured prominent players like Alf Ramsey and Billy Wright. Jonquet's superb performance helped France secure a 2-2 draw, earning him the moniker "The Hero of Highbury" from a newspaper headline the following morning. His reputation also led to his selection for a European XI, which defeated England in a friendly match in 1955.
The Stade de Reims squad during the 1950s was a constellation of French football stars, including goalkeeper Dominique Colonna, offensive talents like Raymond Kopa, Michel Hidalgo, Léon Glovacki, Jean Vincent, Just Fontaine, Roger Piantoni, and René Bliard, alongside solid defenders such as Roger Marche, Armand Penverne, Albert Batteux, Michel Leblond, and Jean Wendling. Jonquet was a constant fixture for over a decade and holds the distinction of being the only Reims player to participate in two European Cup finals and two Latin Cup finals. Notably, Albert Batteux played a multifaceted role in Jonquet's career, first as a teammate until 1950, then as his club manager from 1950 to 1959, and finally as the France national team coach starting in 1955.
The 1957-58 season brought further accolades for Reims, including a treble of the French Championship, Coupe de France, and Super Cup. After the second European Cup final against Real Madrid in 1959, which Reims lost 2-0, Raymond Kopa returned to Reims from the Spanish club. This reunion coincided with Jonquet winning his fifth French championship in 1960 and his third Super Cup.
3.1.2. RC Strasbourg (1960-1962)
In the summer of 1960, at the age of 35, Jonquet departed from Stade de Reims and moved to RC Strasbourg, which was then competing in the second division. He played a crucial role in helping the team achieve promotion back to the top-tier Division 1 in 1961, a feat that marked his final significant achievement as a player. He retired from professional football in 1962.
3.2. International career
Between April 1948 and July 1960, Robert Jonquet made 58 appearances for the France national football team, serving as captain on nine occasions. He played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments, the 1954 FIFA World Cup and the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
In the 1954 tournament in Switzerland, Jonquet played in one match. Four years later, at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, he participated in five matches as the team captain, helping France reach the semi-finals. However, this tournament also marked a black hour for Jonquet. In the semi-final match against Brazil, after 35 minutes of play, he sustained a severe injury following a collision with Brazilian forward Vavá. This incident left him largely incapacitated on the field. During the half-time break, as substitutions were not permitted at that time, the team physician administered a pain-relieving injection to allow Jonquet to continue. He spent the entire second half hobbling on the left wing, effectively rendered ineffective due to a broken fibula (calf bone). Consequently, he was unable to participate in the third-place play-off match against Germany, which France won 6-3. Despite the severity of his injury, Jonquet displayed remarkable resilience, returning to the national team five months later for a match against Italy on September 18.
His final appearance for the national team was on July 6, 1960, in the semi-final of the 1960 European Nations' Cup against Czechoslovakia.
4. Managerial career
After his retirement as a player in 1962, Robert Jonquet transitioned into football management. He first took on a coaching role at RC Strasbourg, where he had ended his playing career, managing the team from 1961 to 1964. He then returned to his long-time club, Stade de Reims, to manage them from 1964 to 1967, and again for a brief spell from 1980 to 1981.
In addition to these prominent roles, Jonquet also coached several smaller teams throughout his managerial career. These included Romilly-sur-Seine from 1967 to 1974, Épernay from 1974 to 1977, and Châlons-sur-Marne from 1977 to 1980. Jonquet reportedly expressed disappointment with the increasing influence of money in modern football, often reminiscing about his earlier, more idealistic time at Stade de Reims.
5. Honours
Robert Jonquet accumulated a significant collection of honours throughout his playing career, primarily with Stade de Reims and with the French national team.
Reims
- Division 1:
- Winner: 1948-49, 1952-53, 1954-55, 1957-58, 1959-60
- Runner-up: 1946-47, 1953-54
- Coupe de France:
- Winner: 1949-50, 1957-58
- Trophée des Champions:
- Winner: 1955, 1958, 1960
- Latin Cup:
- Winner: 1953
- Runner-up: 1955
- European Cup:
- Runner-up: 1955-56, 1958-59
France
- FIFA World Cup:
- Third place: 1958
6. Death and legacy
Robert Jonquet passed away on 17 December 2008 in Reims, France, at the age of 83. In recognition of his immense contributions to the club's history, his former club, Stade de Reims, honoured him posthumously by naming a stand at their home stadium, Stade Auguste Delaune, after him. His legacy as a formidable and elegant defender, a pivotal figure in French football during the 1950s, and a symbol of Stade de Reims' golden era continues to be celebrated.