1. Overview
Yannick Stopyra (born 9 January 1961) is a French former professional footballer who played as a striker. His career spanned 17 years, during which he represented six different clubs, primarily Sochaux and Toulouse. He accumulated a total of 455 appearances and 130 goals in Ligue 1, France's top professional football league. Stopyra also had a significant international career, earning 33 caps for the France national team and scoring 11 goals. He was a key member of the French squad that secured a third-place finish at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico and also won the 1985 Artemio Franchi Cup.
2. Early life and background
Yannick Stopyra was born on 9 January 1961 in Troyes, a city in the Aube department of France. He is of Polish ancestry. His father, Julien Stopyra (1933-2015), was also a professional footballer who played as a forward and notably earned one cap for the France national football team.
3. Club career
Yannick Stopyra's professional club career lasted 17 seasons, with 15 of those spent in Ligue 1, France's premier football division. He played for a total of six different clubs throughout his career.
3.1. Early career
Stopyra began his professional journey at a young age, making his senior debut with FC Sochaux-Montbéliard at just 17 years old in 1978. During his time at Sochaux until 1983, he made 176 appearances and scored 57 goals. He played a crucial role in the team's success, helping them achieve a second-place finish in the 1979-80 French Division 1 season. The following season, 1980-81, he contributed to Sochaux's impressive run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
3.2. Career at other clubs
After his tenure at Sochaux, Stopyra moved to Stade Rennais FC, where he played for one season (1983-1984), making 37 appearances and scoring 9 goals. He then joined Toulouse FC, where he spent four seasons from 1984 to 1988, becoming a prominent figure with 147 appearances and 46 goals.
Following his time at Toulouse, Stopyra played for FC Girondins de Bordeaux (1988-1989), making 34 appearances and scoring 8 goals. He then had a two-year spell at AS Cannes (1989-1991), where he appeared 37 times and scored 9 goals. His last season in Ligue 1 was with FC Metz (1991-1992), where he played 24 matches and scored 1 goal.
Stopyra concluded his professional playing career after two seasons (1992-1994) in Ligue 2 with FC Mulhouse, where he made 59 appearances and scored 22 goals. He retired from professional football in June 1994 at the age of 33.
3.3. Career statistics
Yannick Stopyra's professional career spanned 17 years, during which he played for six different clubs. He made a total of 514 appearances and scored 152 goals across Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Specifically in Ligue 1, he recorded 455 matches and 130 goals.
| Club | Period | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Sochaux-Montbéliard | 1978-1983 | 176 | 57 |
| Stade Rennais FC | 1983-1984 | 37 | 9 |
| Toulouse FC | 1984-1988 | 147 | 46 |
| FC Girondins de Bordeaux | 1988-1989 | 34 | 8 |
| AS Cannes | 1989-1991 | 37 | 9 |
| FC Metz | 1991-1992 | 24 | 1 |
| FC Mulhouse (Ligue 2) | 1992-1994 | 59 | 22 |
| Total | 514 | 152 |
4. International career
Yannick Stopyra had a distinguished international career with the France national football team, representing his country for eight years and participating in a major international tournament.
4.1. France debut and senior career
Stopyra earned his first cap for the France national football team on 27 February 1980. This debut came in a friendly match against Greece, a game in which he also scored the final goal, contributing to France's 5-1 victory. Over the course of eight years, from 1980 to 1988, he went on to make a total of 33 international appearances for France, scoring 11 goals.
4.2. 1986 FIFA World Cup
Stopyra was selected by manager Henri Michel to be part of the French squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico. During the tournament, he played in all but one of France's matches, competing for a position with fellow striker Jean-Pierre Papin. Stopyra made a significant impact by scoring two goals in the competition: one against Hungary in the group stage, contributing to a 3-0 victory, and another against Italy in the round of 16, which secured a 2-0 win for France. His contributions helped Les Bleus (The Blues), as the French national team is known, achieve a third-place finish in the tournament.
4.3. International goals
Yannick Stopyra scored 11 goals for the France national football team during his international career.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 February 1980 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | Greece | 5-1 | 5-1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 16 February 1983 | Estádio Municipal, Guimarães, Portugal | Portugal | 1-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 3-0 | |||||
| 4 | 13 October 1984 | Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 3-0 | 4-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 4-0 | |||||
| 6 | 8 December 1984 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | East Germany | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 9 June 1986 | Estadio León, León, Mexico | Hungary | 1-0 | 3-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup |
| 8 | 17 June 1986 | Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico | Italy | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup |
| 9 | 29 April 1987 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | Iceland | 2-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 10 | 27 January 1988 | Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel | Israel | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 5 February 1988 | Stade Louis II, Monaco | Morocco | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
5. Honours
Yannick Stopyra achieved several notable honours during his playing career with the France national team:
- FIFA World Cup third place: 1986
- Artemio Franchi Cup: 1985
6. Post-playing career
After retiring from professional football in June 1994 at the age of 33, Yannick Stopyra transitioned into a new role within the sport. He returned to his former club, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where he began working with their youth sides.