Bernard Lacombe (; 15 August 1952 – 17 June 2025) was a French professional football player and manager. He played as a striker, mainly for Lyon, Bordeaux and Saint-Étienne and the France national football team.
Career Lacombe began his professional career with hometown club Lyon in 1969. One of his teammates, Aimé Jacquet, would be later his team manager (and the manager of the France national team which won the 1998 FIFA World Cup).
Lacombe earned his first cap for France in 1973. He went on to represent his nation at the 1978 World Cup, scoring after only 30 seconds against Italy, the fastest goal ever for a French player, and also the first goal of that tournament. Lacombe also played at the 1982 World Cup and won UEFA Euro 1984.
After a brief stay with Saint-Étienne, Lacombe joined Bordeaux, where he was re-united with Aimé Jacquet. He won three French Ligue 1 championships. Lacombe won the Coupe de France twice (with Lyon and Bordeaux), and scored a goal in the 1973 Coupe de France Final.
With 255 goals scored in Ligue 1, he is the second-best striker of all-time in the French championship, after Delio Onnis.
After his playing career ended, Lacombe joined the technical staff of former club Lyon, first as technical manager (from 1988 to 1996), then as trainer (1996 to 2000) and manager. He was instrumental in the successes of the club in Ligue 1 and also on the European scene, helping lead his side to seven-straight UEFA Champions League appearances. Lacombe served as a "special adviser" to team president Jean-Michel Aulas for twenty years. He also had significant influence on choices made; for example, he helped retain several Brazilian players who would join Lyon during the 2000s, including Juninho, Edmílson, Cris, Caçapa and Fred.
Death Lacombe died on 17 June 2025, at the age of 72.Bernard Lacombe, ancien footballeur international et champion d’Europe avec les Bleus en 1984, est mort à l’âge de 72 ans
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLyon1969–70Division 151—511970–7130—301971–723619—36191972–733523—35231973–7431134135141974–7527174431211975–76165001651976–773621—36211977–783324—3324Total22212385230128Saint-Étienne1978–79Division 13214—3214Bordeaux1979–80Division 13311—33111980–813418—34181981–8233173136181982–8333206039201983–8435182037181984–8536228344251985–86237102471986–8716520185Total243118224265122Career total497255309527264
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsFrance1973101974321975—1976311977401978611979441980311981321982501983—198461Total3812
Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lacombe goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Bernard LacombeNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 27 April 1974 Letná Stadium, Prague, Czechoslovakia 2–0 3–3 Friendly2 3–23 9 October 1976 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria 2–0 2–2 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification4 2 June 1978 World Cup Stadium, Mar del Plata, Argentina 1–0 1–2 1978 FIFA World Cup5 7 May 1979 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, United States 1–0 6–0 Friendly6 2–07 3–08 5 September 1979 Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden 1–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying9 11 October 1980 Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus 1–0 7–0 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification10 5 December 1981 Parc des Princes, Paris, France 2–0 4–0 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification11 3–012 1 June 1984 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France 2–0 2–0 Friendly
Honours Player Lyon Coupe de France: 1972–73 Trophée des Champions: 1973
Bordeaux Division 1: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87 Coupe de France: 1985–86, 1986–87 Trophée des Champions: 1986
France UEFA European Championship: 1984
Manager Lyon UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1997
References
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