Luis Fernandez wanted to quickly react to the announcement of the death of Bernard Lacombe on Tuesday and could not contain his emotion. Guest of “the After Foot” on RMC, the former midfielder of the French team told how the former attacker of Olympique Lyonnais had first been one of his youth idols before becoming his teammate in the selection until the Euro won in 1984.
A true legend of French football and Olympique Lyonnais, Bernard Lacombe died this Tuesday at the age of 72. Hospitalized since January, the former striker has lost his fight against the disease. Teammate in the French team and especially when the title conquest at Euro 1984, Luis Fernandez shared his emotion at the microphone of the program l’After Foot On RMC.
“I am sad this evening, I am very sad to learn this news. It hurts my heart because Bernard rocked my childhood on the side of Olympique Lyonnais with in particular Chiesa and loved Mignot as a coach. And it was a boy that I had the opportunity to rub shoulders in the French team for the 84 generation with this European championship that we had the chance to win,” praised the old Blues and PSG.
“Peace to his soul too. Bernard is someone I liked a lot, whom I liked a lot. Because Bernard in my childhood it was an center-forward and an extraordinary goalscorer. I had the opportunity to see him and today I learn this sad news. I am really very touched by his disappearance.”
Luis Fernandez shares his “pride” of having crossed Lacombe
If Luis Fernandez then became a legend of PSG, it was indeed on the side of Lyon that he grew up to the rhythm of the exploits of Bernard Lacombe before later meeting his journey in the French team.
“It was this Bernard that I saw in Lyon, that I was going to see the training. He was someone adorable with the band of young people that we were on the side of the Minguettes when we went down to see him playing and training towards Gerland. He was still available, close and adorable. When I saw him in the French team it was really a pride after seeing him play in the magic square of Lyonnais.
“As a man, he was really someone who had this pleasure of chambling. I was silent, I was the youngest and I had nothing to say. I was looking at them all and I was amazed.”
“Someone for whom I have a huge trouble
Very moved, Luis Fernandez further multiplied the praise for a player he “admired” before becoming his teammate. If he became the player and a little man, too, it is partly thanks to the example of Bernard Lacombe on the side of OL.
“I saw him in training when I was young and after I saw him in training with me as a French team. Bernard chamba was hung me a lot because he knew who I was and where I came from,” said Luis Fernandez on RMC. “In this group, there was really a passion and life. It was a group with no problem between each other”
Before continuing by painfully stifling a sob: “We appreciated and still today this disappearance hurts my heart. I cannot say more except that it is someone for whom I have a huge pain. My heart in Lyon is notably thanks to him and to the players of the time, they made me grow in this world of football.”
