Just Fontaine's extraordinary World Cup record has survived nearly seven decades untouched — and, remarkably, he achieved it in someone else's boots.
As BBC News recounts, the Frenchman scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, a tally no player has come close to matching since. Yet the tournament wasn't even meant to be his: Fontaine reportedly only made France's squad after an injury to a teammate opened the door, and he had to borrow footwear from Stade de Reims colleague Stéphane Bruey after his own boots split.
Fontaine's dazzling form helped France finish third in that tournament, with his goals proving decisive throughout. Despite the historic haul, he didn't collect a Golden Boot-style honour in the way modern top scorers do, as the article notes such recognition wasn't formalised in the same manner back then.
Cruelly, according to BBC News, Fontaine's career was cut short by injury when he was just 28, meaning the 1958 World Cup marked his only appearance on football's biggest stage — a fleeting, unrepeated moment of brilliance that still stands alone in the record books.