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[World Cup History] Argentina-1978: The astonishing story of France in a local club's green jersey against Hungary

Auteur: Babacar SENE

il y a 4 mois 5569 Lectures 5 Commentaires | Français

[Histoire de mondial] Argentine-1978: L’étonnante histoire de la France en maillot vert d’un club local face à la Hongrie

The World Cup is full of unusual stories, and the one experienced by the French team during the 1978 World Cup in Argentina is among the most astonishing. On June 10, 1978, in Mar del Plata, Les Bleus faced Hungary wearing a green and white jersey borrowed from a modest local club, following an incredible series of events.

Already eliminated after two defeats against Italy and then Argentina, France and Hungary were playing their final group match with no real sporting stakes. Michel Hidalgo's men nevertheless hoped to leave the competition on a positive note. But even before kickoff, an unexpected incident disrupted the match.

Upon arriving at the stadium, the French team realized their official jerseys were still at their hotel. Even more embarrassing, their spare sets were also in Buenos Aires, nearly 400 kilometers from Mar del Plata. Retrieving their equipment quickly was therefore impossible.

The organizers then tried to find a solution. The Hungarians offered their red jerseys to the French, but their goalkeeper refused to change his kit, making this option impossible. Kick-off was delayed, and broadcasters worldwide were forced to adjust their schedules while a solution was sought.

Faced with the emergency, a team of motorcyclists was sent into the streets of Mar del Plata with a simple mission: to find jerseys of a different color. After more than 45 minutes of searching, they returned with a set of green and white striped jerseys belonging to Club Atlético Kimberley, a small local club founded by fishermen.

The French team then donned these unusual jerseys, much to the astonishment of the spectators in the stadium. Despite this chaotic preparation, the French delivered a convincing performance and won 3-1 thanks to goals from Christian Lopez, Marc Berdoll, and Dominique Rocheteau.

While this victory didn't allow France to continue its adventure in Argentina, it provided the French national team with one of the most memorable anecdotes in World Cup history. More than forty years later, this match remains famous as the one where Les Bleus defended their colors... while wearing the kit of a small Argentinian club.

Auteur: Babacar SENE
Publié le: Lundi 29 Juin 2026 à 12h12

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Nit il y a 4 mois

Une belle anecdocte amusante! Je me rappelle de ce match alors que j'étais gamin...mon frère s'était donné le nom de Rocheteau avec ses longs cheveux :). De beaux souvenirs d'enfance.
Aisha il y a 4 mois

Yaw thioss nga deh 🤣🤣🤣
Jean Le fou il y a 4 mois

@Aisha Wala yow ngay bébé. En 78 je faisais la 4e au collège.
Aisha il y a 4 mois

@Jean Le fou Ooooh, yaw septua nga kone…. Massa, c’est comment la bas, te troisième âge?
Toto il y a 4 mois

On avait donc à cette époque dans une même poule : Argentine, Italie, France, Hongrie. A comparer avec aujourd’hui.

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