Étienne Mattler
Étienne Mattler | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Belfort, France |
| Died | March 23, 1986 (aged 80) |
| Occupation(s) | Footballer, football manager |
| Years active | 1921–1946 (player), 1944–1946 (manager) |
| Known for | Defender for France national team, participation in 1930, 1934, and 1938 FIFA World Cups |
Étienne Mattler (born 25 December 1905, died 23 March 1986) was a French national team footballer, famously known as Le Lion de Belfort, who occupied the position of a defender.
Career
Hailing from Belfort, Mattler's club career included stints at US Belfort from 1921 to 1927, followed by AS Troyes between 1927 and 1929, and then FC Sochaux from 1929 until 1946. During his tenure with Sochaux, he secured two Ligue 1 championships in 1935 and 1938, along with a Coupe de France victory in 1937.
On the international stage, Mattler represented France in 46 matches and participated in the FIFA World Cups of 1930, 1934, and 1938. He was among a select group of five players to compete in all three tournaments before World War II. After retiring as a player, he took on the managerial role at Sochaux from 1944 to 1946. Mattler passed away in 1986 at the age of 80.