The Remaster: the strange story of the team without a goalkeeper

When Bordeaux's goalkeeper kicked a linesman in the leg after a match in 1982, the club's protest against his ban led to one of the strangest matches in the history of French football.

The 1981/82 season hadn’t been a particularly bad one for Girondins de Bordeaux. Their run in the UEFA Cup had come to an early end against SV Hamburg and they still hadn’t lifted a major trophy since their 1950 Ligue Un title, but they were on course for another place in Europe, and within the city there was a feeling that manager Aimé Jacquet was building something special.

The France national team that would reach the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup would be built with this team as its chassis. Gerard Soler, the only player to score against England that summer, led the attack, alongside seasoned international Bernard Lacombe. Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana, 50% of France’s ‘carré magique’, were in their midfield. Marius Tresor sat in their defence.

Girondins de Bordeaux —‘Girondins’ is an informal name for people from the area, which comes from a loosely knit political faction during the French Revolution which was largely based around the city—had seen their fortunes rise following the arrival of Claude Bez as the club’s president, in 1978.