The football world has plunged into a state of mourning as legendary France striker Just Fontaine, who holds the record for the most goals scored at a single World Cup, died on Wednesday at the age of 89. 

Fontaine, who earned a dramatic last-minute call-up to French squad after unexpected injuries to other more firmly established forwards, took just six matches to score 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.  

Despite his relative low-profile before the start of the showpiece event, Fontaine played a vital role in driving France to reach the semifinals for the first time, finding the back of the net in every game, including four goals in a 6-3 demolition of West Germany in the third-place play-off.

Renowned for his remarkable composure and accuracy in front of goal, Fontaine only played at one World Cup but still sits joint-fourth on its all-time goalscorers list with Argentina's iconic captain Lionel Messi, whose 13 goals spanned five editions of the tournament (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022). 

The prolific Frenchman netted 30 goals in just 21 appearances for France before his career was cut short by a double leg fracture at the age of 28. 

Fontaine also boasted a sensational strike rate at club level in Nice and Stade de Reims, where he scored 164 goals in 200 appearances, winning three Ligue 1 titles and reaching the 1959 European Cup final.

Fontaine went into coaching after retirement, famously leading Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to promotion to the top division in 1974. He also had a short spell at Toulouse and led Morocco, the country of his birth, to third place at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Tributes have poured in from across the world after news of Fontaine's death broke, with French Football Federation (FFF) describing him as "the eternal goalscorer" and "a legend of world football." 

"The death of Just Fontaine has sent French football into deep emotion and immense sadness," said FFF interim president Philippe Diallo. "He wrote one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the French team."

Current France head coach Didier Deschamps, who led the team to World Cup success in 2018, said Fontaine's death will "sadden everyone who loves football."  

"As a player and then coach, I had the chance to meet him on several occasions," he said. "His attachment to the France team was strong and sincere... He is and will remain a legend of the France team." 

Fontaine's former club Stade de Reims also released a statement, calling him "a star of French football, an outstanding striker, a legendary Reims player," while PSG tweeted, "A thought for Just Fontaine. An icon of French football who has left us."

Their mood was summed up by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who said, "Just was a footballing icon and his tremendous performance in 1958 cemented his legacy as one of the greatest World Cup players ever. 

"Scoring 13 goals in a single World Cup is a record which, to this day, has never been equaled.  

"The mark he left on world football will forever be remembered, and this record will probably never be beaten. My deepest condolences to Just's loved ones at this difficult time."