Marcel Marchal
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marcel Pierre Marchal | ||
| Date of birth | 2 June 1913 | ||
| Place of birth | Montigny-lès-Metz, France | ||
| Date of death | 31 July 1993 (aged 80) | ||
| Place of death | Verdun, France | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1929–1933 | AS Messine | ||
| 1933–1939 | FC Metz | 143 | (3) |
| 1942–1943 | Olympic Charleroi | 11 | (0) |
| 1945–1946 | FC Metz | 10 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1938 | France | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Marcel Pierre Marchal (2 June 1913 – 31 July 1993) was a French footballer who played as a midfielder for FC Metz and the French national team in the 1930s.
Playing career
[edit]Club career
[edit]Marcel Marchal was born on 2 June 1913 in Montigny-lès-Metz, in the Lorraine region, a short distance from the capital Metz, which at the time, belonged to the German Empire. He began his football career at his hometown club AS Messine in the early 1930s, where he quickly establish himself as a starter, playing a crucial role in helping the Messine team win the 1930 and 1932 Lorraine Football League.[2] but following its relegation in 1933, the Messine club, which was also plagued by significant debts, decided to resume discussions for a merger with FC Metz, which was practically completed, but ended up being suspended for the following season; in the meantime, however, three players left ASM for FC Metz: Marchal, Nicolas Hibst, and Camille Roger.[3]
Together with Albert Rohrbacher, Charles Fosset, and Charles Zehren, Marchal played a crucial role in helping Metz win 1934–35 French Division 2, thus achieve promotion to Ligue 1, and then reaching the national cup final in 1938, which ended in a 1–2 loss to league runners-up Olympique Marseille.[4][5]
During the outbreak of the Second World War, several Metz players, such as Marchal, Hibst, and Roger Flucklinger, were mobilized for the front, joining the 162nd Infantry Regiment.[6][7] When his home region was incorporated into Germany, Metz lost its professional status, being renamed Fußball Verein Metz and joining the German league; in 1941, he played four matches for Metz in the DFB-Pokal.[8] He also played for Olympic Charleroi in the DFB-Pokal.[9]
After the War ended in 1945, the 32-year-old Marchal returned to Metz, where he played one more season before retiring in 1946.[10][11] In total, he scored 4 goals in 180 official matches, including 3 goals in 153 league matches, and 1 goal in 27 Coupe de France matches.[1][12]
International career
[edit]On 30 January 1938, the 24-year-old Marchal earned his first international cap in a friendly match against the Belgium at the Parc des Princes, helping his side to a 5–3 win.[10][11][13]
Death
[edit]Marchal died in Verdun on 31 July 1993, at the age of 80.[10][13]
Honours
[edit]- Lorraine Football League
- Champions (2): 1930 and 1932
- Coupe de France
- Runner-up (1): 1938
Bibliography
[edit]- Lonchamp, Jacques (2022). Les Débuts Du Football Professionnel À Metz (1932-1938) [The Beginnings of Professional Football in Metz (1932-1938)] (in French). Paris: JALON. p. 96. ISBN 978-2-491-06834-9.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Marcel Marchal - Fiche de stats du joueur de football" [Marcel Marchal - Football Player Stats Sheet]. www.pari-et-gagne.com (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "France - Division d'Honneur - Lorraine 1919-1932". RSSSF. 25 April 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ Lonchamp 2022
- ^ "Coupe de France 1938: Metz - Marseille". www.fcmetz.com (in French). 11 October 2001. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "Saison 1937-1938 OM Vainqueur" [1937-1938 Season OM Winner]. www.om4ever.com (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "Histoire du club - 1939-1944: Le FC Metz pendant la seconde guerre mondiale" [Club History - 1939-1944: FC Metz during the Second World War]. www.fcmetz.com (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "FC Metz: les footballeurs de l'ombre" [FC Metz: the shadow footballers]. www.republicain-lorrain.fr (in French). 14 November 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "Marcel Marchal - Club matches". www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "Marcel Marchal". www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ a b c "Marcel Marchal". www.fff.fr (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Marcel Marchal (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "La fiche de Marcel Marchal" [The file of Marcel Marchal]. www.fcmetz.com (in French). Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Marcel Marchal, international footballer". eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
External links
[edit]- Marcel Marchal at eu-football.info
- Marcel Marchal at National-Football-Teams.com
- Marcel Marchal at WorldFootball.net