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#7 Raymond Kopa
As modern football was beginning to take shape, there is little doubt that one of the great stars of the game was Raymond Kopa. In each of the first four years the Ballon d’Or was awarded, he placed in the top three, and in 1958 he claimed the prize.
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Born to a Polish family in the north of France, he an attacker noted for both his creativity and scoring power. Indeed, he was regarded as one of the most entertaining players of his generation and achieved such acclaim with Reims that Real Madrid signed him in 1956. After a three-year stint in Spain, where he won three European Cups, he returned to his previous club.
Kopa passed away earlier this year, leading to the residents of Angers successfully petitioning for their local stadium to be renamed in his honour.
