Place of birth Las Rosas, Argentina Years Team Apps (Gls) | Playing position Team Apps Position Forward | |
 | ||
Date of birth (1939-12-29) 29 December 1939 (age 77) Similar Marcel Aubour, Fleury Di Nallo, Gigi Meroni, Philippe Gondet, Marcel Artelesa | ||
Néstor Combin, (born 29 December 1939 in Las Rosas, Argentina) is an Argentine (then naturalized French) former football player who spent most of his professional career in France.
Contents
He played as a striker throughout his career, mainly with Olympique Lyonnais and the French national team.
He was dubbed "La Foudre" (The Lightning) in France, for his speed, and "Il Selvaggio" (the Savage) in Italy, for his fighting spirit.
In a game between A.C. Milan and Argentine side Estudiantes for the 1969 Intercontinental Cup, Combin was dealt with aggressively by rival players and had his nose broken (the infamous "Bombonera Massacre"). When he was leaving the stadium he was arrested, under a charge of desertion. After international pressure and indignation rising, he was released.
Club career
Combin scored 117 goals in Ligue 1, 68 with Olympique Lyonnais and 49 with Red Star.
Then he played in Italy, with Juventus, Varese (2nd Division), Torino and Milan.
He Eventually ended his career in France with Red Star.
He was one of the first French internationals who played abroad in Italy's Serie A. He won several titles there, including a Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) with Juventus and another with Torino and a Intercontinental Cup (European/South American Cup) with Milan.
He played 38 games with Juventus (10 goals), and scored 32 goals in three seasons for Torino (99 overall matches).
International career
He has 8 caps with the France national team, obtained between 1964 and 1968, and scored four goals.
He played at the World Cup 1966 with France.