A
New Addition about the very first International Matches of Nations.
Belgium
and France played their First ever Official matches against one another on May
1st , 1904.
Up
until then International Matches had been restricted between British Home
Nations for the thirty years prior.
By
the early parts of the 20th Century, interest had grown in many European
Nations including Belgium and France.
This
initial match between the nations was mostly due to the efforts of wealthy
Belgian Businessman Evence Coppée. His family had been one
of the founding members of Lafarge (Industrial Company specializing in Cement/Concrete).
He
had business interests in both countries and was very keen for this historic
event.
The
Belgium squad, chosen by their Technical Commission, was more homogeneous with
six members from Union Saint-Gilloise.
France’s Football governing body was called U.S.F.S.A. (Union des sociétés françaises
de sports athlétiques). The Players themselves were chosen by ‘Commission centrale
d’Association’ and called up via the Press.
 |
Photo
From: Le Siecle des Diables Rouges, Author: Christian Hubert
(‘La
Vie Sportive’, the official newspaper of the Belgian Federation discussing
about the upcoming International vs. France) |
There
was no physical or tactical preparation. The selected players had to
rendez-vous at a designated location and then depart.
On
the days leading up, France had to deal with the withdrawal of three selected
players.
Pierre
Allemane, who was doing his Military service, had fallen off a horse and was
injured.
Charles
Wilkes of Le Have also withdrew, as did Georges Bayrou (most likely they could
not get days off from their employers).
Robert
Guerin, the President of the Commission, was forced to improvise to make up the
numbers.
Charles
Bilot became the first ever player in France’s Football History to be called up
after withdrawals.
Charles
Bilot and his brother Georges Bilot declared themselves available for
selection. In doing so they became the first pair of brothers in the History of
the French National Team.
All
French players were Paris based, the only exception would be the player called
up to replace Wilkes.
Adrien
Filez of Tourcoing would be the only provincial member of this inaugural French
side (It was reported that he would smoke up to 30 cigarettes per day).
 |
Photo
From: Les Bleus Author Denis Chaumier, 2004
(France’s
Joseph Verlet)
|
The
entire French squad with the exception of Filez, met at 6 PM on April 30th
(the day before the match), at
the Paris Train Station ‘La Gare du Nord’.
The
Train departed at 11 PM for a ten-hour ride.
Filez
traveled on his own to Brussels to join up with the rest of the squad there.
This
match was so important in Belgium that Prince Albert was also in attendance (He
would become King Albert I in 1909).
 |
Photo
From :L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(Belgium’s
Prince Albert on his way to watch the match)
|
The
attendance was also large given the times (in excess of 1,500).
To
give the Match Referee, the Englishman John C. Keene, some
practice, the Belgian Federation had assigned him to referee the Racing-Leopold
Matchup just hours before.
It
is important to note that players were amateurs as professionalism was a long
way off. All players were employed in other professions and had to take time
off for such matches.
Since
France’s Captain Fernand Canelle and Louis Mesnier did not want their
employers to know they had taken time off for a Football match (still frowned
upon at the time), for Press reports Fernand Canelle was referred to as
‘Fernand’ and Louis Mesnier was referred to as ‘Didi’.
 |
Photo
From: Les Bleus Author Denis Chaumier, 2004
(A
cartoon of France’s Louis Mesnier)
|
France had taken along 12 players and as a result
either Jacques Davy or Etienne Fontaine had to be discarded. Through a process
of elimination (not exactly sure, perhaps lots were drawn) Davy was the chosen
player.
At
4:55 PM (some sources show 4:45 PM) the two teams kicked off into History for a
match that was referred to as ‘Coupe Franco-Belge.’
Just
seven minutes into the match, Belgium’s Georges Quéritet
scored Belgium’s first goal in History.
Just five minutes later, at 5:07 PM, Louis Mesnier
scored France’s first ever goal (The French wore white for this their first
ever International).
Just
a minute later, France took the lead through Marius
Royet.
 |
Photo
From :L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(The only known photograph of this match, shows
Belgian players entering the field in the beginning of the second half) |
Five minutes into the second half, Georges Quéritet
once again scored for Belgium, becoming the first player to score two goals for
Belgium.
In the 65th minute, Belgium took the lead
through Pierre-Joseph Desterbecq.
It seemed like Belgium was headed for a win, when
with three minutes remaining Gaston Cyprès
scored France’s tying goal.
It had been a diplomatic tie that satisfied everyone
for this ground-breaking event.
According
to the Belgian Press, France had been lucky and their own goalkeeper Alfred
Verdyck was to blame for France’s goals. It was generally agreed upon that
France’s midfield needed improvement.
As
far as the French Press were concerned, they had been better but praised
Belgium’s midfielders.
 |
Photo
From: Le Siecle des Diables Rouges, Author: Christian Hubert
(Belgium goalkeeper Alfred Verdyck in later years as
the Secretary General of the Belgian Federation)
|
 |
Photo
From :
IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie (1904-1940)
(Belgium’s
Camille van Hoorden)
|
 |
Photo
From :
IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie (1904-1940)
(Belgium’s
Edgard Poelmans)
|
This
Historic event almost was virtually unnoticed in France. In fact their Group
photograph was taken by Belgian Officials.
Interesting
fact about this match was that France’s Canelle telegraphed the sports Journal
‘L’Auto’ (The main French Sports Daily) to give the team lineups, result and
match summary.
Also
Reporter Ernest Weber of ‘L’Auto’ was a linesman in this match and the official
timekeeper.
France’s
Georges Bilot and Jacques Davy played their only matches for France and were
never called up again.
For some time Jacques Davy was not
listed on any official document for this match, until the error was corrected.
Marius Royet, the scorer of France’s second goal, was
tragically killed on the front during World War I in 1915.
For the post-match, Evence Coppée had organized two banquets
for the teams at ‘Le Regina’ and ‘Caves de Maestricht’.
It
was there that France’s Robert Guerin, his German counterpart and the Belgian
Federation President Edouard de Lavaleye decided due to the success of this
match to lay the groundwork to create FIFA.
20
days later on May 21st at Paris, FIFA would be founded.
This
Belgium-France matchup became the first ever-International match to be
recognized by FIFA.
France’s
Adrien Filez would be the final survivor from either team. He passed away on
October 15th, 1965, aged 80.
 |
Photo
From :
IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie (1904-1940)
(Belgium
squad)
|
 |
Photo
From :L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(Belgium
and France squads)
|
 |
Photo
From :L’Equipe de France de Football, L’integrale des 497 Rencontres
(1904-1991), Authors: Jean-Michel Cazal, Pierre Cazal, Michel Oreggia
(Belgium and France squads) |
May
1, 1904
Belgium
3-France 3
Friendly
Venue: Bruxelles (Brussels)- Stade du Vivier d’Oie
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: John C.
Keene (England)
Goalscorers:
(Belgium):
Georges Quéritet 7,50, Pierre-Joseph
Desterbecq 65
(France):
Louis Mesnier 12, Marius Royet 13, Gaston Cyprès 87
Lineups:
Belgium:
Alfred Verdyck (Antwerp
Football Club)
Albert Friling (Beerschot
Athletic Club-Antwerpen)
Edgard Poelmans (Union
Saint-Gilloise)
Guillaume Van den Eynde (Union
Saint-Gilloise)
Charles Cambier (Football
Club Brugeois)
Camille Van Hoorden (Captain) (Racing Club de
Bruxelles)
Maurice Tobias (Union Saint-Gilloise)
Alexandre Wigand (Union
Saint-Gilloise)
Georges Quéritet (Racing Club de
Bruxelles)
Pierre-Joseph Desterbecq (Union
Saint-Gilloise)
Charles Vanderstappen (Union
Saint-Gilloise)
Coach: Technical
Commission
France:
Maurice Guichard (Union Sportive Parisienne-Paris)
Fernand Canelle ‘Fernand’ (captain) (Club Français-Paris)
Joseph Verlet (Football Club de Paris)
Georges Bilot (Football Club de Paris)
Jacques Davy (Union Sportive Parisienne-Paris)
Charles Bilot (Football Club de Paris)
Louis Mesnier ‘Didi’ (Football
Club de Paris)
Marius Royet (Union Sportive Parisienne-Paris)
Georges Garnier (Club Français-Paris)
Gaston Cyprès (Football
Club de Paris)
Adrien Filez (Union Sportive Tourquennoise)
Coach: Technical
Commission
Other Substitutes:
Emile Fontaine (Gallia
Club- Paris)
References:
IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie
(1904-1940)
L’Equipe
de France de Football, L’integrale des 497 Rencontres (1904-1991), Authors:
Jean-Michel Cazal, Pierre Cazal, Michel Oreggia
Le
Siecle des Diables Rouges, Author: Christian Hubert
Les
Bleus, Le livre official de l'equiep de France, Author: Dominique Grimault,
1997
Les
Bleus Author Denis Chaumier, 2004
L’Equipe, L’Equipe de France de Football, la
Belle Histoire
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