Georges Moreel

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Georges Moreel

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| full_name = Georges Eugène Moreel

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|07|22|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Gennevilliers, France

| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|12|04|1924|07|22|df=yes}}

| death_place = Argenteuil, France

| height = 1.76m

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = | clubs1 = USA Clichy | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = ?–1945 | clubs2 = FEC Levallois | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1945–1946 | clubs3 = CA Paris | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1946–1952 | clubs4 = RC Paris | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1952–1954 | clubs5 = Olympique de Marseille | caps5 = | goals5 =

| totalcaps = | totalgoals =

| nationalteam1 = France

| nationalyears1 = 1949

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 1

}}

Georges Eugène Moreel (22 July 1924 – 4 December 2003) was a French footballer who played as a forward for RC Paris and Olympique de Marseille between 1946 and 1954. He also played one match for the French national team in 1949.

Playing career

=Club career=

Born on 22 July 1924 in the Hauts-de-Seine town of Gennevilliers, Moreel began his career at USA Clichy, similarly to other future internationals, such as Georges Stuttler, Ernest Vaast, and André Grillon.{{cite web |url=http://usa-clichy.fr/historique/ |title=USA Clichy - Historique |trans-title=USA Clichy - History |language=fr |website=usa-clichy.fr |access-date=16 May 2025 |archive-date=30 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130034357/http://usa-clichy.fr/historique/ |url-status=bot: unknown }} After a brief stint at FEC Levallois, he joined CA Paris in 1945, but at the end of the season, he signed for RC Paris.{{cite web |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/51843/Georges_Moreel.html |title=Georges Moreel (Player) |website=www.national-football-teams.com |access-date=16 May 2025}}

Together with Lucien Leduc, Roger Quenolle, and Vaast, he was a member of the RC Paris team that won the Coupe de France title in 1949, helping his side defeat Lille 5–2 in the final.{{cite web |url=https://www.pari-et-gagne.com/joueur/georges_moreel.html |title=Georges Moreel - Fiche de stats du joueur de football |trans-title=Georges Moreel - Football Player Stats Sheet |language=fr |website=www.pari-et-gagne.com |access-date=16 May 2025}}{{cite web |url=http://www.om4ever.com/CoupeFrance/1940/Coupe1948-1949.html |title=Saison 1948-1949 Racing Vainqueur |trans-title=1946-1947 Season Racing Winner |language=fr |website=www.om4ever.com |access-date=16 May 2025 |archive-date=3 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303165934/http://www.om4ever.com/CoupeFrance/1940/Coupe1948-1949.html |url-status=live }} He was involved in his side's 5th goal as one of his shots was deflected by Lille's defender Joseph Jadrejak, which resulted in an own goal.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bd6t599425f/f6.image.r=moreel.zoom |title=Une seule équipe sur le terra |trans-title=Only one team on the pitch |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Équipe |page=6 |date=9 May 1949 |access-date=16 May 2025}} He stayed at RC Paris for six years, from 1946 until 1952, when he moved to Olympique de Marseille, where he retired in 1954, aged 30.{{cite web |url=https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/7662-moreel-georges/fiche.html |title=Georges Moreel |language=fr |website=www.fff.fr |access-date=16 May 2025 }} In total, he scored 94 goals in 200 Ligue 1 matches.

=International career=

On 22 May 1949, two weeks after the Cup final, the 24-year-old Moreel earned his first (and only) international cap for France in a friendly against England at Colombes, scoring the opening goal of the match in the 25th second, but then missing an easy opportunity as his side lost 3–1.{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=14338 |title=Georges Moreel, international footballer |website=eu-football.info |access-date=16 May 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bd6t599437f/f6.image.r=moreel.zoom |title=Lacunes et manque d'unite de jeu s'accentuaient dans L'équipe francaise... au fil des minutes |trans-title=Gaps and lack of unity of play were accentuated in the French team... as the minutes went by |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Équipe |page=6 |date=23 May 1949 |access-date=16 May 2025 }} The following day, the journalists of French newspaper L'Auto (the forerunner of L'Équipe) stated that after his goal, he "fought valiantly until half-time, he gradually lost confidence". He still holds the record for the fatest goal scored for France by a debutant.{{cite web |url=https://www.chroniquesbleues.fr/Bleus-ephemeres-une-histoire |title=Bleus éphémères: une histoire de l'équipe de France par les marges |trans-title=Ephemeral Blues: A History of the French Team from the Margins |language=fr |website=www.chroniquesbleues.fr |date=14 October 2021 |access-date=16 May 2025}}