Marcel Lambert (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Marcel Lambert

| image = France football 1900.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| alt =

| caption = Lambert (2nd row, first from the left) with the French team at the 1900 Olympics

| fullname = Marcel Lambert

| birth_date = 1876

| birth_place = Saint-Philippe-d'Aiguille, France

| death_date = Unknown

| death_place = 15th arrondissement of Paris, France

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1895–1901 | clubs1 = Club Français | caps1 = | goals1 =

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 1900

| nationalteam1 = France (Olympic)

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = +0

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{FRA}}}}

}}

Marcel Lambert (1876 – unknown) was a French footballer who played as a forward and who competed in the football tournament at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, winning a silver medal as a member of the USFSA Olympic team representing France, which was primarily made up of Club Français players.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/25115 |title=Marcel Lambert |work=Olympedia |accessdate=26 December 2020 |archive-date=12 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712185255/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/25115 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/marcel-lambert_prs306340/person.shtml |title=Marcel Lambert - Player Profile - Football |website=www.eurosport.com |accessdate=14 November 2024}}

Early life

Marcel Lambert was born in 1876, and he had a younger brother, André François Leonard Lambert, born on 20 February 1877, and who died from tuberculosis at his home at 173 rue de Vaugirard in the 15th arrondissement of Paris on 8 September 1901, at the young age of 24.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4625218q/f3.item.r=lambert.zoom# |title=La mort de Lambert |trans-title=The death of Lambert |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=10 September 1901 |accessdate=14 January 2023}} His funeral took place two days later at the church of Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Paris, and he was then buried in the Parisian cemetery of Bagneux. The date and circumstances of Marcel's death, however, remain unknown.

Playing career

=Club career=

File:Le Club français, champion de France de football en 1896.jpg

Lambert was one of the first players of Club Français, which joined the USFSA in March 1894, and on 22 April of the same year, the 17-year-old Lambert started as a forward in the semifinal of the inaugural USFSA championship, which ended in a 0–1 loss to The White Rovers.{{Cite web |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxkpjd&view=1up&seq=409 |title=White Rovers contre Club Français |trans-title=White Rovers against Club Français |language=fr |website=babel.hathitrust.org/ |date=28 April 1894 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=25 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125001429/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxkpjd&view=1up&seq=409 |url-status=live }} Together with Lucien Huteau, Gaston Peltier, Georges Garnier, and captain Eugène Fraysse, Lambert was a starter in the Club Français team that won the 1896 USFSA Football Championship without losing a single match, pairing with Daumy at the back,{{Cite book |last1=Denaunay |first1=Stéphane |title=100 ans de football en France |last2=De Ryswick |first2=Jacques |last3=Cornu |first3=Jean |last4=Vermand |first4=Dominique |date=July 1989 |publisher=Atlas |isbn=978-2-7312-0743-9 |location=Paris |page=27 |language=fr |trans-title=100 years of football in France}} and they formed a strong defensive partnership as they conceded just two goals in eight matches: one against Rovers (4–1 victory on 23 February) and one against Standard AC (4–1 victory on 15 March).{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1896 |title=1895-96 season in France |publisher=RSSSF |date=24 August 2024 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205152228/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1896 |url-status=live }}

File:Le Club Français de football, en janvier 1898.jpg on 26 December 1897.]]

On 26 December 1897, Lambert started in the very first football match in the history of the Parc des Princes in front of 500 spectators, in which Club Français was defeated 1–3 by the English Ramblers.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/27-decembre-1897/4054/5388398/1 |title=Ramblers contre Club Français |trans-title=Ramblers against Club Français |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=1 |date=27 December 1897 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113002504/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/27-decembre-1897/4054/5388398/1 |url-status=live }} On 28 March 1898, he started in the 1898 Coupe Manier final at the Vélodrome de Vincennes, in which his "superb play" helped his side to a 10–0 win over Paris Star.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/28-mars-1898/4054/5388478/2 |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=28 March 1898 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=12 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112220919/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/28-mars-1898/4054/5388478/2 |url-status=live }} In the following week, on 3 April, he started in the final of the 1898 USFSA Football Championship against Standard AC at Courbevoie, which ended in a 2–3 loss.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/4-avril-1898/4054/5388448/2 |title=Le Championnat de France - Victoirie du Standard |trans-title=The French Championship - Victory of Standard |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=4 April 1898 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113000549/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/4-avril-1898/4054/5388448/2 |url-status=live }} In the following year, on 16 April 1899, he started in the play-off match against Standard AC to decide the {{ill|Championnat de Paris|fr|lt=1898–99 USFSA Paris championship}}, which ended in a 3–2 win.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/17-avril-1899/4054/5388582/2 |title=Championnat de Paris - Club Français contre Standard Athletic Club |trans-title=Paris Championship - Club Français against Standard Athletic Club |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=17 April 1899 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113054821/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/17-avril-1899/4054/5388582/2 |url-status=live }} This victory qualified the club to the 1899 USFSA national championship, in which Club Français withdrew from the final before facing Le Havre AC.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |title=1898-99 season in France |publisher=RSSSF |date=29 August 2024 |access-date=14 November 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205152228/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |url-status=live }} Later that year, on 23 October, Lambert captained Club Français in the 1899 Coupe Manier final at Suresnes, helping his side to a 6–0 win over RC Roubaix.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=23 October 1899 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524001450/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |url-status=live }}

Lambert was a member of the Club Français team that won the 1899–1900 USFSA Paris championship.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96060553/f9.image.r=francais.zoom |title=Les grandes équipes de football |trans-title=The Great Football Teams |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=La Vie au grand air |page=23 |date=14 January 1900 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=27 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127045031/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96060553/f9.image.r=francais.zoom |url-status=live }} On 29 April 1900, Lambert started in the final of the 1900 Challenge International du Nord in Tourcoing, which ended in a 2–3 loss to Le Havre AC.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/30-avril-1900/4054/5389626/3 |title=Le Challenge du Nord - Victoire des Havrais |trans-title=The Challenge of the North - Victory of Le Havre |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=3 |date=30 April 1900 |accessdate=14 November 2024 }} In the following week, on 6 May, he captained Club Français in another final against Le Havre AC, this time in the 1900 USFSA Football Championship, which ended in a 0–1 loss.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/7-mai-1900/4054/5389600/2 |title=Championnat de France - Club Français (1) contre La Havre AC (1) |trans-title=French Championship - Club Français (1) against La Havre AC (1) |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=7 May 1900 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113004921/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/7-mai-1900/4054/5389600/2 |url-status=live }} Later that year, on 23 December, he started in the 1900 Coupe Manier final at Joinville, helping his side to a 1–0 win over UA I arrondissement.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=3 |date=24 December 1900 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113190101/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |url-status=live }}

=International career=

File:France football 1900.jpg

Lambert was listed as a forward for the USFSA team at the 1900 Olympic Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |title=Paris 1900, en sport de démonstration |trans-title=Paris 1900, in demonstration sport |language=fr |website=www.fff.fr |date=10 July 2024 |accessdate=14 November 2024 |archive-date=27 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727035341/https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |url-status=live }}{{efn|Some sources wrongly name him André or even Alexandre.}} He was selected for both matches, which ended in a 0–4 loss to Upton Park on 20 September, and in a 6–2 win over a team representing Belgium three days later.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |title=Games of the II. Olympiad |publisher=RSSSF |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=14 November 2024 |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709122416/https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |url-status=live }} The French team came second and Lambert was thus awarded with a silver medal.