Évence Coppée Trophy

The Évence Coppée Trophy marked the official debut of the French and Belgian national football teams[2][3] and was also the first match between two independent European countries. It was the third official international football game in continental Europe, after the games between Austria and Hungary,[4][5] and Hungary and Bohemia.[6] It was the third official game between the sides of two independent countries, after matches between Argentina and Uruguay in 1902 and 1903.[7]

Twenty days after the match, Belgium, France and five other European football associations founded the international association football federation, FIFA.[8]

Pre-match photograph in front of a goal. Left: the Belgian team; right: the French team; centre: the referee John C. Keene, with the match ball

Both teams were selected by their National Football Association (with Belgian chairman Édouard de Laveleye and French chairman Robert Guérin) rather than by a national manager.[9] Because of transportation difficulties and army enrollment, the French delegation was decimated.[10] Since 1 May was not yet considered an international holiday, the French players had to ask for a day off from their employees.[11] At least two French players (Louis Mesnier and Fernand Canelle) left their country without permission from their employers, and in French reports these two players were referred to using the respective pseudonyms "Didi" and "Fernand".[11][12]

The French tactics were described as follows. "France play in a classical 2-3-5 formation: two backs, the two half-wingers (G. Bilot and especially C. Bilot) are defensive and hold the opponent's wingers, Davy is half-center. Finally, there are the five forwards. The 'exteriors' Mesnier and Filez who make a break, the 'interiors' are Royet (who is relay runner) and Cyprès and the powerful center (Garnier), who is also the playmaker."[13]

France played in a white jersey with two rings from the USFSA, blue shorts, and red socks.[12][13]

[9][14][15]

1 May 1904

Belgium	3–3	France
Quéritet  7', 50' Destrebecq  65'		Mesnier  12' Royet  13' Cyprès  87'

Stade du Vivier d'Oie
Uccle, Belgium

Attendance: 1,500

Referee: John C. "Daddon" Keene (England)

Belgium

France

Squad : GK Alfred Verdyck BK Albert Friling BK Edgard Poelmans HW Guillaume "Lomme" Van Den Eynde HC Charles Cambier HW Camille Van Hoorden (c) FW Maurice "Max" Tobias FW Alexandre Wigand FW Georges Quéritet FW Pierre(-Joseph) Destrebecq FW Charles Vanderstappen Positions GK = Goalkeeper BK = Back HW = Half-winger HC = Half-center FW = Forward

Squad : GK Maurice Guichard BK Fernand Canelle (c) BK Joseph Verlet HW Georges Bilot HC Jacques Davy HW Charles Bilot FW Louis Mesnier FW Marius Royet FW Georges Garnier FW Gaston Cyprès FW Adrien Filez Substitute: E. Fontaine

Despite scoring twice in this match, the Belgian striker Georges Quéritet was not selected again for the national side.[16]

The Belgian goalkeeper Alfred Verdyck later became the secretary-general of the Belgian FA.[17] Robert Guérin, the deputy of the French Football Association, became the first president of FIFA twenty days after this match.

Belgium and France have sustained a long-lasting rivalry since this first fixture, with 74 official matches played over more than a century.[2][3]

The full record between the two countries is as follows:[18]

*Including two friendly matches at minor tournaments: the Évence Coppée Trophy in 1904 (3–3), and a 1–0 victory for France at the King Hassan II Tournament in 1998.

• List of first association football internationals per country
• Belgium national football team
• France national football team
• History of the France national football team

• Belgique-France, 1er mai 1904... » in Thierry Hubac, 1904-2004. Un siècle en Bleu, Mango Sport, 2004, pp 8–9.
• Le match par lequel tout commença », in France Football, Tuesday 25 December 2001, pp 10–11.
• L'Équipe de France de Football : L'intégrale des 497 rencontres de 1904 à 1991, by Pierre Cazal, Michel Oreggia and Jean-Michel Cazal