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Kalman Gerencseri (9 January 1945 – 23 August 2023) was a French footballer who played as midfielder.[citation needed] He is the youngest player to play in the French first division, making his debut on 12 August 1960 at the age of 15 years, 7 months and 12 days.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 January 1945 | ||
| Place of birth | Wingles, France[1] | ||
| Date of death | 23 August 2023 (aged 78) | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1960–1962 | Lens B | ||
| 1960–1969 | Lens | 134 | (2) |
| 1969–1978 | Auxerre | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gerencseri was born in Wingles, France, to a family of Hungarian miners who had emigrated before the First World War.[2] While playing in France, he was often known by just "Kalman", as locals found his second name too difficult to pronounce.[2]
Gerencseri was called up to the first team of professional club Lens by manager Jules Bigot ahead of a Division 1 fixture against AS Monaco on 20 August 1960.[3] In starting the match, an eventual 1–0 loss for Lens, Gerencseri became the youngest player to play in French football history at fifteen years, seven months and twelve years old - a record which still stands, and will forever stand, as the French Football Federation have imposed a minimum age limit of sixteen.[3][4] This was also the age record for the five top European leagues for over 60 years, until it was broken by Luka Romero in 2020.[2]
In a nine-year career with Lens, he made a total of 134 league appearances, scoring twice, and played in a further eighteen games in additional competitions.[2][3] He notably won the 1965 edition of the Coupe Charles Drago, and featured in a 5–1 friendly loss to the Hungary national football team during their preparation for the 1966 FIFA World Cup.[2] Following his departure from Lens in 1969, he spent seven years with Auxerre in the second and third divisions of French football, before retiring in 1978.[3]
Gerencseri died on 23 August 2023, at the age of 78.[5]
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