Kalman Gerencseri

Kalman Gerencseri (9 January 1945 – 23 August 2023) was a French footballer who played as midfielder. 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.

Early and personal life

Gerencseri was born in Wingles, France, to a family of Hungarian miners who had emigrated before the First World War. While playing in France, he was often known by just "Kalman", as locals found his second name too difficult to pronounce.

Club career

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

Death

Gerencseri died on 23 August 2023, at the age of 78.