Saint-Étienne icon Georges Bereta, who won six French titles with the club across an eight-year spell from 1966 to 1974, has passed away at the age of 77, the club has announced tonight.
The attacking midfielder was a key part of Les Verts‘ golden era, playing 343 matches during his stint with his hometown club – which he captained from 1972 – before moving on to Marseille. He would also lift the Coupe de France four times – the first three with Saint-Étienne, and then another in his first campaign with OM.
Bereta also earned 44 caps for the France, and scored four goals on the international stage. He grudgingly accepted a transfer to Marseille, midway through the 74/75 season, it what would be one of the first high-profile major moves in French football, costing 500,000 francs. He nevertheless returned to Saint-Étienne on retirement and was named on the board of directors, before becoming ambassador for life in 2013.
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin
