page_title: Évence Coppée Trophy
section_title: Pre-match
hierarchical_section_title: Évence Coppée Trophy / Pre-match
caption_attribution_description: English: Évence Coppée Trophy team picture; first match of Belgium and France national football teams in 1904. French team (white shirts): back row, l-r: Guichard (goalkeeper), Verlet, Canelle, G. Bilot, Davy, C. Bilot. Front row, l-r: Mesnier, Royet, Garnier, Cyprès, Filez.
context_page_description: The Évence Coppée Trophy was a one-off competition comprising a single association football match in 1904 between Belgium and France. Held at the Stade du Vivier d'Oie in Uccle, Belgium, the match ended in a 3–3 draw.
  The trophy was named after Évence Coppée, the Belgian patron who organised the match to promote Franco-Belgian friendship. Because the game ended in a tie, the trophy itself was not awarded.
context_section_description: 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. Because of transportation difficulties and army enrollment, the French delegation was decimated. Since 1 May was not yet considered an international holiday, the French players had to ask for a day off from their employees. 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".
  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."
  France played in a white jersey with two rings from the USFSA, blue shorts, and red socks.
caption: 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
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