Dominique Dropsy


Dominique Dropsy was a French footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
He played 596 Ligue 1 matches during 17 seasons, which stood as a record for several years, and won three national championships during his career, two with Bordeaux.
Dropsy represented France at the 1978 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Leuze, Aisne, Dropsy started his senior career with Valenciennes FC. He contributed with 19 games in the 1971–72 season, helping the club return to Ligue 1 and win its first Ligue 2 championship in the process.
In the summer of 1973, Dropsy signed with RC Strasbourg. During his 11-year spell at the Stade de la Meinau, he never played in less than 31 matches, appearing in all 38 in the 1978–79 campaign as the team conquered their first-ever domestic league.
Aged 34, Dropsy joined FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where he remained until his retirement always as first-choice. He won a further two national championships, and added two Coupe de France to his trophy cabinet; subsequently, he worked with his last club as a goalkeeper coach.

International career

Dropsy played 17 times for the France national team, during three years. He was selected as an uncapped member for the 1978 FIFA World Cup squad, benefitting from injury to his former Strasbourg teammate André Rey; in the last group phase fixture, as both countries had already been eliminated, he appeared in the 3–1 win against Hungary in Mar del Plata.

Personal life

Dropsy's son, Damien, was also a footballer and a goalkeeper. He never played the sport professionally, his biggest achievement being signing a short-term contract with Bordeaux in 2006 to serve as fourth-choice.
In 2012, Damien played the role of a footballer in Olivier Dahan's motion picture Les Seigneurs.

Health problems / Death

After suffering an aneurysm in 2005, medical exams revealed Dropsy had been struck with leukemia in March 2011. After recovering initially the following year, the 63-year-old died in Bordeaux on 7 October 2015.