Fleury Di Nallo, el Principito de Gerland | OneFootball

In the 1967 Coupe de France final between Olympique de Lyon and Sochaux, Charles de Gaulle caught a ball in the box, lobbed it back and joked he had to do everything himself, El Periódico Mediterráneo reports. Minutes later he presented the trophy to Fleury Di Nallo, Lyon’s captain and matchwinner aged 24.

Born to Italian heritage parents, a family row moved them from St Etienne to Lyon, where money was tight in Gerland. Di Nallo joined Rhône Sportif, watched Lyon and told friends he would play there one day.

Signed at 17 as the family weighed emigration to the United States, the offer delayed departure. After a reserves game in August 1960 he was told to start at Reims in Division One because Eugene (N’Jo Lea) had not returned, and the “Principito de Gerland” bonded instantly with supporters.

By his second season he was immovable. Lyon lost the 1963 final to Monaco with him benched, then in 1964 won their first cup and reached the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final after a replay loss to Sporting de Portugal, all while several key men served in the military.

After the 1967 triumph he broke his left leg. Lyon signed Serge Chiesa, yet Di Nallo returned below his peak but still effective, and with Chiesa and Lacombe won the 1973 Coupe de France. In 1974 he joined Red Star, and back at Gerland he scored his final French league goal against Lyon.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo