{{short description|French footballer (born 1940)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Néstor Combin | image = Nestor Combin - Juventus FC 1964-65.jpg | caption = Combín with Juventus in the 1964–65 season | full_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|12|29|df=yes}} | birth_place = Las Rosas, Argentina | height = | position = Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Colón de San Lorenzo | years1 = 1959–1964 | clubs1 = Lyon | caps1 = 131 | goals1 = 78 | years2 = 1964–1965 | clubs2 = Juventus | caps2 = 24 | goals2 = 7 | years3 = 1965–1966 | clubs3 = Varese | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 1966–1969 | clubs4 = Torino | caps4 = 82 | goals4 = 27 | years5 = 1969–1971 | clubs5 = A.C. Milan | caps5 = 50 | goals5 = 11 | years6 = 1971–1973 | clubs6 = Metz | caps6 = 59 | goals6 = 34 | years7 = 1973–1975 | clubs7 = Red Star | caps7 = 64 | goals7 = 39 | totalcaps = 426 | totalgoals = 204 | nationalyears1 = 1964–1968 | nationalteam1 = France | nationalcaps1 = 8 | nationalgoals1 = 4 | manageryears1 = | managerclubs1 = }}
'''Néstor Combin''' (born 29 December 1940) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Argentina, he spent most of his professional career in France, most notably with Lyon, and represented the France national team at the international level. He was dubbed "La Foudre" (The Lightning) in France, for his speed, and "Il Selvaggio" (the Savage) in Italy, for his fighting spirit.
==Club career== Combin was born in Las Rosas, Argentina. During his time as a player in France, he scored 117 goals in the Division 1; 68 with Lyon and 49 with Red Star. In the 1973–74 season at Red Star, he formed a remarkable partnership in attack with Paraguayan forward Hugo González.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Valentin|first=François-Xavier|title=Red Star International : Paraguay|url=https://www.redstar.fr/2010-12-02/histoire/red-star-story-red-star-paraguay/|access-date=15 June 2021|website=Red Star F.C.|language=fr}}</ref> In France, he also played for Metz, and in Italy for Juventus, Varese, Torino, and A.C. Milan. Combin scored 10 goals in 38 games for Juventus and 32 goals in 99 games for Torino.
Combin was one of the first French internationals who played abroad in Italy's Serie A. He won several titles there, including a Coppa Italia with both Juventus and Torino, and an Intercontinental Cup with Milan.
==International career== Combin was born in Argentina, and was of French descent through his maternal grandmother.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://africultures.com/la-migration-des-footballeurs-africains-en-europe-9106/|title=La migration des footballeurs africains en Europe - Africultures|first=Christophe|last=Cassiau-Haurie|date=21 December 2009}}</ref> He has eight caps with the France national team, obtained between 1964 and 1968, and scored four goals. He played at the 1966 FIFA World Cup with France.
== Incident == [[File:Nestor Combin 1969.jpeg|thumb|Combín with Milan, after being pummelled during the 1969 Intercontinental Cup's second match vs. Estudiantes.|243x243px]]
In a game between A.C. Milan and Argentine side Estudiantes for the 1969 Intercontinental Cup, Combin was dealt with aggressively by rival players and had his nose broken (the infamous "Bombonera Massacre"). When he was leaving the stadium, he was arrested, under a charge of desertion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Catenaccio.nl » Estudiantes en het drama van Nestor Combin|url=http://www.catenaccio.nl/2010/05/03/estudiantes-en-het-drama-van-nestor-combin/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724145840/http://www.catenaccio.nl/2010/05/03/estudiantes-en-het-drama-van-nestor-combin/|archive-date=24 July 2011|access-date=19 July 2010}}</ref> After international pressure and indignation rising, he was released. In 2015, Raúl Horacio Madero blamed Combin as the fighting inciter, by provoking Ramón Aguirre Suárez in the first match, in Italy, saying "''negro'', don't warm up anymore because in one month I earn the same money that you receive in two years". ''El Negro'' was the disparaging nickname given to Suárez, who was of Paraguayan descent and had dark skin.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Raúl Madero, 100x100: "Bilardo es un tipo muy jodido, se mandó muchas cagadas"|url=http://www.elgrafico.com.ar/2015/11/03/C-8614-raul-madero-100x100-bilardo-es-un-tipo-muy-jodido-se-mando-muchas-cagadas.php|access-date=2 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=There Is No Power Like Him|url=https://beyondthelastman.com/2012/11/30/there-is-no-power-like-him-the-wild-world-of-ramon-aguirre-suarez-part-1/|access-date=9 December 2023}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Lyon''' *Coupe de France: 1963–64
'''Juventus''' *Coppa Italia: 1964–65
'''Torino''' *Coppa Italia: 1967–68
'''Milan''' *Intercontinental Cup: 1969
'''Individual''' *Division 2 top scorer: 1973–74
==References== {{reflist}} * Archivio Toro - Official Torino F.C. Archives
==External links== * {{FFF|8686-combin-nestor}} * {{FFF male|260}}
{{France Squad 1966 World Cup}} {{Ligue 2 top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Combin, Nestor}} Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Argentine people of French descent Category:French people of Argentine descent Category:Sportspeople of Argentine descent Category:French men's footballers Category:Argentine men's footballers Category:Footballers from Santa Fe Province Category:France men's international footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Olympique Lyonnais players Category:Juventus FC players Category:SSD Varese Calcio players Category:Torino FC players Category:AC Milan players Category:Serie A players Category:FC Metz players Category:Red Star FC players Category:Ligue 1 players Category:Ligue 2 players Category:1966 FIFA World Cup players Category:Argentine expatriate men's footballers Category:French expatriate men's footballers Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Category:20th-century French sportsmen Category:20th-century Argentine sportsmen