Laurent was born in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, Val-de-Marne, near Paris. He was the younger brother of Jean Laurent, who also played football and represented France and was named to the squad for the 1930 World Cup.[1] He was also part of France's squad for the 1928 Summer Olympics, but he did not play in any matches.[2]
At the Estadio Pocitos in Montevideo, Laurent made history by scoring the first ever World Cup goal: a volley in the 19th minute of a game against Mexico on 13 July 1930.[3]France won the game 4–1, but lost their remaining group matches to Argentina and Chile, and were thus eliminated in the group stage. Laurent was ruled out of the third game due to an injury.[1]
Laurent was named to the French squad for the 1934 World Cup, but was unable to play due to an injury. He later moved to Rennes, playing for them until 1937, then for RC Strasbourg until 1939.[1] In all, Laurent played 10 times for France, but scored only one other goal against England in May 1931.[1]
He joined the French armed forces during World War II, but spent three years as a prisoner of war in Saxony before being released in 1943. He played two years of wartime football for Besançon before retiring in 1946, opting to become a trainer and youth coach. He was the only surviving member of the 1930 French team to see France lift the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil, and died seven years later at the age of 97 in Besançon.[1]
Career statistics
List of international goals scored by Lucien Laurent
