CARLOS BIANCHI: THE FIVE-TIME TOP SCORER IN FRANCE WHO BECAME ONE OF PSG’S FIRST ICONS

Any great footballer must triumph in the face of adversity. The difficult path to success is fraught with difficulties, and Carlos Bianchi's path was no exception. For others, poor form might erode confidence; for others, long-term injuries can obstruct the path to the top. Bianchi's challenge was unique, and more importantly, permanent: his vision.

Much is made nowadays of the necessary skill set that high-level attackers must possess if they are to succeed, with an emphasis firmly placed on instinct and cutting edge. Because of the difficulty with which Bianchi was forced to contend, these characteristics were critical.

Of course, instinct had a role in Bianchi's incredible exploits throughout his career, but a superb ball-striking technique combined with an insatiable desire to score goals were equally responsible for propelling him into French football history.

Bianchi began his career as a salesperson alongside his father in Argentina, soon rising to notoriety before reaching his pinnacle in the more glamorous setting of Paris. The forward's career was split between his homeland and France, where he truly made a name for himself due to his prolific goalscoring abilities, but he only won one league title as a player, in 1968 at Vélez Sarsfield, five years before his move to Europe.

Bianchi would grow to be well-known for his unstoppable stay as Paris Saint-Germain's talisman during their early years, but first came an equally brilliant spell with Stade de Reims, who signed the forward after becoming enamored by his technique and grace during a formative era at Vélez.

Bianchi arrived in the top tier of French football with the purpose of taking his career to the next level, and while he did it, he would never again wear Argentina's notorious blue and white stripes. Unbeknownst to the ever-developing attacker, his international career had ended prematurely at the age of 24 with the announcement of his huge move to Reims.

Nonetheless, he scored seven goals in 14 appearances for La Albiceleste, ensuring a more than satisfactory return during his brief stint as an Argentina international.

Nonetheless, an exciting new chapter awaited the forward, who took the risk and left home to compete against France's greatest teams. Expectations were high as he began his career with Reims after scoring 121 goals in 165 appearances during his first spell at Vélez.

What followed, however, would far exceed any expectations placed on Bianchi, as he emerged as French football's most lethal striker, mercilessly toying with defenses with sublime movement, inimitable technical quality, and ruthless finishing, all while adjusting to his new surroundings and managing his short-sightedness.

To say Bianchi got off to a fast start would be an understatement of epic proportions. He scored 30 goals in 34 games to win the Ligue 1 top scorer award, launching himself onto the European stage in spectacular fashion. After finishing ninth in 1972/73, Reims would finish sixth after an outstanding first season from their new star up front.

However, Bianchi's team finished 11th in the second season, not quite as productive as the first. It would be the only season in which he did not finish at the top of the goalscoring rankings during his career in the Premier League - an incredible record given that he played seven seasons - and this was due to a long-term injury.

Bianchi played only 16 league games for Reims in 1974/75 after breaking his tibia and fibula in a friendly against Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.Despite this, he was able to score 15 goals in his restricted game time, while his compatriot Delio Onnis took the title of best striker with 30 in a Monaco shirt.

Despite scoring eight less goals in the following season, netting a still-exceptional total of 28 in Ligue 1, Reims fell short and went back to 11th place. Despite Bianchi's efforts at the top of the pitch, the squad struggled to find consistency throughout the season, and financial difficulties forced them to make an unwelcome choice on their talisman's future in the summer. They would reluctantly say goodbye to the country's most lethal forward player in 1977, after he had scored 107 goals in four years at the club.