 He quickly earned his first cap for France on 2 December 1964, aged 22, against Belgium.He was then part of France squad at the FIFA World Cup 1966 in England playing in all France's games.Coming back from the World Cup he signed with AS Saint-Étienne, where he won his first titles and was widely regarded as the best French footballer of the 1960s, winning the French player of the year award in 1967 & 1968.