Louis Bach

Louis Désiré Bach (14 April 1883 – 16 September 1914) was a French footballer who played as a defender and who competed in the football tournament at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, winning a silver medal as a member of the USFSA Olympic team representing France, which was primarily made up of Club Français players.

Playing career Club career Bach (standing, third from the right) with Club Français in 1899. Louis Bach was born in 10th arrondissement of Paris on 14 April 1883, and he began his football career at his hometown team, Club Français. On 23 October 1899, the 16-year-old Bach started in the 1899 Coupe Manier final at Suresnes, helping his side to a 6–0 win over RC Roubaix. Bach was a member of the Club Français team that won the .

Together with Lucien Huteau, Georges Garnier, and Gaston Peltier, Bach was a member of the Club Français team that won the 1899–1900 USFSA Paris championship. On 29 April 1900, he started in the final of the 1900 Challenge International du Nord in Tourcoing, which ended in a 2–3 loss to Le Havre AC. In the following week, on 6 May, he started in another final against Le Havre AC, this time in the 1900 USFSA Football Championship, and even though he "worked wonders after wonders", Club Français lost 0–1. Later that year, on 23 December, Bach formed a defensive partnership with Pierre Allemane in the 1900 Coupe Manier final at Joinville, keeping a clean-sheet in a 1–0 win over UA I arrondissement.

According to M.C.E. Reeves, the captain of the Norwood and Selhurst Football Club interviewed in October 1900, Bach was "one the best defenders he had watched playing".

International career Bach (standing, third from left) with the French team at the 1900 Olympics. Bach was listed as a defender for the USFSA team at the 1900 Olympic Games. Having just turned 17-years-old, Bach was the youngest member of the team. The French team came second and Bach was thus awarded with a silver medal.

Later life Bach enlisted in the French Army in 1904, but left in 1906, although he stayed in the reserves. and was buried in the .

Honours Club Club Français USFSA Paris Championship: Champions (1): 1899–1900 USFSA Football Championship: Runner-up (1): 1900 Coupe Manier: Champions (2): 1899 and 1900 Challenge International du Nord: Runner-up (1): 1900

International France MNT Summer Olympics: Silver medal (1): 1900