Career
He amassed Ligue 1 totals of 455 games and 130 goals in representation of six teams, mainly Sochaux and Toulouse, during a 17-year professional career. Stopyra appeared for France at the 1986 World Cup. Born in Troyes, Aube of Polish ancestry, Stopyra spent 15 of his 17 seasons as a professional in Ligue 1, representing Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard, Stade Rennais Football Club, Toulouse Football Club, Football Club Girondins de Bordeaux, AS Cannes and Football Club Metz.
He made his senior debuts with the former at only 17, helping it to the second position in the domestic championship in 1979-1980 and the following campaign"s Union of European Football Associations Cup semifinals.
Stopyra retired in June 1994 at the age of 33, after two years in Ligue 2 with Football Club Mulhouse. He later returned to Bordeaux, going on to work with its youth sides.
Stopyra gained his first cap for the French national team on 27 February 1980, in a friendly with Greece where he scored the final 5–1. He appeared in a further 32 internationals and netted 11 goals, during eight years.
He appeared in all the games but one in Mexico as Les Bleus finished in third position, scoring against Hungary in the group stage (3–0) and against Italy in the round-of-16 (2–0).
