| Virgile Gaillard | |
| Fullname: | René Paul Virgile Gaillard |
| Birth Date: | 28 July 1877 |
| Birth Place: | 2nd arrondissement of Paris, France |
| Death Place: | 18th arrondissement of Paris, France |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Years1: | 1897–1901 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1900 |
| Nationalteam1: | France (Olympic) |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | +0 |
René Paul Virgile Gaillard (28 July 1877 – 7 March 1943) was a French footballer who played as a midfielder 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.[1] [2]
On 26 December 1897, Gaillard started as a defender in the very first football match in the history of the Parc des Princes in front of 500 spectators, in which Club Français was defeated 1–3 by the English Ramblers.[3] In the following year, on 3 April, he sustained an injury during the first half of the final of the 1898 USFSA Football Championship against Standard AC at Courbevoie, which affected his play for the rest of the game and contributed to the team's eventual 2–3 loss.[4]
On 6 May 1900, Gaillard started in the final of the 1900 USFSA Football Championship against Le Havre AC, and even though he "worked wonders after wonders", Club Français lost 0–1.[5]
Gaillard was listed as a midfielder for the USFSA team at the 1900 Olympic Games.[6] He was selected for both matches, which ended in a 0–4 loss to Upton Park on 20 September, and in a 6–2 win over a team representing Belgium three days later.[7] [8] The French team came second and Gaillard was thus awarded with a silver medal.[1] [7]
Gaillard died in 18th arrondissement of Paris on 7 March 1943, at the age of 65.[1]