Paris Saint-Germain F.C.

Paris Saint-Germain
Full name Paris Saint-Germain Football Club
Nickname(s) PSG, Paris SG, Les Rouge-et-Bleu, Les Parisiens
Founded 12 August 1970
Ground Parc des Princes, Paris
(Capacity: 48,712)
Owner Qatar Investment Authority
President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi
Manager Carlo Ancelotti
League Ligue 1
2010–11 Ligue 1, 4th
Website Club home page
Home colours
Away colours
Current season

Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (French pronunciation: [paʁi sɛ̃ ʒɛʁmɛ̃]), also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG (IPA: [peɛsʒe]), is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain. PSG has been playing in the Ligue 1 since 1974, the current championship record, and is one of the most prestigious outfits in French football having won two League titles, eight French Cups, three League Cups and two Champions Trophies. Paris Saint-Germain, along with Olympique de Marseille, is one of only two French clubs to have won a major European trophy, claiming the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996.[1] Paris Saint-Germain was named IFFHS World's Club Team of the Year in 1994 and ranked 1st in the UEFA Team Ranking in 1998.[2][3] The capital club is the only French club to ever achieve these honours. Paris Saint-Germain is currently ranked 12th in the IFFHS and 44th in the UEFA Team Ranking.[4][5]

The Parc des Princes, with a capacity of 48,712 seats, has been Paris Saint-Germain's home since 1974.[6][7] The Camp des Loges has been operating as a training centre for the club since 1974.[8] The Tournoi de Paris has been hosted by PSG at the Parc des Princes since 1975. PSG's crest features a red silhouette of the Eiffel Tower with the white royal cradle of Louis XIV between its legs on a blue background with white edging.[9] The crest inspired Daniel Hechter to design an iconic shirt which became a strong symbol of the club. It was blue with a red central vertical bar framed by white edgings.[10] PSG's motto is "Paris Est Magique" and the club's official anthem is Allez Paris Saint-Germain by Les Parisiens.[11] PSG Ladies has been the female section of the club since 1991.[12] The capital club even founded a professional rugby league club in 1995, PSG Rugby League, which was dissolved in 1997.[13]

Paris Saint-Germain enjoys a considerable amount of popularity; about 11% of the French population support the club, being the second most popular football club in France after Olympique de Marseille.[14] After Qatar Investment Authority became the majority shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain in 2011, the economic power of French football changed from axis.[15] Previously tyrannized by Olympique Lyonnais, followed by Marseille, PSG now hold the honor of being the richest club in the country and are one of the richest clubs in the world.[16] The capital club shares an intense rivalry with Olympique de Marseille and contest the most notorious football match in France, known as Le Classique.[17] PSG's average home gate for the 2010–11 season was 29,317, the fourth highest in the Ligue 1.[18] The club was a founding member of the G-14 and is a member of its modern replacement, the European Club Association. Qatar Investment Authority became the majority shareholder of PSG after buying a controlling 70% of the shares in 2011.[19] Colony Capital and Butler Capital Partners, who bought the club from Canal+ in 2006, remained as minority shareholders. Association PSG held one share.[20]

Contents

History

Main articles: History of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and List of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. seasons

Established on 12 August 1970 after a merger between Stade Saint-Germain and Paris FC, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club have always represented both Paris and nearby Saint-Germain-en-Laye. And with so many people eager to see a big club wearing the capital's colours once again, the nascent team grew at a stunning pace early on. Top-tier status was attained within four years and by the end of the 1970s, "Les Rouge-et-Bleu" were ready to embark upon a historic decade. PSG tasted French Cup honours in 1982 and 1983, before capturing their first league crown in 1986 – breakthroughs that opened the doors to Europe and some memorable encounters, particularly with Juventus.[21]

As significant as those successes were, however, the 1990s proved even more fruitful, with Paris Saint-Germain entering a golden age after television giants Canal+ bought the club in May 1991. Now enjoying serious investment, the capital outfit were able to set their sights steadily higher. PSG were on the move and between 1992 and 1998 they contested two UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals – winning in 1996 – reached the UEFA Champions League semifinals once and twice advanced to the same stage of the UEFA Cup. On the domestic scene, results were just as satisfying, with PSG celebrating another League title, three French Cups, two League Cups and just as many Champions Trophy wins.[21]

Paris Saint-Germain has never threatened to hit those same heights again. Three more trophies have been landed but crisis has never lain far away. PSG's form slipped to 9th in 2004–05 and 2005–06. In 2006–07, they did not impress, failing to reach either cup final and finishing 15th, just three places from relegation. Following their sale by Canal+ to Colony Capital, Butler Capital Partners and Morgan Stanley, PSG continued to lose momentum in the league eventually finishing 16th, just three points above the relegation zone. PSG nonetheless won the League Cup and reached the French Cup Final, losing to Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyonnais. In 2008–09, PSG regained fitness and struggled for the title the most part of the season, but finished 6th and out of European action. Colony Capital then acquired all the shares of Morgan Stanley, becoming owners of 95% of the club. The 2009–10 season, became the first time in French football history that both the male and female sections of a club won both the country's national cups. PSG claimed the French Cup, while the Ladies landed the Coupe de France Féminine.[21]

Crest and colours

Main articles: Crest of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and Colors of Paris Saint-Germain F.C.

The first crest of Paris Saint-Germain appeared in 1970 and consisted of a ball and a vessel which are powerful symbols of the city of Paris. It was used during the following three seasons. After Paris FC split from Stade Saint-Germain, which kept with the name of Paris Saint-Germain, it was changed to the current and historic crest: the red silhouette of the Eiffel Tower and the white royal cradle of Louis XIV between its legs on a blue background with white edging. It was the first time that the symbols of both cities, Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, were represented on the same crest. According to Robert Vicot, the crest was the ingenious idea of professional designer Mr. Vallot. It inspired Daniel Hechter to design an iconic shirt which became a strong symbol of the club.[9]

The Stade Saint-Germain club played mainly in white until 1970, when they merged with Paris FC. Paris Saint-Germain adopted the red and blue colors of Paris combined with the white of Saint-Germain. The first strip design of the fledgling PSG in 1970 was mainly solid red. The collar and ends of the sleeves were blue and white. Le Coq Sportif became PSG's first official equipment provider and manufactured the kits for the club until 1986, when Adidas took over. Fashion designer Daniel Hechter collaborated with the club to design an iconic shirt which would become a strong symbol of the club in May 1973. The shirt was blue with a red central vertical bar framed by white edgings. Since then, it has been the club home shirt, despite proposed implementations of new designs, with the main reason being the supporters' rejection. However, the tone and shade of the red and blue has changed over time, as has the dimension and alignment of the red central band. Nike took over supply duties in 1989, a very unusual partnership for a football club at the time due to the vast supremacy of Adidas and Le Coq Sportif, and they remain the equipment supplier to the present day.[10]

Stadium

Main articles: Parc des Princes and Camp des Loges

The Stade Georges Lefèvre of the Camp des Loges was, from 1904 to 1970, the main stadium of Stade Saint-Germain until the club's fusion with fellow local club Paris FC. The Camp des Loges hosts training sessions for the senior team and also serves as the home facility for the club's Reserves and Academy (both male and female) and Female sides, all of which play their home matches at the Stade Georges Lefèvre. The Camp des Loges began operating as the training centre of Paris Saint-Germain in 1974. It began hosting the capital club's Reserves and Academy in 1975.[8] Paris Saint-Germain temporarily vacated the Camp des Loges due to renovations in 2006.[22] The new Camp des Loges was inaugurated in 2008.[23]

The capital club played some matches at the Stade Jean-Bouin during the 1970–71 season, but returned to Saint-Germain-en-Laye because the attendance was lower than in the Stade Georges Lefèvre. Paris Saint-Germain held their home matches at the Stade de Paris during the 1971–72 campaign. PSG played their first match at the Parc des Princes against Red Star on 10 November 1973. Paris Saint-Germain became sole tenant of the Parc des Princes in 1974. PSG, however, had to play a few matches at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir and the Stade de Paris, due to lawn work on the Parc des Princes.[24][25][26]

Canal+, shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain, took control of the SESE, the company which holds the concession to the Parc des Princes, in 1992. The City of Paris extended the concession for another 15 years in 1999.[6] PSG completely took over the stadium and the club's headquarters were moved to a new building in 2002.[27] The club was sold by Canal+ to Colony Capital, Butler Capital Partners and Morgan Stanley in 2006.[28] Immediately after, the City of Paris extended the concession until 2014. The highest average home attendance was registered during the 1999–2000 season with 43,185 spectators per match. 49,407 spectators is the attendance record and was registered in the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals match between PSG and Waterschei in 1983.[7] The club's average home gate for the 2010–11 season was 29,317, the fourth highest in the Ligue 1.[18]

Support

Main articles: Supporters of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and Kop of Boulogne

The supporters of the club are known as parisiens. In France about 11% of the population are said to be Paris Saint-Germain sympathisers, surpassed only by Olympique de Marseille (20%), tied with Olympique Lyonnais and narrowly ahead of Girondins de Bordeaux (10%).[14] Worldwide they are also the second most popular French club, surpassed only by Marseille and followed close behind by Lyon.[29] French President Nicolas Sarkozy is one of the club's most prominent supporters.[30] Paris Saint-Germain are known to draw their support from both far-right white nationalists and Île de France's multi-ethnic population. The Kop of Boulogne is a stand in the Parc des Princes which mainly housed the Boulogne Boys, a supporter group associated with the club. It is known as the "most notorious stand in French football" due to its links with violence and far-right political groups. The KOB became synonymous in French public opinion with not only football hooliganism, but racism and fascism since the 1980s and continutes to be associated with violent elements within the PSG support due to a number of high-profile incidents.[31] The Boulogne Boys, however, were not all far-right supporters as many supporters rejected the attempts of right-wing parties to infiltrate their ranks. The Boys fought other Paris Saint-Germain fans for years.[32] Since 2008, in light of the violence at the Parc des Princes, French authorities have disbanded six PSG ultra supporters groups. From the Tribune d'Auteuil, the groups Supras Auteuil 1991, Paris 1970 la Grinta, and Les Authentiks were dissolved. At the other end of the pitch, the Kop of Boulogne lost the Boulogne Boys (one of the oldest and most notorious hooligan groups in France), Commando Loubard and Milice Paris.[33]

Rivalries

Main articles: Le Classique and History of Le Classique

Le Classique (French pronunciation: [lə klasik], The Classic),[34] also known as Derby de France,[35] is a football match contested between French top-flight clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille. The term "Le Classique" is modeled on the El Clásico, contested between Real Madrid and Barcelona. These meetings became important during the late 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. Canal + and Bernard Tapie started to promote near the general public confrontations between the two clubs, making these matches of interest for all French football fans.[36] The tension between OM and PSG fans is legendary, and both clubs' world-class stadia, the Stade Vélodrome and the Parc des Princes, respectively, are renowned for the white-hot atmosphere and fervent fans. More and more, the various groups of Marseille and Parisian supporters have hated and battled each other. Important security measures are taken to prevent confrontations between the fans, but violent episodes still often occur every time the duo meet.[37]

Like all major rivalries, the antipathy between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille extends outside the pitch as Paris and Marseille are the two largest cities in France, while the duo are the most successful and influential football clubs in the country having won eleven Ligue 1 titles, eighteen French Cups, five League Cups and five Champions Trophy. Both clubs are also the only French clubs to have won a major European trophy, as PSG claimed the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996 and OM landed the UEFA Champions League in 1993. The duo were the dominant forces before the appearance of Olympique Lyonnais during the 21st century. Despite their recent ups and downs, PSG and OM remain, along with Saint-Étienne, the only French clubs with a truly nationwide, faithful and passionate fan base, giving the country's biggest match a special atmosphere.[17]

Ownership and finances

Main article: Ownership and finances of Paris Saint-Germain F.C.

Paris Saint-Germain was managed by Daniel Hechter and Francis Borelli before being purchased by French media company Canal+. The TV channel started buying shares in the club in 1991, but it wasn't until 1997 that they owned the majority. After June 2001, Canal+ obtained another 34% of the shares and then obtained the remaining 2% held by Alain Cayzac in August 2005, making them PSG's sole shareholder. On 11 April 2006, PSG was bought by a consortium comprising Colony Capital, Butler Capital Partners and Morgan Stanley.[28] On 30 June 2009, Colony Capital acquired all the shares of Morgan Stanley, becoming owners of 95% of the club.[38] On 31 May 2011, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling 70% stake in the club from, now minority, shareholder Colony Capital, who retained 29% of the capital club.[19] Butler Capital Partners maintained their 1% share of the club while Association PSG held one share.[20]

Players

Main article: List of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. players

France captain Jean Djorkaeff joined Paris Saint-Germain in 1970. He became the first licensed professional player and first captain of the club. Mamadou Sakho is the current captain of PSG, replacing Claude Makélélé who retired after the 2010–11 season. Pauleta is the club's all-time top scorer with 110 goals. PSG.fr chose "The Eagle of Azores" as the best player in the club's history.[39] Not even the Portuguese striker could match Carlos Bianchi's feat. "El Goleador" spent two seasons at the capital and recorded 71 goals in 80 appearances with two awards for top scorer of the Ligue 1. Mustapha Dahleb is the capital's top scorer in the league with 85 strikes. PSG's success in front of goal was in great part thanks to the emblematic Safet Sušić. The Yugoslav international scored 85 goals and made a record 61 assists. France Football chose Sušić as the best player in the club's history.[40] Jean-Marc Pilorget became the club's all-time most capped player with 435 matches. George Weah is the club's all-time top scorer in European competitions with 16 goals. "Mister George" is also the first and last PSG player to won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year. Javier Pastore and Ronaldinho have the honor of being the club's most expensive transactions. "El Flaco" Pastore's €42 million deal from Italian club Palermo is both PSG and Ligue 1's record signing.[41] Ronaldinho's €32 million transfer to Barcelona remains the capital's highest sale to date.[42] The most successful players are Alain Roche and Paul Le Guen with nine major trophies won.

Current squad

French teams are limited to three players without EU citizenship. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player; several non-European players on the squad have dual citizenship with an EU country. Also, players from the ACP countries—countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement—are not counted against non-EU quotas due to the Kolpak ruling.

As of 6 August 2011 (2011 -08-06).[43]
See 2011–12 Paris Saint-Germain F.C. squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Nicolas Douchez
2 DF Ceará
3 DF Mamadou Sakho (captain)
4 DF Milan Biševac
5 DF Siaka Tiéné
6 DF Zoumana Camara
7 MF Jérémy Ménez
8 FW Péguy Luyindula
9 FW Guillaume Hoarau
10 MF Nenê
11 FW Mevlüt Erdinç
12 MF Mathieu Bodmer
14 MF Blaise Matuidi
No. Position Player
15 DF Diego Lugano
16 GK Alphonse Aréola
18 FW Loris Arnaud
19 FW Kévin Gameiro
20 MF Clément Chantôme
22 DF Sylvain Armand
23 MF Mohamed Sissoko
25 FW Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
26 DF Christophe Jallet
27 MF Javier Pastore
28 DF Loïck Landre
29 MF Neeskens Kebano
30 GK Salvatore Sirigu
Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
17 MF Granddi Ngoyi (on loan at Nantes until the end of the 2011–12 Ligue 2 season)
21 FW Jean-Eudes Maurice (on loan at Lens until the end of the 2011–12 Ligue 2 season)
— FW Éverton Santos (on loan at Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma until the end of the 2011 K-League season)

Reserves and academy

Main article: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Reserves and Academy

The Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Reserves and Academy are the reserve team and academy of Paris Saint-Germain. The Camp des Loges serves as the home facility for the club's Reserves and Academy sides (both male and female), which play their home matches at the Stade Georges Lefèvre. It is located in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, located in the western suburbs of Paris. The facility is known for its high-level training and several prominent players have passed through the youth training centre. Notable graduates include Nicolas Anelka, Luis Fernández, Mamadou Sakho, Bérangère Sapowicz and Aurélie Conforti. Pedro Alonso was the first director of the centre. Bertrand Reuzeau is the current director.[44] PSG also has a pre-training centre, which houses players aged 15 and under, located in Verneuil-sur-Seine.[45] The Camp des Loges is recognised by the FFF as one of the best formation and pre-formation centres in France, being classified as Class 1 and Class A in recent seasons.[46] The LFP announced the classification of training centres for the 2010–11 season. PSG appeared in the top 10, being ranked 9th largely thanks to their double coronation as U-19 and U-17 French champions.[47] PSG Reserves and Academy are one of the most prestigious in French football having won three Coupe de Paris, three Championnat National U-19, two Challenge du Meilleur Club de Jeunes, one Championnat DH Paris, one Coupe Gambardella, one Championnat National U-17, one Championnat de France Cadets, one Tournoi Carisport and one DH Île-de-France Féminine.[44]

Club officials

Board and staff

Manager Carlo Ancelotti
Assistant Coach Claude Makélélé
Goalkeeping Coach Gilles Bourges
Physical Trainers Giovanni Mauri, Raphaël Févre, Simon Colinet, Denis Lefebve
Head Doctor Éric Rolland
Physiotherapists Bruno Le Natur, Jérôme Andral

Source: Ligue 1

Director General President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi
Delegate Director General Jean-Claude Blanc
General Manager Phillipe Boindrieux
Amateur Section Simon Tahar
Director of Football Leonardo
Communications Bruno Skropeta
Recruitment Alain Roche
Academy Director Bertrand Reuzeau
Ground (capacity and dimensions) Parc des Princes (48,712 / 252m x 191m)

Source: Ligue 1

Presidents

Main article: List of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. presidents

Paris Saint-Germain have had 17 presidents since the appointment of Pierre-Étienne Guyot in 1970. The longest-running president is Francis Borelli with 13 years in charge (1978–1991). Michel Denisot is the most successful president with nine major trophies won: one League, three French Cups, two League Cups, two Champions Trophies, and one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi is the current president of Paris Saint-Germain. Association PSG has known three chairmen since 1991. Simon Tahar has been its chairman since 2006.[48]

Managers

Main article: List of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. managers

Paris Saint-Germain have had 36 managers with 27 being full-time managers since the appointment of Pierre Phelipon in 1970. The most successful manager is Luis Fernández with five major trophies won: one French Cup, one League Cup, one Champions Trophy, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and one UEFA Intertoto Cup. He is also the club's longest-serving manager in terms of matches with 244. Luis Fernández and Georges Peyroche are the club's longest-serving managers in terms of time, both with 5 years in charge. Carlo Ancelotti is the current manager of Paris Saint-Germain.[49]

Honours

Main articles: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. honours and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in Europe

PSG Ladies

Main article: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (Ladies)

PSG Ladies is a professional women's football club which has been the female section of Paris Saint-Germain since 1991. PSG is managed by Camillo Vaz – in his third season since replacing Éric Leroy. The club is chaired by Pierre Noguès. The Stade Georges Lefèvre of the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, with a capacity of 3,500 seats, is the main stadium of the club. The 2010–11 season became their 12th season in Division 1 Féminine and their 10th consecutive season in the top-flight of French football. Paris Saint-Germain won the Division 2 Féminine in 2001 and were promoted to the top-tier. Since then Paris Saint-Germain has been playing in the Division 1 Féminine and they currently are the defending champions of the Coupe de France Féminine. Paris Saint-Germain captured their first major title and most prestigious honour to date by defeating Montpellier 5–0, the largest gap in the cup's history. The ladies were runner-ups of the cup in 2008.[12]

PSG Rugby League

Main article: Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League

Paris Saint-Germain Rugby League was a professional rugby league club which competed in the first two seasons of the Super League. Charles Biétry, President of PSG Sports Centre, with the support of former rugby union coach Jacques Fouroux, announced the creation of PSG-RL in 1995, the rugby league section of the successful football club, in an attempt to give the new Super League a Continental European dimension. The Stones Bitter Super League I kicked off in Paris before 17,873 people at the Charlety Stadium when new team PSG-RL overcame Sheffield Eagles 30–24 during the first ever Super League game in 1996. The capital club finished 11th and narrowly avoided relegation in their two seasons of existence, winning only nine, drawing one, and losing thirty-four. At the end of the Stones Bitter Super League II in 1997, following financial difficulties and the withdrawal of their officers, PSG-RL was dissolved and the experiment was generally considered to be a failure.[13]

Tournoi de Paris

Main article: Tournament of Paris

The Tournoi de Paris is an annual two-day pre-season football tournament hosted by Paris Saint-Germain and held at the Parc des Princes. From 1957 to 1976 it was held late in the season and since 1977 it is played before the start of the season. The tournament is the equivalent to the Amsterdam Tournament and the Emirates Cup held by Ajax and Arsenal, respectively. The cup competition is named after Paris, the city where the tournament takes place. It is broadcasted by French premium pay television channel Canal+. The Tournoi de Paris involves four teams including the hosts. PSG have played in the tournament every year since 1975 and are the all-time record-holders, having won the competition seven times. Belgian outfit Anderlecht have three titles and are the most successful team other than the hosts to appear in the tournament. The current champions are Bordeaux, finishing first in the standings ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Porto in the 2010 edition.[50]

References

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General

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Preceded by
Real Zaragoza		 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winner
1996
Runner-up: Rapid Vienna		 Succeeded by
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