Nice was founded under the name Gymnaste Club de Nice and is one of the founding members of the first division of French football. The club has won Ligue 1 four times, the Trophee des Champions one time and the Coupe de France three times. It achieved most of its honours in the 1950s with the club being managed by coaches such as Numa Andoire, Englishman William Berry, and Jean Luciano. The club's last honour was winning the Coupe de France in 1997 after defeating Guingamp 4–3 on penalties in the final. Nice's colours are red and black.
During the club's successful run in the 1950s, Nice were among the first French clubs to successfully integrate internationals players into the fold. Notable players include Héctor De Bourgoing, Pancho Gonzales, Victor Nurenberg, and Joaquín Valle, the latter being the club's all-time leading goalscorer and arguably greatest player.[2]
Gymnaste Club 'Azur was founded in the residential district of Les Baumettes on 9 July 1904 under the name Gymnaste Club. The club was founded by Marquis de Massingy d'Auzac, who served as president of the Fédération Sportive des Alpes-Maritimes (Alpes-Maritimes Sporting Federation). Akin to its name, the club primarily focused on the sports of gymnastics and athletics. On 6 July 1908, in an effort to remain affiliated with the FSAM and also join the amateur federation USFSA, the head of French football at the time, Gymnaste Club de Nice split into two sections with the new section of the club being named Gymnastes Amateurs Club de Nice. The new section spawned a football club and, after two seasons, the two clubs merged. On 20 September 1919, Nice merged with local club Gallia Football Athlétic Club and, subsequently, adopted the club's red and black combination. In 1920, the club was playing in the Ligue du Sud-Est, a regional league under the watch of the French Football Federation. While playing in the league, Nice developed rivalries with Cannes and Marseille. On 22 December 1924, the club changed its name to Olympique Gymnaste Club de Nice.
In July 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation voted 128–20 in support of professionalism in French football. Nice, along with most clubs from southern France, were among the first clubs to adopt the new statute and subsequently became professional and were founding members of the new league. In the league's inaugural season, Nice finished seventh in its group. In the following season, Nice finished 13th and were relegated from the league. The club did not play league football in the ensuing season and returned to French football in 1936 playing in Division 2. Nice spent the next three years playing in the second division. In 1939, professional football in France was abolished due to World War II. Nonetheless, Nice continued to play league football under amateur status with the club participating in the Ligue du Sud-Est in 1939 and the Ligue du Sud in the following seasons.
After World War II, Nice returned to professional status and were inserted back into the second division. The club achieved promotion back to the first division for the 1948–49 season under the leadership of the Austrian manager Anton Marek. After two seasons of finishing in the top ten, Nice, now led by manager Jean Lardi, achieved its first-ever honour by winning the league title in the 1950–51 season. Led by French internationalsMarcel Domingo, Antoine Bonifaci, Abdelaziz Ben Tifour, and Jean Courteaux, as well as the Argentine duo of Pancho Gonzales and Luis Carniglia and the Swede Pär Bengtsson, Nice won the league despite finishing equal on points with Lille. Nice was declared champions due to having more wins (18) than Lille (17).[3] In the following season, under new manager Numa Andoire, Nice won the double after winning both the league and the Coupe de France. In the league, the club defended its title by holding off both Bordeaux and Lille. In the Coupe de France final, Nice faced Bordeaux and defeated the Aquitaine club 5–3 courtesy of goals from five different players.
Nice continued its solid run in the decade by winning the Coupe de France for the second time in 1954. The club, now being led by a young and unknown Just Fontaine, faced southern rivals Marseille and earned a 2–1 victory with Victor Nuremberg and Carniglia scoring the goals. Carniglia retired from football after the season and began managing Nice. In his first season in charge, Nice won the league for a third time after being chased for the entire season by rivals Marseille and Monaco, as well as Lens and Saint-Étienne. After the campaign, Fontaine departed the club for Stade de Reims. Three seasons later, Nice won the last title of the decade in 1959. The club finished the decade (1950–1959) with four league titles and two Coupe de France trophies. Nice also appeared in European competition for the first time in the 1956–57 season, losing to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
In subsequent decades, Nice struggled to equal the success of the 1950s with Reims and, later Saint-Étienne eclipsing the club in the 1960s and '70s. During this time, Nice regularly competed in Division 1 with the exception of two seasons in Division 2 in 1965 and 1970. In 1973 and 1976, Nice achieved a second-place finish in the league, its best finish since winning the league in 1959. However, following the latter finish, the club finished in lower positions in the next six seasons and were relegated in the 1981–82 season after finishing 19th. Nice played three seasons in the second division before returning to the top flight in 1985. After six seasons of mid-table finishes, Nice was back in Division 2.
In 1997, Nice, now back in the first division, stunned many after winning the Coupe de France. However, the victory did not shock most French football enthusiasts mainly due to the club's competition in the run up to the final in which Nice faced only Division 2 clubs, save for first division club Bastia. In the final, Nice defeated Guingamp 5–4 on penalties to earn cup success. On a sourer note, Nice were relegated from the first division only days after winning the Coupe de France in dead last in the league. The club spent five seasons in Ligue 2 and returned to Ligue 1 for the 2001–02 season. In the lead up to the season, Nice failed to meet the financial requirements set by the DNCG and was subsequently relegated to the Championnat National, the third level of French football. However, after achieving stability, mainly due to selling a few players, Nice was allowed in Ligue 1 after successfully appealing. In the 2005–06 season, Nice made it to the final of the Coupe de la Ligue in 2006, losing to Nancy 2–1.
In 2016, a Chinese and American consortium led by Chien Lee and Alex Zheng purchased 80% of the club.[4] In the 2016–17 Ligue 1 season, Nice finished third in the final standings and qualified for the third round of the UEFA Champions League.[5]
On June 11, 2018, Patrick Vieira was announced as Nice manager, replacing Lucien Favre.[6] In the 2018/2019 season, Nice finished in 7th place on the table.[7]
In July 2019, it was announced that Ineos acquired the French club for a reported €100 million.[8]
From 1927 until 2013, Nice played its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray, usually shortened to simply the Stade du Ray. The stadium is, however, officially known as the Stade Léo-Lagrange, named after a French politician who had a stint in politics as the assistant secretary of state for sport. The Stade du Ray has gone through many renovations, most recently being in 1997 and has a capacity of 17,415. The stadium was popular with supporters for being located in the centre of the city, but suffered from its old structure and small capacity, as the Nice metropolitan area has over one million residents.
Nice began to attempt to build a new stadium in 2002. In its first attempt, the club was heavily criticised by local politicians who questioned the usefulness and format of the stadium. Despite the critics, however, the club's proposition passed and excavation of the site in the plain of Var, at Nice-Lingostière, began in July 2006. The Tribunal administration of Nice cancelled the project for irregularities committed concerning the fixation of the price of tickets. In October 2008, the new deputy mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, declared that Nice would have a new stadium "no later than 2013". The new stadium was to be built at the same place as before, at Nice-Lingostière.
On 22 September 2009, French newspaper L'Équipe reported the Grand Stade Nice had been selected by the French Football Federation (FFF) as 1 of the 12 stadiums to be used in the country's bid to host UEFA Euro 2016. The FFF officially made its selections on 11 November 2009, and the city of Nice was selected as a site to host matches during the tournament.[9] The construction of the Allianz Riviera started in 2011 and was completed in September 2013.
Below are the notable former players who have represented Nice in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1904. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club.
Olympique de Marseille, also known as OM or simply Marseille, is a French professional football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of their history in the top tier of French football. The club has won ten official league titles, ten Coupes de France and three Coupes de la Ligue. In 1993, coach Raymond Goethals led the team to become the first and only French club to win the UEFA Champions League, defeating AC Milan 1–0 in the final. In 2010, Marseille won its first Ligue 1 title in 18 years under the managing of former club captain Didier Deschamps.
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football, after having finished 18th and being relegated from Ligue 1 in the 2013–14 season. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal, located within the city.
Stade Rennais Football Club, commonly referred to as Stade Rennais FC, Stade Rennais, Rennes, or simply SRFC, is a French professional association football club based in Rennes in Brittany. They compete in Ligue 1, the top tier of Football in France, the club plays its home matches at the Roazhon Park, located within the city. The team is managed by Julien Stéphan. The team's president is Nicolas Holveck and its owner is Artémis, the holding company of businessman François Pinault.
Racing Club de Lens, is a French football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or, comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their traditional rivals are their northern neighbours Lille, with whom they contest the Derby du Nord.
Football Club de Nantes Atlantique, commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes, is a French professional football club based in Nantes in Brittany. The club was founded on 21 April 1943, during World War II, as a result of local clubs based in the city coming together to form one large club. From 1992 to 2007, the club was referred to as FC Nantes Atlantique before reverting to its current name at the start of the 2007–08 season. Nantes play in Ligue 1, the first division of Football in France. Nantes is one of the most successful clubs in French football, having won eight Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France wins and attained one Coupe de la Ligue victory. The club is famous for its jeu à la nantaise, its collective spirit, mainly advocated under coaches José Arribas, Jean-Claude Suaudeau and Raynald Denoueix and for its youth system, which has produced players such as Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Mickaël Landreau, Claude Makélélé, Christian Karembeu and Jérémy Toulalan. As well as Les Canaris, Nantes is also nicknamed Les jaunes et verts and La Maison Jaune.
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux, commonly referred to as Girondins de Bordeaux or simply Bordeaux, is a French professional football club based in the city of Bordeaux in Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. The team is currently coached by Jean-Louis Gasset and captained by Benoît Costil.
Football Club de Metz, commonly referred to as FC Metz or simply Metz, is a French association football club based in Metz, Lorraine. The club was formed in 1932 and plays in Ligue 1, the top division in the French football league system. Metz plays its home matches at Stade Saint-Symphorien located within the city. The team is currently managed by Vincent Hognon. In their 88-year history, Metz have spent 61 seasons in Ligue 1 and 17 seasons in Ligue 2. Despite never winning the top flight, they have won the Coupe de France twice and the Coupe de la Ligue twice.
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French professional football club based in Saint-Étienne in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, The club was founded in 1933 and plays in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The team was last managed by Claude Puel and captained by Loïc Perrin, who started his career at the club in 1996. Saint-Étienne is known as Les Verts meaning "the Greens" due to its home colours.
Sporting Club Bastiais is a French association football club based in Bastia on the island of Corsica. The club plays in Championnat National, the third tier of French football, after being demoted four levels from Ligue 1 in 2017 due to financial difficulties after playing in the first tier for five seasons. The club plays its home matches at the Stade Armand Cesari located within the city. Bastia is managed by Mathieu Chabert and captained by defender Gilles Cioni.
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy, Grand Est. The club was founded in 1967 and currently plays in Ligue 2.
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club, commonly referred to as Montpellier HSC or simply Montpellier, is a French professional football club based in the city of Montpellier in Occitanie. The original club was founded in 1919, while the current incarnation was founded through a merger in 1974. Montpellier currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football and plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city. The first team is managed by Michel Der Zakarian and captained by defender Hilton.
En Avant Guingamp, commonly referred to as EA Guingamp, EAG, or simply Guingamp, is a Breton association football club in the commune of Guingamp. The club was founded in 1912 and play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The club has appeared in the Ligue 1, the top flight of French football, for several seasons, and is known for its relative success given Guingamp's small population of only 7,000 people.
Association Sportive de Cannes Football is a French association football club based in Cannes. The club was formed 1902 as a sports club and currently plays in the Championnat National 3, the fifth division of French football. Cannes plays its home matches at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin, located within the city. The team is managed by Ludovic Pollet.
Red Star Football Club, also known simply as Red Star, is a French association football club founded in Paris in 1897, and is the third oldest French football club, after Le Havre AC and Girondins de Bordeaux. In the 2019–20 season the club plays in the Championnat National, the French third tier, after being relegated from Ligue 2 at the end of the 2018–19 season. It plays matches at Stade Bauer now it is back in the third tier. The team is managed by Vincent Bordot and is currently captained by Formose Mendy.
The Allianz Riviera is a multi-use stadium in Nice, France, used mostly for football matches of host OGC Nice and also for occasional home matches of rugby union club Toulon. The stadium has a capacity of 36,178 people and replaces the city's former stadium Stade Municipal du Ray. Construction started in 2011 and was completed two years later. The stadium's opening was on 22 September 2013, for a match between OGC Nice and Valenciennes.
Union Sportive Créteil-Lusitanos is a French football club based in Créteil, a southeastern suburb of Paris. The club was founded in 1936 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third division of French football. The football club forms part of an omnisports club that is also known for its handball team.
Luis Antonio Carniglia was an Argentine football striker and manager. He played for Boca Juniors in the 1930s, but is probably best known for managing Real Madrid in the 1950s. Luis Carniglia was buried in La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.
Alexy Bosetti is a French footballer who plays as a striker for National 2 club Le Puy.
The 2016–17 Ligue 1 season was the 79th season since its establishment. Paris Saint-Germain were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 1 June 2016. The season began on 12 August 2016 and ended on 20 May 2017.
The 2019–20 season was Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice's 93rd season in existence and the club's 18th consecutive season in the top flight of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Nice participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue. The season covered the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.
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