Michel François Platini is a French football administrator and former player and manager. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row, in 1983, 1984 and 1985, and came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. In recognition of his achievements, he was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1985 and became an Officier in 1998. As the president of UEFA in 2015 he was banned from involvement in football under FIFA's organisation, over ethics violations. The ban lasted until 2023.
The France national football team represents France in men's international football. It is controlled by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colours and imagery reference two national symbols: the French blue-white-red tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at Centre National du Football in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain or simply PSG, is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football.
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise, commonly known as AJ Auxerre or by the abbreviation AJA, is a French professional football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club plays in Ligue 1, the top division of French football, since the 2024–25 season after securing promotion from Ligue 2 as winners of the 2023–24 season. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, on the banks of the Yonne River. The team is managed by Christophe Pélissier.
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back and is the manager of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. He has the nickname Le Président, which was given to him following his stint at Marseille in tribute to his leadership skills. He is regarded as one of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport.
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace, commonly known as RC Strasbourg or simply just Racing, is a French professional association football club founded in 1906 and based in the city of Strasbourg, Alsace. Its became a professional club in 1933. It is currently playing in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football, since winning the 2016–17 Ligue 2 championship. This comes after the club was demoted to the fifth tier of French football at the conclusion of the 2010–11 Championnat National season after going into financial liquidation. Renamed RC Strasbourg Alsace, they won the CFA championship in 2012–13, and became Championnat National champions in 2015–16. Stade de la Meinau has been the club's stadium since 1914.
Association football is the most popular sport in France. In 2024, 53% of people in France declared an interest in football, with 26% being very interested. The French Football Federation is the national governing body and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of association football in the country, both professional and amateur. The federation organizes the Coupe de France and is responsible for appointing the management of the men's, women's, and youth national football teams in France. The federation gives responsibility of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 to the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) who oversee, organize, and manage the country's top two leagues. The LFP is also responsible for organizing the Coupe de la Ligue, the country's league cup competition. The French Football Federation also supervises the overseas departments and territories leagues and hosts football club AS Monaco, a club based in the independent sovereign state of Monaco. In 2022, the FFF had 2.1 million licensees, 1.8 million players and 14,000 registered clubs, the second highest number of registered players in Europe after Germany.
The France women's national football team represents France in international women's football. The team is directed by the French Football Federation (FFF). France competes as a member of UEFA in various international football tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA Women's Euro, the Summer Olympics, and the Algarve Cup.
Luis Miguel Fernández Toledo, known as Luis Fernandez, is a French football manager and former player who played as a defensive midfielder.
Bernard Mendy is a French former professional footballer who played as a right-back. He was known for his blistering pace and constant overlapping runs. He most recently served as the assistant manager of Paris Saint-Germain Féminine.
Alain Jean Giresse is a French football coach and former player who last managed Kosovo.
Jean Djorkaeff is a French former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he operated as a defender.
Daniel Bravo is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. With the exception of a stint at Serie A's Parma, he spent all of his career in his native France, playing 217 matches for Paris Saint-Germain. He won the UEFA European Championship with France in 1984.
Laura Stéphanie Georges is a French retired footballer who is the Secretary General of the French Football Federation. She last played for German club Bayern Munich of the Bundesliga, and served as the first-choice captain of her club and played primarily as a central defender, but was also used as a defensive midfielder. Georges was also a France women's international having made her senior international debut in September 2001. She represented her nation at seven major international tournaments; the 2003, 2011 and 2015 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017 editions of the UEFA Women's Championship.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain or simply PSG, are a French professional women's football club based in Paris. Founded in 1971, they compete in the Première Ligue, the top division of French football. Their home ground is the Stade Jean-Bouin. They are the women's department of Paris Saint-Germain.
The Paris Saint-Germain Academy is the youth system of both Paris Saint-Germain's men's and women's teams. Managed by the Association Paris Saint-Germain, the academy was officially established in 1975, but has been developing young talents since the club's foundation in 1970. The academy now has centres in several countries around the world. Likewise, PSG began developing youth players for the women's section in 2012, with the academy officially opening in 2023. Campus PSG in Poissy is currently the training facility and home ground of both sections.
Women's football in France is run by the French Football Federation. As such the national team are eligible to play in the World Cup and the European Championship, whilst clubs can enter the UEFA Women's Champions League. The earliest known women's football match involving the French was a women's French team versus the Dick, Kerr's Ladies team from Preston, played at Goodison Park, Liverpool on Boxing Day 1920, attracted a crowd of 53,000 with another 10–15,000 reportedly turned away because the ground was full.
Griedge Yinda Colette Mbock Bathy Nka is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team.
Aïssatou Tounkara is a French professional footballer who plays as a defender for Première Ligue club Fleury and the France national team.
