FC Nantes Atlantique
Encyclopedia
Football Club de Nantes ' onMouseout='HidePop("79305")' href="/topics/Gallo_language">Gallo
: Naunnt; commonly referred to as simply Nantes) is a French association football
club based in Nantes
, Pays de la Loire
. 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 big club. From 1992–2007, the club was referred to as FC Nantes Atlantique before reverting to its current name at the start of the 2007–08 season. Nantes currently play in Ligue 2
, the second division of French football. The club has spent the majority of its life in Ligue 1, but last played in the league in 2008. The first-team is currently managed by Landry Chauvin and captained by defender
Matheus Vivian.
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
and Christian Karembeu
. As well as Les Canaris (The Canaries), Nantes is also nicknamed Les jaunes et verts (The Green and Yellows) and La Maison Jaune (The Yellow House).
Following the club’s first season, Saupin ventured to Paris, along with other club members, where many young footballers were emigrating into the provinces in order to avoid having to carry out forced labor in Germany due to the Service du travail obligatoire
. Here he found the club a professional trainer, as well as several quality players after which Saupin became the club chairman in 1944. Following the group’s success, its healthy finances and because Saupin was a personal friend of Gabriel Hanot
, the club became part of the Groupement des clubs autorisés, a precursor to the Ligue de Football Professionnel
, and subsequently became a professional team when the war
ended in July 1945.
The first match Nantes played as a professional team took place at the Stade Olympique de Colombes against CA Paris, where FC Nantes triumphed 2–0. The first home match was a defeat of the same score against AS Troyes
. The club finished fifth at the end of this first season following which the club’s manager Aimé Nuic left the club following a dispute, and was succeeded by Antoine Raab who took over in a player-coach role. After winning 16 consecutive matches, Nantes bowed down 9–0 to Sochaux
. In 1963, the town council decided to give substantial subsidies to the club to give it a leg-up to climb into the next division.
On the first of June 1963, the club won its place in the first division against Sochaux.
Marcel Saupin died on 10 June and would never see the club he created amongst the elite. Nantes went on to win the 1964–65 and 1965–66 league titles with a well polished game, partly thanks to José Arribas, a fan of a more offensive game strategy who was making his first contributions to that which would become known as the jeu à la nantaise.
It was during this period that the famous jeu à la nantaise, made up of well-oiled and offensive tactics, made its appearance. In the summer of 1976, Arribas departed his role as manager and the reins were handed to Jean Vincent. The former player, who had played for Stade Reims
during the club's successful years, remained the team’s manager until 1982 when Jean-Claude Suaudeau
, another fan of the jeu à la nantaise style of play and a former Nantes player, replaced him.
Apart from the titles of French champion which Nantes held in 1973, 1977, 1980 and 1983, the club won their first Coupe de France
in 1979 against Auxerre
courtesy of a 4–1 victory after extra time. Eric Pécout
inserted his name into Nantes
folklore by converting a hat-trick in the match. In June 1983, Nantes battled out a Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain. In the match, Nantes striker José Touré
scored a memorable goal, but, nevertheless, Nantes lost the match 3–2 preventing the club from obtaining the league and cup double
.
Nantes really spread its wings during the 1982–83 season, and even it’s most dangerous rival (Girondins de Bordeaux) ceded underneath the offensive pressure exerted by the club, and left the game at Nantes home Marcel Saupin stadium defeated at 4–0, partly thanks to a well-oiled match and the golden touch of the Yugoslavian player Vahid Halilhodžić
, responsible for a total of 27 goals, and who finished best striker of the championship.
After being at the top of the table for several years, then coming second in the 1984-5 championship (behind Bordeaux) and in 1985-6 (behind Paris Saint-Germain), FC Nantes went through a much more difficult period. In 1988, Jean-Claude Suaudeau’s place at the head of the first team was taken over by Miroslav Blazevic
. His results were not, however, in line with the clubs ambitions – Nantes coming 7th in 1988-9 and 1989–90 and gaining a pitiful 15th place in 1991, having no title to add to their record during these three seasons. In July 1991 the club re-instated Jean-Claude Suaudeau, and in July 1992, the after spending a fortnight in the second division due to an administrative decision by the DNGG (French Football’s financial regulator), FC Nantes is renamed FC Nantes Atlantique, and is able to take its place in the 1st Division back.
In 1992, the jeu à la nantaise made its comeback. The club subsequently made the finals of the French Championship in 1992-3; semi-finals of the French Cup in 1993-4; won the 1994-5 Championship and was Semi finalist in the Champion’s league of 1995–6. This period saw the development of a host of players such as Japhet N'Doram
, Patrice Loko
, Reynald Pedros
, Nicolas Ouédec
, Claude Makélélé
, and Christian Karembeu
.
Between 1995 and 1997 the club underwent financial difficulties and the best players left one after the other with mixed futures: Loko, Ouedec and Pedros quickly forgotten and dropped from the Equipe de France
shortly after Euro 96; Japhet N’Doram fought against persistent injuries at AS Monaco; whilst Karembeu and Makelele fared better, managing to succeed abroad (notably at Real Madrid) and both become active members of the French team.
Tired of the transfers of his best players at the end of each season, Jean-Claude Suaudeau quit the footballing world in 1996 and handed over the ropes to Raynald Denoueix
, previously the second team’s coach.
After a catastrophic beginning to the 1996–7 season, the team finished 3 place in the championship after playing 30 games without a single defeat. They were deprived of qualification in the champion’s league by AS Monaco (with a score of 2–1). After this, FC Nantes Atlantique stagnated in the middle of the table for a few seasons but finally found a buyer after becoming champion once more in 2001 with Viorel Moldovan
, Eric Carrière
or Salomon Olembé
. It was then bought out by Socpresse
(a media group) who designated a chairman who was completely oblivious to the footballing world: Jean-Luc Gripond.
On 11 March 2004, Groupe Dassault became the new owner of the club after buying out the Socpresse group. Dassault didn't intervene in the running of the club and left the executive team as it was, thus showing that it never really wanted to own the football club, and whose only aspiration was to not lose money from it. In the 2003/4 season, Nantes was defeated by Sochaux after its captain and goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau
misses a goal during a penalty shoot-out, thus depriving the team of the League Cup, and a spot in the UEFA Cup.
The following season was the worst the club ever had since it rose into ligue 1, with Nantes narrowly missing relegation. During this season the club had an unprecedented crisis, with the revolt of the players led by Landreau, calling for the sacking of their manager Loïc Amisse
; the team’s supporters also joined in the revolt, notably at a match at Sochaux where they ripped out over 150 seats and injured 4 stewards in a vain attempt to stir up Chairman Gripond.
Before the start of the 2005/6 season, Serge Dassault’s team asks executives Robert Budzynski
and Kléber Bobin as well as the players Mickaël Landreau and Frédéric Da Rocha to leave. At the same time Vahid Halilhodzic is approached to become manager, even though Serge Le Dizet
had only been in place for six months. Jean-Luc Gripond was also finally replaced by Rudi Roussillon on 28 June 2005 following an Extraordinary meeting of the Dassault group.
On 20 September 2006, Georges Eo replaced Serge Le Dizet as club manager. He would only hold this position for five months however, being replaced by the duo Michel Der Zakarian
/ Japhet N'Doram
on 12 February 2007. On 9 May of the same year, despite their victory against Bordeaux (1–0), FC Nantes was mathematically relegated to the league below. The Yellows would therefore get ready to dispute their 19th Ligue 2
season in the club’s history. This season would be smitten by the coming and going of a record number of assistant managers, by the arrival and the departure of Fabien Barthez
and by the crowds invading the pitch at the last home match of the season against Toulouse in the 86th minute.
On 30 July 2007, the club played its first Ligue 2 match since 1963. The summer was marked by a busy Mercato
, and by the handing over of the club to a new owner. During the first part of the season, the players adopted their role as division favourites with perfection, despite a 4–0 defeat against Boulogne-sur-Mer. Waldemar Kita continued to renovate the club: the club changed both its name and its insignia, returning to the three letters FCN, dropping the “Atlantique”. Nevertheless, the start of 2008 was the most difficult with 2 defeats (Clermont
and Le Havre
), and the elimination from the Coupe de France (after penalty shoot out against Sedan, the first at this stage for 6 years). Three consecutive wins against Brest, Bastia and Sedan (with 4 goals from new recruit Filip Đorđević) helped Nantes regain momentum, and allowed them to conclude the championship a little more at their ease.
Nantes secured a return to Ligue 1 on 25 April 2008, with a 1–1 draw against Montpellier. In the 2008–09 Ligue 1 season, Nantes finished 19th and were relegated back to Ligue 2. At the moment the club struggles to get more than 10,000 fans into a 37,000 seater stadium.
and international competition since the club's foundation in 1943. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club.
For a complete list of FC Nantes players, see :Category:FC Nantes players
Loïc Amisse
Sylvain Armand
William Ayache
Bruno Baronchelli
Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes
Bernard Blanchet
Maxime Bossis
Robert Budzynski
Éric Carrière
Marcel Desailly
Didier Deschamps
Jean-Michel Ferri
Nicolas Gillet
Philippe Gondet
Christian Karembeu
Antoine Kombouaré
Mickaël Landreau
Patrice Loko
Claude Makélélé
Henri Michel
Olivier Monterrubio
Oscar Muller
Jean-Claude Osman
Nicolas Ouédec
Éric Pécout
Reynald Pedros
Patrice Rio
Omar Sahnoun
Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jérémy Toulalan
José Touré
Andrew Cooper
Marama Vahirua
Ángel Bargas
Jorge Burruchaga
Mauro Cetto
Néstor Fabbri
Ángel Marcos
Michel Der Zakarian
Franky Vercauteren
Salomon Olembé
Japhet N'Doram
Erich Maas
Vahid Halilhodžić
Gallo language
Gallo is a regional language of France. Gallo is a Romance language, one of the Oïl languages. It is the historic language of the region of Upper Brittany and some neighboring portions of Normandy, but today is spoken by only a small minority of the population, having been largely superseded by...
: Naunnt; commonly referred to as simply Nantes) is a French association football
Football in France
Football is the most popular sport in France. The Fédération Française de Football is the national governing bodyand is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of association football in the country, both professional and amateur...
club based in Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...
. 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 big club. From 1992–2007, the club was referred to as FC Nantes Atlantique before reverting to its current name at the start of the 2007–08 season. Nantes currently play in Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
, the second division of French football. The club has spent the majority of its life in Ligue 1, but last played in the league in 2008. The first-team is currently managed by Landry Chauvin and captained by defender
Defender
Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li...
Matheus Vivian.
Nantes is one of the most successful clubs in French football having won eight Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
titles, three Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
wins, and attained one Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
victory. The club is famous for its jeu à la nantaise, its collective spirit, mainly advocated under coaches José Arribas, Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau is a former French football player and then coach of the FC Nantes Atlantique....
and Raynald Denoueix
Raynald Denoueix
Raynald Denoueix is a French football manager and former defender.Born in Rouen, Denoueix spent his whole playing career as a defender at FC Nantes before becoming a coach at the club's youth academy. During his time at the youth academy, he discovered players such as Didier Deschamps or Marcel...
and for its youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
, which has produced players such as Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly is a retired Ghanaian born French footballer and star of the France national football team squad, with whom he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
, Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps
Didier Claude Deschamps is a retired French footballer and current manager of Marseille. He played as a defensive midfielder. As an international, he assisted France with victories in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
, Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Vincent André-Marie Landreau is a French professional football goalkeeper, who currently plays for French Ligue 1 side Lille OSC. He has 11 caps for the French national team.-Club career:...
and Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu is a retired French international footballer and current scout for Arsenal Football Club...
. As well as Les Canaris (The Canaries), Nantes is also nicknamed Les jaunes et verts (The Green and Yellows) and La Maison Jaune (The Yellow House).
History
In 1943, Nantes had five football clubs (Saint-Pierre, Stade Nantais UC, AC Batignolles, ASO Nantaise and Mellinet). However, Mellinet’s manager, Marcel Saupin, realized that Nantes could have a better chance of sporting success if all five clubs merged into one. Following the merger of all five clubs into FC Nantes, Saupin declared, “Today we are a small team, but we will become a great team if we work together one day”. The green and yellow of the club's strip were chosen with reference to the racing horse stables of Jean le Guillou, one of the club's founders.Following the club’s first season, Saupin ventured to Paris, along with other club members, where many young footballers were emigrating into the provinces in order to avoid having to carry out forced labor in Germany due to the Service du travail obligatoire
Service du travail obligatoire
The Service du travail obligatoire was the forced enlistment and deportation of hundreds of thousands of French workers to Nazi Germany in order to work as forced labour for the German war effort during World War II....
. Here he found the club a professional trainer, as well as several quality players after which Saupin became the club chairman in 1944. Following the group’s success, its healthy finances and because Saupin was a personal friend of Gabriel Hanot
Gabriel Hanot
Gabriel Hanot was a French association football player and journalist .He made 12 appearances for the France national football team, with his debut coming on 8 March 1908 against Switzerland. He made another 10 appearances for them up to World War I...
, the club became part of the Groupement des clubs autorisés, a precursor to the Ligue de Football Professionnel
Ligue de Football Professionnel
The Ligue de Football Professionnel , commonly known as the LFP, is a French governing body that runs the major professional football leagues in France. It was founded in 1944 and serves under the authority of the French Football Federation...
, and subsequently became a professional team when the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended in July 1945.
The first match Nantes played as a professional team took place at the Stade Olympique de Colombes against CA Paris, where FC Nantes triumphed 2–0. The first home match was a defeat of the same score against AS Troyes
Troyes AC
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne is a French association football club, based in Troyes. It was founded in 1900. The club was promoted to Ligue 1 for the 2005–06 season and their first Ligue 1 season was in 1954/55, and their second spell came in 1999/2000 Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube...
. The club finished fifth at the end of this first season following which the club’s manager Aimé Nuic left the club following a dispute, and was succeeded by Antoine Raab who took over in a player-coach role. After winning 16 consecutive matches, Nantes bowed down 9–0 to Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
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 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
. In 1963, the town council decided to give substantial subsidies to the club to give it a leg-up to climb into the next division.
On the first of June 1963, the club won its place in the first division against Sochaux.
Marcel Saupin died on 10 June and would never see the club he created amongst the elite. Nantes went on to win the 1964–65 and 1965–66 league titles with a well polished game, partly thanks to José Arribas, a fan of a more offensive game strategy who was making his first contributions to that which would become known as the jeu à la nantaise.
It was during this period that the famous jeu à la nantaise, made up of well-oiled and offensive tactics, made its appearance. In the summer of 1976, Arribas departed his role as manager and the reins were handed to Jean Vincent. The former player, who had played for Stade Reims
Stade Reims
Stade de Reims is a French association football club based in Reims. The club was formed in 1911 under the name Société Sportive du Parc Pommery and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football having achieved promotion to the league following the 2009–10 season...
during the club's successful years, remained the team’s manager until 1982 when Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau is a former French football player and then coach of the FC Nantes Atlantique....
, another fan of the jeu à la nantaise style of play and a former Nantes player, replaced him.
Apart from the titles of French champion which Nantes held in 1973, 1977, 1980 and 1983, the club won their first Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
in 1979 against Auxerre
AJ Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise is a French association football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the...
courtesy of a 4–1 victory after extra time. Eric Pécout
Éric Pécout
Éric Pécout is a retired football striker from France, who obtained 5 caps for the French national team.-Titles:*French championship in 1977, 1980 with FC Nantes, 1982 with AS Monaco...
inserted his name into Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
folklore by converting a hat-trick in the match. In June 1983, Nantes battled out a Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain. In the match, Nantes striker José Touré
José Touré
José Touré is a former French professional football player.Touré was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.-External links:*...
scored a memorable goal, but, nevertheless, Nantes lost the match 3–2 preventing the club from obtaining the league and cup double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
.
Nantes really spread its wings during the 1982–83 season, and even it’s most dangerous rival (Girondins de Bordeaux) ceded underneath the offensive pressure exerted by the club, and left the game at Nantes home Marcel Saupin stadium defeated at 4–0, partly thanks to a well-oiled match and the golden touch of the Yugoslavian player Vahid Halilhodžić
Vahid Halilhodžic
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
, responsible for a total of 27 goals, and who finished best striker of the championship.
After being at the top of the table for several years, then coming second in the 1984-5 championship (behind Bordeaux) and in 1985-6 (behind Paris Saint-Germain), FC Nantes went through a much more difficult period. In 1988, Jean-Claude Suaudeau’s place at the head of the first team was taken over by Miroslav Blazevic
Miroslav Blaževic
Miroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
. His results were not, however, in line with the clubs ambitions – Nantes coming 7th in 1988-9 and 1989–90 and gaining a pitiful 15th place in 1991, having no title to add to their record during these three seasons. In July 1991 the club re-instated Jean-Claude Suaudeau, and in July 1992, the after spending a fortnight in the second division due to an administrative decision by the DNGG (French Football’s financial regulator), FC Nantes is renamed FC Nantes Atlantique, and is able to take its place in the 1st Division back.
In 1992, the jeu à la nantaise made its comeback. The club subsequently made the finals of the French Championship in 1992-3; semi-finals of the French Cup in 1993-4; won the 1994-5 Championship and was Semi finalist in the Champion’s league of 1995–6. This period saw the development of a host of players such as Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram is a retired Chadian footballer who played as a striker.His 14-year playing career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities...
, Patrice Loko
Patrice Loko
Patrice Loko is French footballer who retired in 2004. Playing as a striker he began his career at Nantes and then moved on to Paris Saint-Germain, where he was part of the team that won the 1996 Cup Winners' Cup and lost to Barcelona in the 1997 Cup Winners' Cup final. From there he went on to...
, Reynald Pedros
Reynald Pedros
Reynald Pedros is a retired French footballer of Portuguese descent.- Career :Pedros is a left-footed attacking midfielder, formed in Nantes. He was part of the magic trio of FC Nantes with Patrice Loko and Nicolas Ouédec...
, Nicolas Ouédec
Nicolas Ouédec
Nicolas Pierre Ouédec is a retired French professional footballer who played as a striker.-Football career:A product of FC Nantes's famous youth academy, Ouédec made his first division debuts aged 17...
, Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélelé Sinda is a retired football player who used to play as a defensive midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Prior to joining Paris Saint-Germain, Makélélé played for Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and Chelsea...
, and Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu is a retired French international footballer and current scout for Arsenal Football Club...
.
Between 1995 and 1997 the club underwent financial difficulties and the best players left one after the other with mixed futures: Loko, Ouedec and Pedros quickly forgotten and dropped from the Equipe de France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
shortly after Euro 96; Japhet N’Doram fought against persistent injuries at AS Monaco; whilst Karembeu and Makelele fared better, managing to succeed abroad (notably at Real Madrid) and both become active members of the French team.
Tired of the transfers of his best players at the end of each season, Jean-Claude Suaudeau quit the footballing world in 1996 and handed over the ropes to Raynald Denoueix
Raynald Denoueix
Raynald Denoueix is a French football manager and former defender.Born in Rouen, Denoueix spent his whole playing career as a defender at FC Nantes before becoming a coach at the club's youth academy. During his time at the youth academy, he discovered players such as Didier Deschamps or Marcel...
, previously the second team’s coach.
After a catastrophic beginning to the 1996–7 season, the team finished 3 place in the championship after playing 30 games without a single defeat. They were deprived of qualification in the champion’s league by AS Monaco (with a score of 2–1). After this, FC Nantes Atlantique stagnated in the middle of the table for a few seasons but finally found a buyer after becoming champion once more in 2001 with Viorel Moldovan
Viorel Moldovan
Viorel Dinu Moldovan is a retired Romanian football forward, who was a key part of the Romanian national team in the 1990s...
, Eric Carrière
Eric Carrière
Éric Carrière is a former professional French association footballer who played for Dijon. He is a skilful playmaker who is adept at taking free-kicks, penalties, and corners for his team, as well as scoring from the run of play although he is primarily known for defence splitting passes...
or Salomon Olembé
Salomon Olembé
René Salomon Olembé-Olembé is a Cameroonian football player, currently on trial with Burnley F.C..Olembé played for Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup, as well as the 2004 African Cup of Nations...
. It was then bought out by Socpresse
Socpresse
Socpresse was a French corporation which controlled the conservative daily newspaper Le Figaro, the weekly magazine L'Express, 40% of the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Valeurs Actuelles, and the football club FC Nantes. The company was acquired by the Dassault in September 2006...
(a media group) who designated a chairman who was completely oblivious to the footballing world: Jean-Luc Gripond.
On 11 March 2004, Groupe Dassault became the new owner of the club after buying out the Socpresse group. Dassault didn't intervene in the running of the club and left the executive team as it was, thus showing that it never really wanted to own the football club, and whose only aspiration was to not lose money from it. In the 2003/4 season, Nantes was defeated by Sochaux after its captain and goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Vincent André-Marie Landreau is a French professional football goalkeeper, who currently plays for French Ligue 1 side Lille OSC. He has 11 caps for the French national team.-Club career:...
misses a goal during a penalty shoot-out, thus depriving the team of the League Cup, and a spot in the UEFA Cup.
The following season was the worst the club ever had since it rose into ligue 1, with Nantes narrowly missing relegation. During this season the club had an unprecedented crisis, with the revolt of the players led by Landreau, calling for the sacking of their manager Loïc Amisse
Loïc Amisse
Loïc Amisse is a French football manager and former winger.-External links:*...
; the team’s supporters also joined in the revolt, notably at a match at Sochaux where they ripped out over 150 seats and injured 4 stewards in a vain attempt to stir up Chairman Gripond.
Before the start of the 2005/6 season, Serge Dassault’s team asks executives Robert Budzynski
Robert Budzynski
Robert Budzynski is a former professional French association footballer born in Calonne-Ricouart of Polish origin, who played as a defender, notably for France at FIFA World Cup 1966.-External links:* French * French...
and Kléber Bobin as well as the players Mickaël Landreau and Frédéric Da Rocha to leave. At the same time Vahid Halilhodzic is approached to become manager, even though Serge Le Dizet
Serge Le Dizet
Serge Le Dizet is a French football coach who had a playing career. He is currently an assistant coach at US Boulogne....
had only been in place for six months. Jean-Luc Gripond was also finally replaced by Rudi Roussillon on 28 June 2005 following an Extraordinary meeting of the Dassault group.
On 20 September 2006, Georges Eo replaced Serge Le Dizet as club manager. He would only hold this position for five months however, being replaced by the duo Michel Der Zakarian
Michel Der Zakarian
Michel Der Zakarian is a former Franco-Armenian professional football defender and manager.He was a member of the Armenia national team, participated in five international matches since his debut in home 1998 World Cup qualifying match against Portugal...
/ Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram is a retired Chadian footballer who played as a striker.His 14-year playing career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities...
on 12 February 2007. On 9 May of the same year, despite their victory against Bordeaux (1–0), FC Nantes was mathematically relegated to the league below. The Yellows would therefore get ready to dispute their 19th Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
season in the club’s history. This season would be smitten by the coming and going of a record number of assistant managers, by the arrival and the departure of Fabien Barthez
Fabien Barthez
Fabien Alain Barthez is a former French footballer goalkeeper who won honours with Manchester United and the French national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 World Cup. He shares the record for the most World Cup finals clean sheets...
and by the crowds invading the pitch at the last home match of the season against Toulouse in the 86th minute.
On 30 July 2007, the club played its first Ligue 2 match since 1963. The summer was marked by a busy Mercato
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, and by the handing over of the club to a new owner. During the first part of the season, the players adopted their role as division favourites with perfection, despite a 4–0 defeat against Boulogne-sur-Mer. Waldemar Kita continued to renovate the club: the club changed both its name and its insignia, returning to the three letters FCN, dropping the “Atlantique”. Nevertheless, the start of 2008 was the most difficult with 2 defeats (Clermont
Clermont Foot
Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 is a French association football club based in Clermont-Ferrand. The first incarnation of the club was formed in 1911 and the current club was created in 1990 as a result of a merger...
and Le Havre
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
), and the elimination from the Coupe de France (after penalty shoot out against Sedan, the first at this stage for 6 years). Three consecutive wins against Brest, Bastia and Sedan (with 4 goals from new recruit Filip Đorđević) helped Nantes regain momentum, and allowed them to conclude the championship a little more at their ease.
Nantes secured a return to Ligue 1 on 25 April 2008, with a 1–1 draw against Montpellier. In the 2008–09 Ligue 1 season, Nantes finished 19th and were relegated back to Ligue 2. At the moment the club struggles to get more than 10,000 fans into a 37,000 seater stadium.
Stadia
- Stade MalakoffStade Marcel SaupinThe Stade Marcel-Saupin is a sports complex in the city of Nantes , France. It was opened in 1937 under the name Stade Malakoff, and was used primarily by the rugby union Stade nantais université club, then became the stadium of FC Nantes after World War II until the club moved to the Stade de la...
(renamed Stade Marcel-Saupin in 1963) – from 1945 to 1984 (then reserve team until 2007, now under renovation). - Stade de la BeaujoireStade de la BeaujoireThe Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, or "Stade de la Beaujoire", is a stadium in Nantes, France. It is the home of the FC Nantes football club....
(renamed Stade de la Beaujoire Louis-Fonteneau in 1989) – since 1984. - Stade Michel Lecointre (stadium of the reserve team) – since 2007
Current squad
As of 19 July 2011.Reserve squad
- Head Coach: Loïc Amisse
Notable players
Below are the notable former players who have represented Nantes in leagueLigue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
and international competition since the club's foundation in 1943. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club.
For a complete list of FC Nantes players, see :Category:FC Nantes players
Loïc Amisse
Loïc Amisse
Loïc Amisse is a French football manager and former winger.-External links:*...
Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand is a French professional football player in the left fullback position, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1 championship....
William Ayache
William Ayache
William Ayache is a retired French association football defender.-Football career:Ayache played on two championship teams in France in 1980 and 1983 with FC Nantes.-International career:...
Bruno Baronchelli
Bruno Baronchelli
Bruno Baronchelli is a former professional French football striker.- External links :*...
Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes
Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes
Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes is a former football goalkeeper from France, who earned eleven international caps for the French national team during the 1970s and was part of the French team in the 1978 FIFA World Cup...
Bernard Blanchet
Bernard Blanchet
Bernard Blanchet is a former professional French football player.-External links:**...
Maxime Bossis
Maxime Bossis
Maxime Bossis is a retired football defender from France, who obtained 76 caps for the French national team. He is mostly remembered for missing the last penalty in 1982 World Cup semifinal between Germany and France...
Robert Budzynski
Robert Budzynski
Robert Budzynski is a former professional French association footballer born in Calonne-Ricouart of Polish origin, who played as a defender, notably for France at FIFA World Cup 1966.-External links:* French * French...
Éric Carrière
Eric Carrière
Éric Carrière is a former professional French association footballer who played for Dijon. He is a skilful playmaker who is adept at taking free-kicks, penalties, and corners for his team, as well as scoring from the run of play although he is primarily known for defence splitting passes...
Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly is a retired Ghanaian born French footballer and star of the France national football team squad, with whom he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps
Didier Claude Deschamps is a retired French footballer and current manager of Marseille. He played as a defensive midfielder. As an international, he assisted France with victories in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
Jean-Michel Ferri
Jean-Michel Ferri
Jean-Michel Ferri is a retired French footballer who played midfielder.He won the championship with FC Nantes in 1995...
Nicolas Gillet
Nicolas Gillet
Nicolas Gillet is a French footballer, who currently plays for Angers SCO as a defender. In 2001. he earned a cap for France during the 2001 Confederations Cup against Australia.-External links:...
Philippe Gondet
Philippe Gondet
Philippe Gondet Philippe Gondet Philippe Gondet (born 17 May 1942 is a French former football striker.He played for France during FIFA World Cup 1966 in England.-External links:**...
Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu
Christian Karembeu is a retired French international footballer and current scout for Arsenal Football Club...
Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré is a manager of football Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender.-Early life and career:...
Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Landreau
Mickaël Vincent André-Marie Landreau is a French professional football goalkeeper, who currently plays for French Ligue 1 side Lille OSC. He has 11 caps for the French national team.-Club career:...
Patrice Loko
Patrice Loko
Patrice Loko is French footballer who retired in 2004. Playing as a striker he began his career at Nantes and then moved on to Paris Saint-Germain, where he was part of the team that won the 1996 Cup Winners' Cup and lost to Barcelona in the 1997 Cup Winners' Cup final. From there he went on to...
Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélelé Sinda is a retired football player who used to play as a defensive midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Prior to joining Paris Saint-Germain, Makélélé played for Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and Chelsea...
Henri Michel
Henri Michel
-External links:...
Olivier Monterrubio
Olivier Monterrubio
Olivier Monterrubio is a French footballer who played as a midfielder. He previously played for FC Nantes, Stade Rennais, RC Lens, FC Sion in Switzerland and FC Lorient.-Nantes:...
Oscar Muller
Oscar Muller
Oscar Muller was an Argentine football player who played in France with FC Nantes, Rennes, Amiens SC and AS Angoulême. His father is Ramon Muller.-References:...
Jean-Claude Osman
Jean-Claude Osman
Jean-Claude Osman is a French retired professional football defender.-External links:*...
Nicolas Ouédec
Nicolas Ouédec
Nicolas Pierre Ouédec is a retired French professional footballer who played as a striker.-Football career:A product of FC Nantes's famous youth academy, Ouédec made his first division debuts aged 17...
Éric Pécout
Éric Pécout
Éric Pécout is a retired football striker from France, who obtained 5 caps for the French national team.-Titles:*French championship in 1977, 1980 with FC Nantes, 1982 with AS Monaco...
Reynald Pedros
Reynald Pedros
Reynald Pedros is a retired French footballer of Portuguese descent.- Career :Pedros is a left-footed attacking midfielder, formed in Nantes. He was part of the magic trio of FC Nantes with Patrice Loko and Nicolas Ouédec...
Patrice Rio
Patrice Rio
Patrice Rio is a retired football defender from France, who obtained a total number of 17 international caps for the France national football team in the 1970s. Playing for FC Nantes he was a member of the French squad that competed at the 1978 FIFA World Cup...
Omar Sahnoun
Omar Sahnoun
Omar Sahnoun was a French professional footballer who played as a midfielder.-Football career:The son of a harki, Sahnoun's Algerian family settled in Beauvais, France in 1962. Ten years later, at only 17, he would make his professional debuts with FC Nantes, under Jean Vincent...
Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau
Jean-Claude Suaudeau is a former French football player and then coach of the FC Nantes Atlantique....
Jérémy Toulalan
Jérémy Toulalan
Jérémy Toulalan is a French footballer who currently plays for Málaga CF in La Liga. His usual position is as a defensive midfielder, but he can also be utilized as a central defender. He is best known for his shy and humble demeanor, simple distribution, good technique, and effective...
José Touré
José Touré
José Touré is a former French professional football player.Touré was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.-External links:*...
Andrew Cooper
Andrew Cooper
Andrew Cooper is a former Australian Olympics rowing champion. He competed in two Olympic Games — 1988 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Olympics, and was a member of the "Oarsome Foursome" in 1991 and 1992.-Olympic Games:...
Marama Vahirua
Marama Vahirua
Marama Vahirua is a French footballer who plays for Monaco, on loan from Nancy, as a forward.-Career:Vahirua started his career at the famed youth academy of Nantes. He then went to Nice in August 2004, where he enjoyed two spectacular seasons, being reconverted to attacking midfielder in the...
Ángel Bargas
Ángel Bargas
Ángel Bargas is an Argentine former football defender. He represented Argentina at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.-Playing career:...
Jorge Burruchaga
Jorge Burruchaga
Jorge Luis Burruchaga is a former Argentine professional football player, and last manager of Arsenal de Sarandí in the Primera División Argentina...
Mauro Cetto
Mauro Cetto
Mauro Darío Jesús Cetto is an Argentine footballer who plays as a defender for Palermo.He won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Argentina Under-20 team. In June 2011 he moved to Palermo on a free transfer....
Néstor Fabbri
Néstor Fabbri
Néstor Ariel Fabbri is a former football defender from Argentina.Fabbri started playing at the young division of All Boys in 1984, he made his debut for the first team during the 1984-85 season in the Argentine 2nd division. In 1986 he joined first division Racing Club...
Ángel Marcos
Ángel Marcos
Ángel Marcos is an Argentine former football striker currently working in the staff of Niort.-Playing career:Marcos started his professional playing career in 1963 with Ferro Carril Oeste...
Michel Der Zakarian
Michel Der Zakarian
Michel Der Zakarian is a former Franco-Armenian professional football defender and manager.He was a member of the Armenia national team, participated in five international matches since his debut in home 1998 World Cup qualifying match against Portugal...
Franky Vercauteren
Franky Vercauteren
François Vercauteren , nicknamed "The Little Prince", is a former Belgian football left winger and is now a football manager, who is currently working for Al Jazira Club.- Career :...
Salomon Olembé
Salomon Olembé
René Salomon Olembé-Olembé is a Cameroonian football player, currently on trial with Burnley F.C..Olembé played for Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup, as well as the 2004 African Cup of Nations...
Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram
Japhet N'Doram is a retired Chadian footballer who played as a striker.His 14-year playing career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities...
Erich Maas
Erich Maas
Erich Maas is a German former footballer.-References:**...
Vahid Halilhodžić
Vahid Halilhodžic
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
Former managers
- 1943–46 :
Aimé Nuic - 1946–49 :
Anton RaabAnton RaabAnton Raab was a politician of the 18th century in Slovenia, when the country was under the Holy Roman Empire. He became mayor of Ljubljana in 1738. He was succeeded by Jurij Ambrož Kappus in 1742.-References:... - 1949–51 : Antoine Gorius
- 1951–55 : Émile VeinanteÉmile VeinanteÉmile Veinante was a French footballer and coach.Veinante was primarily a forward. He began his club career in 1916 with the youth squad at FC Metz, which was at that time still in German-controlled Alsace-Lorraine...
- 1955–56 : Anton RaabAnton RaabAnton Raab was a politician of the 18th century in Slovenia, when the country was under the Holy Roman Empire. He became mayor of Ljubljana in 1738. He was succeeded by Jurij Ambrož Kappus in 1742.-References:...
- 1956 : Stanislas Staho
- 1956–59 :
Louis Dupal - 1959–60 : Karel Michlowski
- 1960–76 : José Arribas
- 1976–82 : Jean Vincent
- 1982–88 : Jean-Claude SuaudeauJean-Claude SuaudeauJean-Claude Suaudeau is a former French football player and then coach of the FC Nantes Atlantique....
- 1988–90 : Miroslav "Ćiro" BlaževićMiroslav BlaževicMiroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
- 1992–97 : Jean-Claude SuaudeauJean-Claude SuaudeauJean-Claude Suaudeau is a former French football player and then coach of the FC Nantes Atlantique....
- 1997-01 : Raynald DenoueixRaynald DenoueixRaynald Denoueix is a French football manager and former defender.Born in Rouen, Denoueix spent his whole playing career as a defender at FC Nantes before becoming a coach at the club's youth academy. During his time at the youth academy, he discovered players such as Didier Deschamps or Marcel...
- 2001–03 :
Angel MarcosÁngel MarcosÁngel Marcos is an Argentine former football striker currently working in the staff of Niort.-Playing career:Marcos started his professional playing career in 1963 with Ferro Carril Oeste... - 2003 – December 2004 : Loïc AmisseLoïc AmisseLoïc Amisse is a French football manager and former winger.-External links:*...
- January 2005 – September 2006 : Serge Le DizetSerge Le DizetSerge Le Dizet is a French football coach who had a playing career. He is currently an assistant coach at US Boulogne....
- September 2006 – 12 February 2007 : Georges EoGeorges EoGeorges Eo is a French football manager and former midfielder. He was assistant manager of Nantes from 1987 to 2005, during which time the club won 2 Ligue 1 titles...
- 12 February 2007–2007 :
Michel Der ZakarianMichel Der ZakarianMichel Der Zakarian is a former Franco-Armenian professional football defender and manager.He was a member of the Armenia national team, participated in five international matches since his debut in home 1998 World Cup qualifying match against Portugal...
and
Japhet N'DoramJaphet N'DoramJaphet N'Doram is a retired Chadian footballer who played as a striker.His 14-year playing career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities... - 2007–08 : Michel Der ZakarianMichel Der ZakarianMichel Der Zakarian is a former Franco-Armenian professional football defender and manager.He was a member of the Armenia national team, participated in five international matches since his debut in home 1998 World Cup qualifying match against Portugal...
- 2008–09 : Elie BaupÉlie BaupÉlie Baup is a former French football player and now a manager.- Coaching career :He won the French championship with the FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 1999. Fired in October 2003 by the president Jean-Louis Triaud, Baup signed for AS Saint-Étienne in 2004 with one of his favourite player: Pascal...
- 2009 : Gernot RohrGernot RohrGernot Rohr is a German manager and former footballer, who currently managed the Gabon national football team.-Managerial career:...
- 2009–10 : Jean-Marc FurlanJean-Marc FurlanJean-Marc Furlan is a football manager. He currently coaches Troyes AC.-Coaching career:...
- 2010–11 : Baptiste Gentili
- 2011–11 : Philippe AnzianiPhilippe AnzianiPhilippe Anziani is a French former football striker and manager.-Coaching career:He has managed SC Bastia for the season 2009–10. and on 26 November 2009 SC Bastia's club officials have fired the coach Philippe Anziani due to poor results. He was named FC Nantes manager in March 2011.-External...
- 2011– : Landry Chauvin
Honours
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
- Champions (8): 1965, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1995, 2001
- Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
- Champions (3): 1979, 1999, 2000
- Trophée Des ChampionsTrophée des championsThe Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...
- Champions (2): 1999, 2001
- Coppa delle AlpiCoppa delle AlpiCoppa delle Alpi , was a football tournament, first organized by the Italian national league to start 1960 and then aided by the Swiss League in 1962 for the reason that the majority of the Alps are in Switzerland...
- Champions (1): 1982