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Ligue 1
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Ligue 1 (Première division or Division 1 until 2003, now called Ligue 1) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being Ligue 2. It has been an all-professional league since its inception in 1932. Because of World War II, the LFP suspended play for the 1939-1940 through 1944-1945 seasons, although its member clubs continued playing in regional competitions.
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Encyclopedia
Ligue 1 (Première division or Division 1 until 2003, now called Ligue 1) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being Ligue 2. It has been an all-professional league since its inception in 1932. Because of World War II, the LFP suspended play for the 1939-1940 through 1944-1945 seasons, although its member clubs continued playing in regional competitions. (For the 1943-44 season, the Vichy regime abolished professionalism, but professional clubs operated during the other war years.) Since the end of World War II, the French first division has switched several times between an 18- and a 20- team format, the latter being in force today and having the preference of clubs in spite of a busier schedule for the players.
The 20 Ligue 1 teams play each other twice (home and away) during the season for a 38-match schedule. At the end of the season, the bottom three teams in the division are relegated to Ligue 2, and are replaced by the top three teams of Ligue 2. This particular promotion and relegation format, in place since 1995, is a relative novelty in the French top flight. The traditional format has long been direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play-off between the third-last first-division team and the winner of the second-division play-offs.
Currently, the top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League, with the top two proceeding directly to the group phase. The third-placed team enters in the final qualifying round. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams qualify for the UEFA Cup. The sixth- and seventh-placed teams can also qualify, depending on results in the two domestic cup competitions.
Point allocation follows the international standard with three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The three-point rule was adopted in 1994 after a one-time test in the 1988-89 season. From 1973 to 1976, a "bonus" rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play. The experience was ultimately inconclusive.
Ligue 1 teams standing on equal points are ranked by goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) and, if still even, by the number of goals scored. Until 1966, the league used goal average (the ratio of goals scored to goals conceded) instead of goal difference to break ties on points. This system actually favored the defensive over the offensive, as shown by the outcome of the 1961-62 season: Stade de Reims edged Racing Club de Paris for the title by a 0.018 difference in goal average and was crowned champion on equal points in spite of equal goal difference (83-60 vs. 86-63) and fewer goals scored.
Ligue 1 is generally regarded as competently run, with good planning of fixtures, complete and consistently enforced rules, timely resolution of issues, and adequate escalation procedures of judicial disputes to national or international institutions. It has faced three significant corruption scandals in its history (Olympique d'Antibes in 1933, Red Star in the 1950s, and Olympique de Marseille in 1993) and has preserved its reputation every time through swift and appropriately severe punishment of the guilty parties.
Ligue 1 is also often criticized (including in France itself) as displaying too much defensive play and lacking entertainment value.
Current teams (2008-2009)
Ligue 1 teams in European competitions
The original European Cup of 1955-56 featured Real Madrid against Stade de Reims-Champagne, finishing in a 4-3 victory for the Spanish side. In 1958-59, Reims and Real Madrid faced off once again, and once again the French side lost, this time by a score of 2-0.
After Stade de Reims-Champagne fell from prominence, Ligue 1 had trouble producing strong sides that could compete with the rest of Europe. However, in the 1975-76 European Cup AS Saint-Étienne defeated European powerhouses such as Rangers F.C., FC Dynamo Kyiv and PSV Eindhoven until they reached the final losing to defending champions Bayern Munich. The following year AS Saint-Étienne advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Liverpool F.C..
AS Saint-Étienne entered a dry spell after a short period of dominance and the 1980s produced no significant French clubs ready to conquer Europe. Finally in 1990-91 Olympique de Marseille, with scoring phenomenon Jean-Pierre Papin, advanced all the way to the final before falling to Red Star Belgrade on penalties.
When the European Cup rebranded to the UEFA Champions League, Olympique de Marseille unleashed havoc on the competition. Les Olympiens won Group A and suddenly found themselves in the final against AC Milan. Basile Boli hit home the winning goal in the 44th minute, winning the Champions League for Marseille.
In 1996, Paris Saint-Germain won the second and last French European title, beating Rapid Wien in the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with a Bruno N'Gotty's freekick.
The 2003-04 UEFA Champions League saw underdogs AS Monaco FC win their group over Deportivo de La Coruña, PSV Eindhoven and AEK Athens FC to advance to the Round of 16. Monaco did not stop there, triumphing over FC Lokomotiv Moscow, Real Madrid and Chelsea F.C. until they reached the final. F.C. Porto ended the run with a 3-0 victory.
In the past few years Olympique Lyonnais entered the European stage, which saw them reach the 1/8 final of the Champions League in 2006-07, 2007-08 and reach the quarterfinals in 2003-04, 2004-05 en 2005-06.
Previous Winners
Performance by club
| Club | Winners | Winning Years |
|---|
| AS Saint-Étienne | 10 | 1957, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981 | | FC Nantes | 8 | 1965, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1995, 2001 | | Olympique de Marseille | 8 | 1937, 1948, 1971, 1972, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 | | Olympique Lyonnais | 7 | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 | | AS Monaco FC | 7 | 1961, 1963, 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2000 | | Stade Reims | 6 | 1949, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1962 | | FC Girondins de Bordeaux | 5 | 1950, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1999 | | OGC Nice | 4 | 1951, 1952, 1956, 1959 | | Lille OSC | 3 | 1933, 1946, 1954 | | Paris Saint-Germain FC | 2 | 1986, 1994 | | FC Sète | 2 | 1934, 1939 | | FC Sochaux-Montbéliard | 2 | 1935, 1938 | | RC Lens | 1 | 1998 | | AJ Auxerre | 1 | 1996 | | RC Strasbourg | 1 | 1979 | | CO Roubaix-Tourcoing | 1 | 1947 | | RCF Paris | 1 | 1936 | |
Records
Club
- Most titles: AS Saint-Étienne, 10
- Most consecutive titles: Lyon (2002-2008), 7
- Longest unbeaten record within a single season: Nantes, 32 matches (1994-1995)
- Longest unbeaten home record: Nantes, 92 matches, between May 15 1976 and April 7 1981
- Most wins in a season: 26 for Reims (1959-60), Monaco (1960-61), Nantes (1965-66, 1979-80) for a 20-team league; 25 for Saint-Étienne (1969-70) for an 18-team league
- Most home victories in a season: 19 for Saint-Étienne (1974-75)
- Most away victories in a season: 12 for Saint-Étienne (1969-70) Lyon (2005-2006) and Marseille (1971-72)
- Fewest losses in a season: 1 for Nantes (1994-95)
- Most seasons in top-flight: Sochaux, 57 seasons (including 2005-2006)
- Most consecutive seasons in top-flight: Nantes, 44 seasons (1963-2007)
- Highest-scoring season: 1946-47 (1,344 goals, average: 3.51 per match) for a 20-team league; 1948-49 (1,138 goals, average: 3.71 per match) for an 18-team league
- Highest-scoring team in a season: 1959-60 RC Paris, 118 goals, in 20-team format; 1948-49 Lille, 102 goals, in 18-team format
- Best defense in a season: 1991-92 Marseille, 21 goals conceded
- Best goal difference in a season: 1959-60 Reims, +63, 20-team format; 1948-49 Lille, +62, 18-team format
- Biggest win: 12-1, Sochaux v. Valenciennes, 1935-36
- Season with most yellow cards: 2002-03 (1,654)
- Season with most red cards: 2002-2003 (131)
- Most red cards in a season : 1998-99 Bastia, 2002-03 PSG, and 2003-04 Lens, 13
- Most matches for a coach : Guy Roux, Auxerre (1961-2000,2001-2005) 890 matches
- Highest overall attendance : 8,086,774 in 2004-2005 (20 clubs)
- Highest average attendance : 23,154 per match in 2000-2001 (18 clubs)
- Highest daily attendance for a single game day : 281,000, Day 33, 1997-1998 (28,100 per match)
- Highest single attendance : 77,840, Lille-Lyon, 2007-2008 (Match played at the Stade de France)
- Most draw in the season : 2004-05 Bordeaux, 20
Players
| Top Ten Players With Most Appearances |
|---|
| Player | Period | Club | Games | | 1 | Jean-Luc Ettori | 1975-1994 | AS Monaco | 602 | | 2 | Dominique Dropsy | 1972-1989 | US Valenciennes, RC Strasbourg, Girondins de Bordeaux | 596 | | 3 | Dominique Baratelli | 1967-1985 | AS Monaco, OGC Nice, Paris Saint Germain | 593 | | 4 | Alain Giresse | 1970-1988 | Girondins de Bordeaux | 586 | | 5 | Sylvain Kastendeuch | 1982-2001 | FC Metz | 577 | | 6 | Patrick Battiston | 1973-1991 | Girondins de Bordeaux | 558 | | 7 | Jacky Novi | 1964-1980 | Olympique de Marseille | 545 | | 8 | Roger Marche | 1944-1962 | Stade de Reims | 542 | | 9 | Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes | 1969-1988 | FC Nantes | 532 | - | Henri Michel | 1966-1982 | FC Nantes | 532 |
Top Ten Highest Goalscorers |
|---|
| Player | Period | Club | Goals | | 1 | Delio Onnis | 1971-1986 | AS Monaco | 299 (Ø 0,66) | | 2 | Bernard Lacombe | 1969-1987 | Olympique Lyonnais | 255 (Ø 0,51) | | 3 | Hervé Revelli | 1965-1978 | AS Saint-Étienne | 216 (Ø 0,55) | | 4 | Thadée Cisowski | 1947-1961 | RC Paris | 206 (Ø 0,72) | | 5 | Roger Piantoni | 1950-1966 | Stade de Reims | 203 (Ø 0,52) | |
| 6 | Roger Courtois | 1932-1956 | FC Sochaux-Montbéliard | 193 | | 7 | Joseph Ujlaki | 1947-1964 | RC Paris | 189 (Ø 0,43) | | 8 | Fleury Di Nallo | 1960-1975 | Olympique Lyonnais | 187 (Ø 0,44) | | 9 | Carlos Bianchi | 1973-1980 | Stade de Reims | 179 (Ø 0,81) | | - | Gunnar Andersson | 1950-1960 | Olympique de Marseille | 179 (Ø 0,77) |
Other records
- Most titles : Sidney Govou, Grégory Coupet, Juninho (Olympique Lyonnais): (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) Jean-Michel Larqué and Hervé Revelli of Saint-Étienne, 7 times champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976)
- Most consecutive minutes without conceding : Jérémie Janot, AS Saint-Étienne, 1276 minutes without conceding in 2005-2006
- Goals in single season : Josip Skoblar, Marseille, 44 (1970-1971)
- Goals in single match : 7 , Jean Nicolas, Rouen, 1938 against Valenciennes; André Abegglen (Sochaux) 1935 against Valenciennes
- Most games scored in a row : Vahid Halilhodzic (Nantes) 9 matches in a row - 1984-1985
- Most red cards : Cyril Rool : 19 (as of end of 2005-2006)
- Youngest player : Laurent Paganelli, Saint-Étienne 15 years 10 months
- Youngest to score a hat trick : Jérémy Menez, Sochaux January 22 2005 against Bordeaux - 17 years 8 months 15 days
Statistics by clubs (1932-1939 and 1945-2008)
| | Club | Seasons
in D1/L1 | Number of titles | Best
result | First season
in D1/L1 | Last season
in D1/L1 | Matches played (as end of 2007-08 season)
in D1/L1 | | 1. | FC Sochaux | 60 +08/09 | 2 | 1st | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 2140 | | 2. | Olympique Marseille | 58 +08/09 | 8 | 1st | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 2056 | | 3. | FC Metz | 57 | | 2nd | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 2042 | | 4. | RC Strasbourg | 56 | 1 | 1st | 1935-36 | 2007-08 | 2039 | | 5. | AS Saint-Étienne | 55 +08/09 | 10 | 1st | 1938-39 | 2007-08 | 2010 | | - | FC Girondins de Bordeaux | 55 +08/09 | 5 | 1st | 1945-46 | 2007-08 | 2022 | | - | Lille OSC | 55 +08/09 | 3 | 1st | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 1963 | | - | RC Lens | 55 | 1 | 1st | 1937-38 | 2007-08 | 2006 | | 9. | AS Monaco | 51 +08/09 | 7 | 1st | 1953-54 | 2007-08 | 1886 | | - | Stade Rennais | 51 +08/09 | | 4th | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 1814 | | 11. | Olympique Lyonnais | 50 +08/09 | 7 | 1st | 1945-46 | 2007-08 | 1840 | | 12. | OGC Nice | 49 +08/09 | 4 | 1st | 1932-33 | 2007-08 | 1782 | | 13. | FC Nantes | 44 +08/09 | 8 | 1st | 1963-64 | 2006-07 | 1636 | | - | Sporting Club Nimois/Nimes Olympique | 35 | | 2nd | 1932-33 | 1992-93 | 1246 | | 15. | Paris SG | 35 +08/09 | 2 | 1st | 1971-72 | 2007-08 | 1310 | | 16. | RCF Paris | 30 | 1 | 1st | 1932-33 | 1989-90 | 1020 | | 17. | Stade Reims | 29 | 6 | 1st | 1945-46 | 1978-79 | 1050 | | - | SC Bastia | 29 | | 3rd | 1968-69 | 2004-05 | 1074 | | 19. | Montpellier HSC | 27 | | 3rd | 1932-33 | 2003-04 | 954 | | 20. | AJ Auxerre | 28 +08/09 | 1 | 1st | 1980-81 | 2007-08 | 1044 | | 21. | Valenciennes FC | 28 +08/09 | | 3rd | 1935-36 | 2007-08 | 986 | | 22. | Angers SCO | 23 | | 3rd | 1956-57 | 1993-94 | 854 | | - | Le Havre AC | 23 +08/09 | | 3rd | 1938-39 | 2002-03 | 834 | | 24. | CS Sedan | 24 | | 3rd | 1955-56 | 2006-07 | 834 | | - | AS Nancy | 24 +08/09 | | 4th | 1970-71 | 2007-08 | 904 | | . | AS Cannes | 22 | | 2nd | 1932-33 | 1997-98 | 749 | | 27. | Toulouse FC (1937) | 19 | | 2nd | 1946-47 | 1966-67 | 678 | | - | FC Rouen | 19 | | 4th | 1936-37 | 1984-85 | 678 | | 29. | Toulouse FC | 20 +08/09 | | 3rd | 1982-83 | 2007-08 | 751 | | 30. | FC Sète | 16 | 2 | 1st | 1932-33 | 1953-54 | 504 | | - | Red Star | 16 | | 7th | 1932-33 | 1974-75 | 540 | | 32. | FC Nancy | 15 | | 4th | 1946-47 | 1962-63 | 530 | | - | Stade Français (football) | 15 | | 5th | 1946-47 | 1966-67 | 538 | | 34. | Troyes AC | 15 | | 7th | 1954-55 | 2006-07 | 512 | | . | Stade Laval | 13 | | 5th | 1976-77 | 1988-89 | 494 | | 36. | Sporting Toulon Var | 12 | | 5th | 1958-59 | 1992-93 | 452 | | 37. | CO Roubaix-Tourcoing | 10 | 1 | 1st | 1945-46 | 1954-55 | 344 | | - | AC Ajaccio | 10 | | 6th | 1967-68 | 2005-06 | 372 | | - | Stade Brest | 10 | | 8th | 1979-80 | 1990-91 | 380 | | 40. | SM Caen | 10 +08/09 | | 5th | 1988-89 | 2007-08 | 380 | | 41. | SC Fives | 7 | | 2nd | 1932-33 | 1938-39 | 194 | | - | Excelsior Athlétic Club de Roubaix | 7 | | 5th | 1932-33 | 1938-39 | 194 | | - | FC Antibes | 7 | | 7th | 1932-33 | 1938-39 | 194 | | - | EA Guingamp | 7 | | 7th | 1995-96 | 2003-04 | 254 | | 45. | FC Mulhouse | 6 | | 6th | 1932-33 | 1989-90 | 184 | | - | Olympique Alès | 6 | | 10th | 1932-33 | 1958-59 | 184 | | 47. | Tours FC | 4 | | 11th | 1980-81 | 1984-85 | 152 | | 48. | AS Angoulême | 3 | | 4th | 1969-70 | 1971-72 | 110 | | - | Racing Club de Roubaix | 3 | | 8th | 1936-37 | 1938-39 | 90 | | - | Limoges Foot 87 | 3 | | 10th | 1958-59 | 1960-61 | 114 | | - | FC Martigues | 3 | | 11th | 1993-94 | 1995-96 | 114 | | - | Paris FC | 3 | | 12th | 1972-73 | 1978-79 | 114 | | 54. | Le Mans UC72 | 4 +08/09 | | 11th | 2003-04 | 2007-08 | 152 | | - | FC Lorient | 3 +07/08 | | 10th | 1998-99 | 2007-08 | 110 | | . | CA Paris | 2 | | 5th | 1932-33 | 1933-34 | 44 | | - | Grenoble Foot 38 | 2 +08/09 | | 17th | 1960-61 | 1962-63 | 76 | | 58 | Club Français | 1 | | 8th | 1932-33 | 1932-33 | 18 | | - | Hyères FC | 1 | | 9th | 1932-33 | 1932-33 | 18 | | - | SR Colmar | 1 | | 11th | 1948-49 | 1948-49 | 34 | | - | LB Châteauroux | 1 | | 17th | 1997-98 | 1997-98 | 34 | | - | AS Béziers (football) | 1 | | 18th | 1957-58 | 1957-58 | 34 | | - | FC Gueugnon | 1 | | 18th | 1995-96 | 1995-96 | 38 | | - | Chamois Niortais FC | 1 | | 18th | 1987-88 | 1987-88 | 38 | | - | AS Aix | 1 | | 20th | 1967-68 | 1967-68 | 38 | | - | Olympique Avignonais | 1 | | 20th | 1975-76 | 1975-76 | 38 | | - | FC Istres | 1 | | 20th | 2004-05 | 2004-05 | 38 |
Media coverage
In Australia, the United States, UK, Ireland, and Canada, Ligue 1 is currently available on Setanta Sports. In Brazil, pay television channel Sportv airs matches from the French league. In France, it is televised on Canal+, but is not broadcast on terrestrial television there in any form. There is also widespread coverage throughout Africa, home to many of the league's players. In the rest of the world, Ligue 1 is available on TV5Monde.
See also
External links
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