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Ligue 1

Countries	France  Monaco (one team)
Confederation	UEFA
Founded	1932
Number of teams	20
Relegation to	Ligue 2
Levels on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Trophée des Champions
International cup(s)	Champions League Europa League
Current champions	Bordeaux (2008–09)
Most championships	Saint-Étienne (10 titles)
TV partners	Canal+ Setanta Sports TV5 Monde
Website	http://www.ligue1.com
Ligue 1 2009–10

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. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 games each totaling 380 games in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January. Ligue 1 is one of the top national leagues, currently ranked fifth in Europe behind the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and the German Fußball-Bundesliga. The league is officially known as Ligue 1 Orange as it is sponsored by French telecommunications company Orange.

Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 under the name National before switching to Division 1 after a year of existence. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. The current champions are Bordeaux, who won their sixth title in the 2008–09 season. With their title, Bordeaux ended a historic run by Olympique Lyonnais who had won seven consecutive titles prior to the season.

History

Beginnings

Prior to 1930, professionalism in French football was non-existent. In July 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation voted 128–20 in support of professionalism in French football. The founding fathers of professionalism in French football are Georges Bayrou, Emmanuel Gambardella, and Gabriel Hanot. Professionalism was officially implemented in 1932.

In order to successfully create a professional football league in the country, the Federation limited the league to twenty clubs. In order to participate in the competition, clubs were subjected to three important criteria:

• The incoming club must have had positive results in the past.
• The incoming club must be able to pull in enough revenue to balance its finances.
• The incoming club must be able to successfully recruit at least eight professional players.

Many clubs disagreed with the subjective criteria, most notably Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, Amiens SC, and Stade Français, while others like Rennes and Olympique Lillois were reluctant to become professional due to a variety of reasons, mostly due to fear of bankruptcy with Rennes and a conflict of interest with the latter club, as the team's president Henri Jooris also served as chairman of the Ligue du Nord. Jooris feared his league would fold and proposed it become the second division of the new league. Eventually, many clubs earned professional status, though it became more difficult to convince Northern clubs with Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, and Amiens still refusing to accept the new league, though Mulhouse, Excelsior AC Roubaix, Metz, and Fives accepted professionalism. On the other side, clubs in the south of France such as Olympique de Marseille, Hyères, SO Montpellier, SC Nîmes, Cannes, Antibes, and Nice were extremely supportive of the new league and accepted their professional status without argument.

Pre-war years

Ligue 1 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 Europa League. 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.

Criticism

Only one team has reached the current record of 10 league titles (Saint-Étienne), and the title has regularly been highly disputed with several teams from small-sized French cities, often with no previous major national title. However, Olympique Lyonnais' recent run of seven consecutive Ligue 1 championships has led them to dominate the French footballing horizon during the 2000's. Only two French teams (Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille) have won European cup titles, a record considerably inferior to lower ranked leagues in Europe like the Dutch Eredivisie or the Portuguese Liga.

Current teams (2009–10)

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 Saint-Étienne defeated European powerhouses such as Rangers, Dynamo Kyiv and PSV until they reached the final losing to defending champions Bayern Munich. The following year, Saint-Étienne advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Liverpool.

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, 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 win their group over Deportivo La Coruña, PSV and AEK Athens to advance to the Round of 16. Monaco did not stop there, triumphing over Lokomotiv Moscow, Real Madrid, and Chelsea until they reached the final. FC 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 last 16 stage of the Champions League in 2006–07 and 2007–08, and reach the quarter-finals in 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Previous Winners

Performance by club

Records

Club

• Most titles: 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 and 2008–09)
• 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)^[1]
• Most draws in the season : 2004–05 Bordeaux, 20

Players

Delio Onnis

Other records

Juninho, among others, holds the record of most Ligue 1 titles for a player with 7

• Most titles : Sidney Govou, Grégory Coupet, Juninho (Lyon): (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, Saint-Étienne, 1276 minutes without conceding in 2005–2006
• Goals in single season : Josip Skoblar, Marseille, 44 (1970–1971)
  • Each season: See Top goalscorers in Ligue 1
• 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, 22 January 2005 against Bordeaux – &0000000000000017.00000017 years, &0000000000000260.000000260 days

Statistics by clubs (1932–1939 and 1945–2009)

	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 de 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.	AJ Auxerre	28 +08/09	1	1st	1980–81	2007–08	1044
18.	Stade Reims	29	6	1st	1945–46	1978–79	1050
–	SC Bastia	29	-	3rd	1968–69	2004–05	1074
20.	Montpellier HSC	27	-	3rd	1932–33	2003–04	954
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 Paris (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
68.	US Boulogne	0	-	N/A	2009–10	N/A	N/A

Media coverage

In Australia, the United States, and Canada, Ligue 1 is currently available on Setanta Sports. In Sweden it's available on Viasat Sport. 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 Indonesia is available on TVRI. In the rest of the world, Ligue 1 is available on TV5Monde.

See also

• List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues—Ligue 1 attendance in a worldwide context

References

1. ^ Match report of Lille-Lyon for the 2007-2008 Ligue 1 season by LFP
2. ^ France - All-Time Most Matches Played in Division/League 1
3. ^ where player played the most games.
4. ^ France - All-Time Topscorers
5. ^ where player shot the most goals

External links

• Official Site (English)