AS Saint-Étienne Football Clubs

AS Saint-Étienne Football Clubs

Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire (French pronunciation: [asɔsjasjɔ̃ spɔrtɪv də sɛ̃t‿etjɛn lwaʁ]; commonly known as AS Saint-Étienne, ASSE, or simply Saint-Étienne) is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city. The team is managed by Christophe Galtier and captained by Loïc Perrin, who started his career at the club in 1996.

Saint-Étienne is, arguably, the most successful club in French football history having won ten Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France titles, and five Trophée des champions. The club's ten league titles is the most professional league titles won by a French club, while the six cup victories places the club third among most Coupe de France titles. Saint-Étienne has also won the second division on three occasions. The club achieved most of its honours in the 1960s and 70s when the club was led by managers Jean Snella, Albert Batteux, and Robert Herbin. Saint-Étienne's primary rivals are Olympique Lyonnais, who are based in nearby Lyon. The two teams annually contest the Derby du Rhône. In 2009, the club added a female section to the football club.

Saint-Étienne have produced several notable players, mostly during its dynastic run in the 1960s and 70s, who have gone on to have coaching careers domestically and internationally. The club unearthed players and managers such as Aimé Jacquet, Jacques Santini, Laurent Blanc, and Michel Platini. Each player went on to have a managerial stint with the France national team. Jacquet coached the team to victory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, while Santini won the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. Blanc is the current manager of the national team.

Source: Wikipedia.com