The 1980s were marked by the democratization of access to football. The rate of practice increases. Despite everything, football is still largely practiced by men.

Football then took on a new place in France. By winning the 1984 and 2000 Euros as well as the 1998 World Cup, France now passes for a country of football, a nation that knows how to win important competitions. This sport seems to illustrate the French-style integration of its players who become public figures.

Integration is symbolized by this “black white beur” team which represents metropolitan France, that of the DOM-TOM, and that of the former colonies. These great performances offer the French unique emotions, which no other sport provides, namely this pride of being French. A new national identity characterized by successful integration is taking shape.

How to explain football success?

The success of football cannot be explained without the help of the media. Their increase during the 1980s and 1990s reinforced its visibility, particularly on screens, as it was the leading sport in terms of audience.

The appearance of Canal+ changes the way of filming by multiplying the cameras closer to the field and the players. The radios, for their part, have increased the place reserved for this sport in their programs by dedicating certain evenings solely to football and debates.

This is how football has become the benchmark sport in France. However, still today, France is not perceived by all as a football country, with football culture, despite its recent coronation at the 2018 World Cup.

The poor performance of French clubs in the European Cup contributed to this impression. It also remains to deal with women’s football, which is still disparaged today and is struggling to attract a large and loyal audience. The Women’s World Cup, organized in France in June 2019, will perhaps change its vision and judgments of it a little.

The most outstanding figures in the world sports

The French Ligue 1 remains one of the most attractive in Europe. Indeed, in recent years it has attracted more and more international stars. We still remember the arrival of the Argentinian prodigy the six-time Golden Ball Lionel Messi last summer in the Parisian capital.

If PSG is still the club capable of affording the best players, the other formations also have quite interesting squads. This 2021-2022 season has seen PSG’s 10th coronation, which is up to Saint Etienne until then at the head of the most successful clubs in the championship.

Saint-Etienne

The Saint-Etienne club is the most successful club in Ligue 1. It has 10 titles as many as PSG. You have to go back to 1957 to see Saint Etienne win their first title. The team trained by Snella finished first in the championship with 49 points ahead of Lens and Reims.

7 years later, the team returns to victory by gleaning a new coronation. From 1967, Saint Etienne went on to win 4 championship titles (1967, 68, 69, 70).

From 1974 to 1976 under the direction of coach R. Herbin, Saint Etienne won 3 titles in a row. The last coronation of the Saint-Etienne club dates back to 1981 when the formation led by R. Herbin finished first with 57 points. It is ahead of FC Nantes (55 points) and Bordeaux (49 points).

PSG

With Saint Etienne, the Ile-de-France club leads the ranking of clubs titled in Ligue 1. It was under Gérard Houllier that PSG won its first title in 1986. The fans will wait for 8 in to exult with joy under a new coronation in 1994.

2011 the club is bought by the Qatari group QSI. The Parisian club will bring on its bench the Italian technician Carlo Ancelotti.

Ancelotti gave way to the 98 world champion Laurent Blanc who won the championship. In 2015, PSG retained its title ahead of Olympique Lyonnais and AS Monaco. Still, under the management of Laurent Blanc, the club from the French capital won its sixth title in 2016.

PSG obtained a record 96 points in the history of Ligue 1.