Top-tier soccer clubs Paris FC and PSG align in Ligue 1. Pondering the 35-year delay for two elite teams based in Paris.
Making Waves in the City of Love:
From the cobblestone streets of Paris emerge two soccer powerhouses, set to make their debut in France's top division next season. Paris FC, recently acquired by France's wealthiest family, is poised to join the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, snatching a long-awaited slice of football glory for the City of Light.
Paris FC's promotion to the elite tier signifies the end of a French peculiarity, as the capital city has long been represented by just one major football team. The Associated Press delves into the reasons behind the lack of top clubs in Paris.
Paris' Paradoxical Football Scene
When fans flock to some European cities, they're faced with a difficult choice: which match to watch. With seven London teams competing in the Premier League this season, the city may leave tourists spoiled for choice. In stark contrast, Paris can only boast a single top-tier team: PSG.
It's an anomaly in European soccer, with cities like Madrid, Rome, Barcelona, Milan, and even Manchester and Lisbon, generally boasting two high-level clubs.
"There's a paradox," sports history researcher Paul Dietschy told The Associated Press. "We have a very popular sport that produces great soccer players but for the moment has not produced great clubs in Paris."
The Rise and Fall of Racing Club
The Seine Saint-Denis area (north of Paris) has long been a breeding ground for Europe's top clubs, yet Paris has never produced clubs with the same lasting impact as those in major European cities like Madrid, London, Barcelona, or Manchester.
Before the Arnault family, the late French media baron Jean-Luc Lagardère tried to revive the fortunes of Paris' former greatest team, Racing Club. Lagardère launched Matra Racing in the 1980s, signing big-name players such as Enzo Francescoli, Pierre Littbarski, Luis Fernandez, and Pascal Olmeta in an attempt to take on PSG.
The ambitious endeavor showed promise, but in the end, Matra struggled to draw fans and amid poor results, Lagardère abandoned his ill-fated venture after just a few years.
Many Paris teams that flourished at the start of the 20th century have gradually sunk from view. Red Star, which has returned to the second division, still boasts a strong working-class fanbase, but its chaotic functioning and lack of stability have kept the club in the shadows over the last 50 years.
Roots of the Struggle
The lack of top-level clubs in Paris and across France can be traced back to the complex relationship between France and soccer.
Firstly, French soccer had a late start compared to other countries. The English FA Cup was first played in 1871, while soccer became France's most popular sport only during the 1930s-40s, with cycling once captivating audiences thanks to the Tour de France.
"There's also the fact that from the Second World War onwards, there's been a divide between French capitalism and soccer," Dietschy said. "And with the nationalizations, there were fewer big companies to support soccer clubs."
Another factor, as Dietschy added, was the abundance of sports in Paris coupled with the political situation in the working-class neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city.
"There are so many different kinds of entertainment in Paris," Dietschy said. "Soccer's main rival was cycling. There was also boxing. Soccer was just another form of entertainment that didn't generate a strong identity. And in the Communist suburbs, the idea of developing a popular amateur sport inspired by the Soviet Union ran counter to the development of professional clubs."
PSG: Dominance on the Domestic Scene
In a championship that traditionally struggles to attract star names, lacks significant financial clout, and lags behind in salaries, PSG has won 11 Ligue 1 titles in 13 seasons since Qatari backer QSI took over the club.
That makes Ligue 1 more accessible for outsiders looking to invest, as the talent is already there. France's exceptional soccer academies, producing a veritable production line of talent such as Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé, make investing in Ligue 1 an appealing option for enthusiasts.
France's Love Affair with Soccer
Although France is home to more than two million people affiliated with soccer clubs, interest in Ligue 1 remains somewhat fickle, with league officials struggling to sell their TV rights. Unlike England, where the passion for football clubs is fierce and pervades every class, interest in club soccer remains mediocre in France.
Even though Les Bleus have won four major trophies and finished as runners-up at three others, this has not generated a lasting effect at home. With the exception of teams like Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Strasbourg, or Lens, which boast devoted supporters, the interest in French club soccer remains lackluster.
A New Era for Paris FC
Created in 1969, Paris FC's men's team has yet to achieve any significant success. With the Arnault family's recent acquisition, the future for Paris FC looks promising: they intend to leverage the expertise of former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to transform the team into a French soccer powerhouse. The deal has energy drink giant Red Bull on board as a minority stakeholder, signaling a new chapter for the club.
Dietschy remains optimistic: "The Paris FC business can work because there are no more seats left at the Parc des Princes to see PSG. It will make for a second offer, although it's a team with no real history. Everything has to be created, so why not? Things have changed over the last 25 years. Now there's the bling side of football, and popular culture has invaded the luxury sector; they might want to seize that opportunity."
Indeed, as Paris FC steps into the spotlight, the French football scene prepares for an exciting new chapter, with the luxury brand Louis Vuitton-Moet Hennessy (LVMH) promising a commitment to elevating both the men's and women's teams to top-tier success.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
- The Arnault family, France's wealthiest, are poised to enter the world of topflight sports in Paris with their acquisition of Paris FC.
- Culture traditionally lags behind sports in Paris, with the city only boasting a single top-tier football team, PSG, while cities like Madrid, Rome, and Barcelona have multiple high-level clubs.
- Paris FC's promotion to France's top division, Ligue 1, could mark the end of this exception in European soccer.
- The media industry has historically played a role in Paris' sports scene, as seen in Jean-Luc Lagardère's attempt to revive Paris' former greatest team, Racing Club, in the 1980s.
- Beyond sports, entertainment in Paris is abundant, which along with political factors could explain why soccer hasn't produced great clubs in Paris traditionally.
- Despite France being home to millions of soccer fans, the media rights for Ligue 1 remain a challenge, unlike the rabid passion for football clubs seen in England.
- With the Arnault family's acquisition of Paris FC and the involvement of Red Bull, the future of sports in Paris seems to be shifting toward a new era of success, with the club aiming to transform into a French soccer powerhouse under the guidance of former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
