AS Monaco FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Les Rouge et Blanc (The Red and Whites) Les Monégasques (The Monégasques) Le Rocher (The Rock) |
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| Short name | AS Monaco, ASM | |||
| Founded | 23 August 1924 | |||
| Stadium | Stade Louis II | |||
| Stadium capacity |
16,360 | |||
| Owners | Monaco Sport Investment Ltd (66.67%) House of Grimaldi (33.33%) |
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| President | Dmitry Rybolovlev | |||
| Head coach | Adi Hütter | |||
| League | Ligue 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1, 3rd of 20 | |||
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Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club, usually called AS Monaco, is a professional football club. It is based in Fontvieille, Monaco. Even though it's not in France, AS Monaco plays in the French Football Federation (FFF). They compete in Ligue 1, which is the top football league in France.
The club was founded in 1924. Their home matches are played at the Stade Louis II. Their training center is located in la Turbie, France. AS Monaco is one of the most successful clubs in French football history. They have won eight league titles and five Coupe de France trophies. They also won one Coupe de la Ligue.
The club has also played in European football tournaments many times. They were runners-up in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1992. They also reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2004. The team's colors are red and white. They are known as Les Rouge et Blanc, meaning "The Red and Whites".
In December 2011, a large part of the club was sold to an investment group. This group was led by Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian billionaire. With his financial support, the club quickly returned to Ligue 1. They won the 2016–17 Ligue 1 title, their first in 17 years.
Contents
Playing in France
Monaco is a very small country, called a microstate. Unlike other microstates in Europe, Monaco has never created its own football league. It also never asked to join UEFA or FIFA as a separate country. Because of this, AS Monaco plays in the French league system.
AS Monaco is a full member of the French league. This means they can represent France in European competitions. There are other football clubs that play in leagues of different countries. However, AS Monaco is special because it represents a country that is not a member of international football organizations. For example, clubs from Liechtenstein play in the Swiss league system. But those clubs have their own domestic cup in Liechtenstein.
Club History
Early Years
AS Monaco FC was first formed on 1 August 1920. It was a combination of several local clubs from France and Monaco. The larger sports club, Association Sportive de Monaco, was founded on 23 August 1924. AS Monaco FC then became the football part of this bigger sports club.
In its early years, the club played in amateur leagues. These were in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. They quickly moved up through the leagues in the 1920s. In 1933, the French Football Federation invited Monaco to become a professional club. Their first year in the second division did not go well. They were sent back to the amateur leagues the next year.
By 1948, Monaco became a professional club again. They returned to the French second division. They consistently finished near the top of the league. This hard work led to their first promotion to the French first division in 1953.
Success in France (1960–1986)
In 1960, Monaco's coach, Lucien Leduc, led the team to its first professional trophy. They won the Coupe de France. They beat Saint-Étienne 4–2 in extra time. The next year, they achieved even more success. The club won the French Championship for the first time. This allowed them to play in the European Cup.
Leduc then led the club to win both the League and the Cup in 1963. This is called a "Double". After Leduc left in 1963, Monaco had a tough time. They stayed in the middle of the league for about ten years. They also moved between the first and second divisions. In 1975, Jean-Louis Campora became the club's chairman. He brought Leduc back in his second season. Leduc immediately helped the club get promoted to the first division. They then won the championship the next year in 1978. Leduc left the club again in 1979.
The early 1980s brought more success in national competitions. Monaco won a title almost every other year. They won the Coupe de France in 1980 and 1985. They also won the French Championship in 1982. In the 1985–86 season, Monaco had one of its biggest wins ever. They beat Bordeaux 9–0.
However, Monaco struggled in European competitions. They had never gotten past the first round of any European tournament. They lost to teams like Dundee United (1981) and CSKA Sofia (1982 and 1984).
The Wenger and Tigana Years (1990s)
In 1987, Arsène Wenger became Monaco's manager. He was not very well known at the time. Wenger's time at the club was very successful. He signed great players like George Weah, Glenn Hoddle, and Jürgen Klinsmann. The youth academy also produced future World Cup winners. These included Emmanuel Petit, Lilian Thuram, and Thierry Henry.
Under Wenger, Monaco won the league in his first season (1988). They also won the Coupe de France in 1991. The club often reached the later stages of the European Cup. They were also regularly competing for the league title. Wenger left the club in 1994.
After Wenger left, the club won two more league championships. They won under Jean Tigana in 1997. They also won under Claude Puel in 2000. However, as the 1990s ended, there were rumors of financial problems. In 2003, these money issues became very serious. Even though they finished second in the league, the club was sent down to Ligue 2. This was because they had a large debt. The club's president, Jean-Louis Campora, had to step down.
The next season, the team did amazingly well on the field. This was despite their financial troubles. The team was coached by Didier Deschamps. They had strong players like Fernando Morientes and Ludovic Giuly. They finished third in Ligue 1. They also had a fantastic run to the final of the UEFA Champions League. They beat strong teams like Real Madrid and Chelsea. However, the 2003–04 season was the worst financial year for the club. Within a year, Deschamps left as coach.
Relegation and New Owners
After Didier Deschamps left, Francesco Guidolin was hired as coach. One of the first challenges was to keep the best players. But many players left, and their replacements were not as successful. Guidolin only stayed for one year. The club went through several coaches and had mid-table finishes. In 2008, the club's president, Michel Pastor, left.
In 2008, Jérôme de Bontin took over the club. He promised big changes. The club brought in new players, but they didn't do well on the field. They finished in the middle of the league. De Bontin resigned in 2009. He was replaced by Étienne Franzi and a new board.
In 2009, Guy Lacombe became the new coach. He had a young team with many promising players. Lacombe led Monaco to eighth place in Ligue 1 in his first season. But in his second season, the team struggled. He was fired in January 2011. Monaco was in 17th place. Laurent Banide took over, but he couldn't improve the team's performance. Monaco finished the 2010–11 season in 18th place. This meant they were relegated to Ligue 2.
In December 2011, a big change happened. Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian billionaire, bought 66.67% of the club. At this time, the club was at the bottom of Ligue 2. Banide was fired because of the poor start. Italian manager Marco Simone replaced him. Simone helped the club finish eighth by the end of the season. However, the club wanted to be promoted the next season. So, they hired Claudio Ranieri. His attacking style of play led the club to score 64 goals in the 2012–13 season. Monaco only lost four times and finished as champions. They were promoted back to Ligue 1.
Using Rybolovlev's money, Monaco spent a lot on new players in 2013. They spent about £140 million. This included a club-record £50 million for Radamel Falcao. They also spent £40 million for James Rodríguez. Monaco finished in 2nd place in Ligue 1 in the 2013–14 season. Ranieri was replaced by Leonardo Jardim. The next season, Monaco sold some expensive players. They sold Rodriguez to Real Madrid for €75 million. Falcao was loaned to Manchester United.
Despite losing key players, Monaco finished 3rd in Ligue 1. They also reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They beat Arsenal before losing to Juventus. In the summer, Anthony Martial was sold to Manchester United for €60 million. This was the highest fee ever paid for a teenager in football history at the time. Many other players were also sold. This brought the club over €180 million in transfer fees.
Ligue 1 Champions (2016–present)
Monaco won the 2016–17 Ligue 1 title on 17 May 2017. They beat AS Saint-Étienne 2–0. Radamel Falcao scored 30 goals and Kylian Mbappé scored 26 goals. This helped them win their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years. Monaco did not lose any of their last 20 games that season. They won 18 of those 20 matches.
In the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, Monaco made a great comeback. They lost the first game to Manchester City 5–3. But they won the second game 3–1 at home. This meant they won on away goals. Monaco then beat Borussia Dortmund before losing to Juventus.
In the summer, many star players left the club. Kylian Mbappé went to rivals PSG. This was a loan with a €180 million transfer fee later. This made it the second-highest transfer fee in history. Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy were sold to Manchester City. Tiémoué Bakayoko was sold to Chelsea. Despite these sales, Monaco finished 2nd in the 2017–18 Ligue 1. They were 13 points behind PSG. In 2018, Fabinho was sold to Liverpool.
Thierry Henry became the coach in October 2018. But he was suspended in January, and Leonardo Jardim returned. Monaco finished 17th that season, just avoiding relegation. In December 2019, Jardim was fired again. Former Spain manager Robert Moreno took his place.
In 2019–20, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the football season early. Monaco finished 9th. Moreno was fired in July. Niko Kovač became the new manager. He led the team to a third-place finish the next season. Kovač left in 2022. Philippe Clement replaced him. Under Clement, the club did not reach the Champions League group stages. They played in the Europa League instead.
On 4 July 2023, Monaco hired Adi Hütter as coach. He signed a two-year deal. In his first season, he led the club to a second-place finish in the 2023–24 season. This meant they qualified for the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2018–19.
Home Stadium
Monaco has played at the Stade Louis II since 1939. In 1985, a new stadium was built nearby. It was built on land taken from the Mediterranean Sea. This is a special feature of the stadium's seaside location. The stadium is named after Prince Louis II. It can hold 18,523 fans. The Stade Louis II is famous for its nine arches. It has hosted many sports events and European Cup finals. From 1998 to 2012, it hosted the annual UEFA Super Cup.
Youth Academy
Current Players
First Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Leaders
Board of Directors
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Coaching Staff
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Club Presidents
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
 Étienne Boéri |
1948–1951 |
| Roger-Félix Médecin |
1952–1953 |
| Joseph Fissore |
1954 |
| Charles Campora |
1955 |
| Roger-Félix Médecin |
1956–1957 |
| Charles Campora |
1958–1959 |
| Antoine Romagnan |
1960–1963 |
| Max Principale |
1964–1968 |
| Edmond Aubert |
1969 |
| Henry Rey |
1970–1972 |
| Henri Orengo |
1973–1974 |
| Henri Corvetto |
1975 |
| Jean-Louis Campora |
1976–2003 |
| Pierre Svara |
2003–2004 |
| Michel Pastor |
2004–2008 |
 Jérôme de Bontin |
2008–2009 |
| Étienne Franzi |
2009–2011 |
 Dmitry Rybolovlev |
2011– |
Club Coaches
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
 Jean Batmale |
1948–1950 |
 Elek Schwartz |
1950–1952 |
 Angelo Grizzetti |
1952–1953 |
 Ludvík Dupal |
1953–1956 |
 Anton Marek |
1956–1957 |
| Louis Pirroni |
1958 |
| Lucien Leduc |
1958–1963 |
| Roger Courtois |
1963–1965 |
| Louis Pirroni |
1965–1966 |
| Pierre Sinibaldi |
1966–1969 |
| Louis Pirroni / Robert Domergue |
1969–1970 |
| Jean Luciano |
1970–1972 |
 Ruben Bravo |
1972–1974 |
| Alberto Muro |
1974–1975 |
| Armand Forchério |
1976–1977 |
| Lucien Leduc |
1977–1979 |
| Gérard Banide |
1979–1983 |
| Lucien Muller |
1983–1986 |
 Ștefan Kovács |
1986–1987 |
| Arsène Wenger |
1987–1994 |
| Jean Petit |
1994 |
| Jean-Luc Ettori |
1994–1995 |
| Gérard Banide |
1995 |
| Jean Tigana |
1995–1999 |
| Claude Puel |
1999–2001 |
| Didier Deschamps |
2001–2005 |
| Jean Petit |
2005 |
 Francesco Guidolin |
2005–2006 |
 László Bölöni |
2006 |
| Laurent Banide |
2006–2007 |
 Ricardo Gomes |
2007–2009 |
| Guy Lacombe |
2009–2011 |
| Laurent Banide |
2011 |
| Marco Simone |
2011–2012 |
| Claudio Ranieri |
2012–2014 |
 Leonardo Jardim |
2014–2018 |
| Thierry Henry |
2018–2019 |
| Leonardo Jardim |
2019 |
 Robert Moreno |
2019–2020 |
 Niko Kovač |
2020–2022 |
| Stéphane Nado (caretaker) |
2022 |
 Philippe Clement |
2022–2023 |
| Adi Hütter |
2023– |
Club Achievements
National Competitions
- Ligue 1
- Winners (8): 1960–61, 1962–63, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2016–17
- Runners-up (8): 1963–64, 1983–84, 1990–91, 1991–92, 2002–03, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2023–24
- Ligue 2
- Winners: 2012–13
- Coupe de France
- Winners (5): 1959–60, 1962–63, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1990–91
- Runners-up (5): 1973–74, 1983–84, 1988–89, 2009–10, 2020–21
- Coupe de la Ligue
- Winners: 2002–03
- Runners-up (3): 2000–01, 2016–17, 2017–18
- Trophée des Champions
- Winners (4): 1961, 1985, 1997, 2000
European Competitions
- European Cup Winners' Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1991–92
- UEFA Champions League
- Runners-up (1): 2003–04
Pre-Season Tournaments
- Joan Gamper Cup
- Winners (1): 2024
- Mohammed V Cup
- Winners (1): 1988
UEFA Club Ranking
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 63 |  Galatasaray |
25.500 |
| 64 |  LASK |
25.000 |
| 65 |  Monaco |
24.000 |
| 66 |  Midtjylland |
23.500 |
| 67 |  Union Berlin |
23.000 |
Player Records
Bold means players who are still at the club.
Most Appearances
- Only competitive, professional matches are counted.
| # | Name | Years | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jean-Luc Ettori |
1975–1994 | 755 |
| 2 | Claude Puel |
1979–1996 | 602 |
| 3 | Jean Petit |
1969–1982 | 428 |
| 4 | Manuel Amoros |
1980–1989 | 349 |
| 5 | Christian Dalger |
1971–1980 | 334 |
| 6 | Marcel Dib |
1985–1993 | 326 |
| 7 | François Ludo |
1953–1962 | 319 |
| 8 | Luc Sonor |
1986–1995 | 315 |
| 9 | Michel Hidalgo |
1957–1966 | 304 |
| 10 | Armand Forchério |
1961–1972 | 303 |
Top Goalscorers
- Only competitive, professional matches are counted.
| # | Name | Years | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   Delio Onnis |
1973–1980 | 223 |
| 2 | Wissam Ben Yedder |
2019– | 118 |
| 3 | Lucien Cossou |
1959–1965 | 115 |
| 4 | Christian Dalger |
1971–1980 | 89 |
| 5 |  Radamel Falcao |
2013–2019 | 83 |
| 6 | Jean Petit |
1969–1982 | 78 |
| 7 |  Victor Ikpeba |
1993–1999 | 77 |
| 8 | Yvon Douis |
1961–1967 | 74 |
| 9 | Youri Djorkaeff |
1990–1995 | 68 |
| 10 |  Sonny Anderson |
1994–1997 | 67 |
 Shabani Nonda |
2000–2005 |
