Olympique Lyonnais facts for kids
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| Full name | Olympique Lyonnais | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Les Gones (The Kids) L'OL |
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| Short name | Lyon, OL | |||
| Founded | 26 May 1950 | |||
| Ground | Parc Olympique Lyonnais | |||
| Capacity | 59,186 | |||
| Owner | John Textor (77,49%) via OL Groupe | |||
| President | Laurent Prud'homme | |||
| Head coach | Pierre Sage | |||
| League | Ligue 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1, 8th of 20 | |||
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Olympique Lyonnais, often called Lyon or OL, is a professional football club from Lyon, France. The club started way back in 1899 but was officially founded in 1950. They play in France's second-highest football league, Ligue 2.
Lyon made history in 2002 by winning their first Ligue 1 championship. They then went on to win seven titles in a row, which is a national record! The club has also won eight Trophée des Champions, five Coupe de France cups, and three Ligue 2 titles.
The team has played in the UEFA Champions League seventeen times. They reached the semi-finals of this big European competition in 2010 and again in 2020. Lyon plays its home games at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, also known as Groupama Stadium. It can hold 59,186 fans. The team's colors are white, red, and blue.
The club's nickname is Les Gones, which means "The Kids" in the local Lyon dialect. They have a big rivalry with nearby team Saint-Étienne. This match is called the Derby Rhône-Alpes.
Contents
Club History and Success
Olympique Lyonnais started as part of a bigger sports club called Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1896. The football team officially began in 1899. However, because of disagreements between amateur and professional players, a new club was formed. On May 26, 1950, Olympique Lyonnais was officially founded.
Their first game was on August 26, 1950, and they won 3–0! In their second year, Lyon won the second division and moved up to the top league.
Winning Cups in the Early Years
In the 1960s and 1970s, Lyon had some good success. They had famous players like Fleury Di Nallo and Bernard Lacombe. Under manager Lucien Jasseron, Lyon won their first ever Coupe de France in 1964. They won it again in 1967 and a third time in 1973.
The Aulas Era and Record-Breaking Wins
In 1987, businessman Jean-Michel Aulas bought Lyon. He wanted to make Lyon a top team in France and Europe. Under his leadership, Lyon became one of the richest football clubs. They also became known for finding and developing talented young players. Some famous players who started at Lyon include Michael Essien, Florent Malouda, Juninho, and Karim Benzema.
Lyon won their first Ligue 1 title in 2002. This started an amazing run of seven league titles in a row! During this time, they also won another Coupe de France and many other trophies. They also did well in the Champions League, reaching the quarter-finals three times and the semi-finals in 2010. This amazing winning streak ended in the 2008–09 season.
Recent Seasons and New Ownership
In the 2019–20 season, Lyon finished seventh in the league. However, they did very well in the UEFA Champions League. They beat big teams like Juventus and Manchester City to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. They lost to Bayern Munich in the semi-final.
In December 2022, American businessman John Textor bought the club. He became the new owner and president in May 2023, ending Jean-Michel Aulas's 36 years of leadership. In 2024, the club faced some financial challenges.
Home Stadium: Parc Olympique Lyonnais
Lyon used to play at the Stade de Gerland from 1950 until 2016. This stadium was first planned in 1910 and finished in 1919. It was updated several times, including for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
In 2008, Lyon's president announced plans for a new, larger stadium. This new stadium, called OL Land at first, was designed to hold 60,000 people. It also included other sports facilities, hotels, and offices. The city of Lyon was chosen to host matches for the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, and the new stadium was part of those plans.
The first game at the new Parc Olympique Lyonnais was on January 9, 2016. Lyon won 4–1 against Troyes.
Training Facilities
The Centre Tola Vologe was Lyon's training center and club headquarters before 2016. It was named after a local sportsman, Tola Vologe. This center was famous for training many talented young players. Some of these include Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Alexandre Lacazette.
Now, both the men's and women's teams train at a modern complex. It is located right next to the new Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium. The youth academy also moved to a nearby town.
Team Colors and Kits
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| Lyon won six of their seven league titles wearing this kit. |
Since the club started, Lyon's main colors have been red, blue, and white. White has always been the most common color. In 1955, they added a red and blue V-shape (chevron) and blue shorts. Later, they changed to vertical red and blue stripes on the left side of the white shirt. Lyon wore this style for six of their seven straight league titles.
In 1976, the club changed to all-red uniforms for a while. They later returned to all-white kits. For the 2009–10 season, Lyon brought back the horizontal red and blue stripes. In the Champions League, Lyon has used many different colors for their kits, like red, navy blue, black, and silver.
Supporters and Fan Groups
Olympique Lyonnais has many active fan groups. One of the most well-known is Bad Gones ("Bad Kids"). This group started in 1987 and is the biggest fan group in France. They are known in Europe because of Lyon's success in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League.
Another group is Cosa Nostra Lyon. Other groups include the Hex@gones and the Gastrogones. There are also fan groups for Lyon outside the city, and even outside France, like the Lyondoners in London.
Club Records and Player Achievements
| Player | Matches |
|---|---|
 Serge Chiesa |
542 |
| Grégory Coupet |
519 |
| Fleury Di Nallo |
494 |
| Yves Chauveau |
490 |
 Anthony Lopes |
489 |
| Aimé Mignot |
425 |
| Sidney Govou |
412 |
| Anthony Réveillère |
400 |
| Player | Goals |
| Fleury Di Nallo |
222 |
| Alexandre Lacazette |
182 |
| Bernard Lacombe |
149 |
| Serge Chiesa |
132 |
 Juninho |
100 |
| Bafétimbi Gomis |
95 |
| Sonny Anderson |
94 |
| Nestor Combin |
94 |
Lyon's first official game was a 3–0 win in 1950. Since then, they have played over 50 seasons in France's top football division. They have played over 1,800 matches in total. Lyon got their 1,000th victory in the 2003–04 season.
The player with the most appearances for Lyon is Serge Chiesa, who played 541 matches from 1969 to 1983. Goalkeeper Grégory Coupet is second with 518 matches. Coupet and Sidney Govou are the only players to have won all four major French domestic titles with Lyon.
The club's all-time leading scorer is Fleury Di Nallo, who scored 222 goals between 1960 and 1974. Alexandre Lacazette holds the record for most goals in a single league season, scoring 26 goals in 2014–15.
Lyon's biggest win ever was 10–0, which happened twice in the Coupe de France. Their biggest league win was 8–0, also twice. In European games, their biggest win was 7–0 in 1974–75.
Club Rivalries
Lyon has a long-standing rivalry with Saint-Étienne. Matches between these two teams are called the Derby Rhône-Alpes. This rivalry is strong because the clubs are close to each other. Also, the cities of Lyon and Saint-Étienne have different historical backgrounds.
Since Lyon became a top club, they have also developed rivalries with Marseille, Bordeaux, and Paris Saint-Germain. The match against Marseille is often called Choc des Olympiques ("Clash of the Olympics"). These games are important because both clubs are usually very strong in French football.
Sponsors and Media
Lyon has had many sponsors over the years. Since 2010, their kit manufacturer has been the German sports brand Adidas. They also have a sponsorship deal with Emirates since 2020.
In 2005, the club launched its own 24/7 TV channel called OLTV. It shows club programs and matches. In 2021, OLTV was renamed OL Play.
Players and Coaches
Current Squad
As of 4 September 2024
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Players on Loan
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Retired Numbers
Sometimes, football clubs retire jersey numbers to honor special players. Lyon has done this for two players:
- 16 – This number was retired in 1999 for goalkeeper Luc Borrelli, who sadly died in a car accident. It was later brought back for other goalkeepers.
- 17 – This number was retired in 2003 for midfielder Marc-Vivien Foé. He passed away while playing for Cameroon at Lyon's stadium. This number was also later brought back for other players.
Award-Winning Players
Many Lyon players have won important awards:
- UNFP Player of the Year: Michael Essien (2005), Juninho (2006), Florent Malouda (2007), Karim Benzema (2008), Lisandro López (2010), Alexandre Lacazette (2015).
- UNFP Young Player of the Year: Florian Maurice (1995), Sidney Govou (2001), Hatem Ben Arfa (2008), Nabil Fekir (2015).
- UNFP Goalkeeper of the Year: Grégory Coupet (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), Hugo Lloris (2009, 2010, 2012).
- Bravo Award: Karim Benzema (2008).
Coaching Staff
Lyon has had many coaches since 1950. Aimé Mignot was the longest-serving coach, leading the team for eight years. Alain Perrin was the first Lyon coach to win both the league and the Coupe de France in the same season.
Current Coaching Team
As of 3 July 2024
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Pierre Sage |
| Assistant head coach | Damien Della Santa Jamal Alioui Rui Lemos Jorge Maciel |
| Goalkeeping coach | Rémy Vercoutre |
| Fitness coaches | Cédric Uras Alexandre Farhi |
| Video analysts | Anthony Michel Yannick Pothier Geoffrey Garcia |
| Data analysts | Benjamin Charier |
| Performance coordinator | Denis Valour |
| Head of Medical | Franck Pelissier |
| Doctors | Jean-Marc Laborderie Yann Fournier |
| Physiotherapists | Sylvain Rousseau Abdeljellil Redissi Jérémy Jacquemot Johann Howse |
| Nutritionist | Isabelle Mischler |
| Reserves coach | Gueïda Fofana |
| Team managers | Julien Sokol Guy Genet |
| Kit manager | Jérôme Renaud |
| Assistant kit managers | Lotfi Eladjabi François Lopez |
Club Trophies and Achievements
Lyon has won many titles in French football. They have won Ligue 1 seven times, which is the sixth-highest in French history. Their record of seven straight titles is truly special. They have also won Ligue 2 three times.
In cup competitions, Lyon has won the Coupe de France five times. They have also won the Coupe de la Ligue once and the Trophée des Champions eight times.
In European competitions, Lyon has reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League twice. They also won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1997.
Domestic League Titles
- Ligue 1
- Winners (7): 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Ligue 2
- Winners (3): 1950–51, 1953–54, 1988–89
Domestic Cup Titles
- Coupe de France
- Winners (5): 1963–64, 1966–67, 1972–73, 2007–08, 2011–12
- Coupe de la Ligue
- Winners (1): 2000–01
- Trophée des Champions
- Winners (8): 1973, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012
European Competition Titles
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Winners (1): 1997
Olympique Lyonnais Women's Team
Olympique Lyonnais also has a very successful women's football team, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. They play in France's top women's league, Division 1 Féminine. The women's team started in the 1970s and joined OL in 2004. They play most of their home games at the Groupama OL Training Center.
See also
In Spanish: Olympique de Lyon para niños
