Toulouse FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Toulouse Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Le Téfécé Les Violets Le Tef Les Pitchouns |
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| Short name | TFC | ||
| Founded | 1970 | ||
| Ground | Stadium de Toulouse | ||
| Capacity | 33,150 | ||
| Coordinates | 43°34′59″N 1°26′3″E / 43.58306°N 1.43417°E | ||
| Owner | RedBird Capital Partners (85%) | ||
| President | Damien Comolli | ||
| Manager | Carles Martínez Novell | ||
| League | Ligue 1 | ||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 2, 1st of 20 (promoted) | ||
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Toulouse Football Club (also known as Tolosa Fotbòl Club in Occitan) is a professional football team from Toulouse, France. The club started in 1970. Today, they play in Ligue 1, which is the top football league in France.
Toulouse FC plays its home games at the Stadium de Toulouse. The team is often called Les Violets (The Violets) because of their purple and white colours. They are also known as Les Pitchouns, which means "The Kids" in the local language.
In 2023, Les Violets won the Coupe de France, a major French football cup. They have also won the second-tier league, Ligue 2, three times. The club has played in European competitions six times. This includes the UEFA Champions League in 2007, which was a big achievement for them.
The current president of Toulouse FC is Damien Comolli. Over the years, many talented players have played for Toulouse. Some famous ones include Fabien Barthez, a World Cup-winning goalkeeper, and strikers like André-Pierre Gignac and Wissam Ben Yedder.
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Club History
The city of Toulouse did not have a big football team after 1967. That's when the original Toulouse FC sold its players and its spot in the top league. But three years later, in 1970, a new club was formed. It was called Union Sportive Toulouse.
The team started in Ligue 2, the second division. In 1979, they changed their name back to Toulouse FC. They also started wearing purple and white jerseys. In 1982, Les Pitchouns were promoted to the top league, Ligue 1.
A memorable moment happened in 1986. Toulouse FC, with players like Jacques Santini, beat Diego Maradona's Napoli in a penalty shootout. This was during their first time playing in a European competition, the 1986–87 UEFA Cup.
After some ups and downs, Toulouse FC faced financial problems in 2001. This caused them to drop to the third division. However, they quickly bounced back. They returned to the top league just two seasons later.
In 2007, Toulouse finished third in Ligue 1. This earned them a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds. They played against Liverpool but lost the match.
In the 2008–09 season, Toulouse finished fourth in Ligue 1. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League. Their player, André-Pierre Gignac, was the top scorer in Ligue 1 that season.
In 2016, Toulouse had an exciting last game of the season. They needed to win to avoid being moved down to Ligue 2. They were losing 2–1 with only 12 minutes left. But they scored two late goals and won 3–2, staying in Ligue 1! Two years later, they had to play a special playoff game. They won 4–0 against AC Ajaccio to stay in the top league.
In 2020, the club had a tough time. They lost many games and their manager was replaced. Later that year, they were moved down to Ligue 2 because the season ended early due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On 21 July 2020, a company called RedBird Capital Partners bought most of Toulouse FC. The club then worked hard and won the Ligue 2 title in 2022. This meant they were promoted back to Ligue 1.
A huge achievement came on 29 April 2023. Toulouse won their first-ever Coupe de France title! They beat Nantes 5–1 in the final. This was the second time a Toulouse team won this cup, as the original club had won it in 1957.
Club Name Changes
- Union Sportive Toulouse (1970–1979)
- Toulouse Football Club (1979–present)
Home Stadium
Toulouse FC plays its home matches at the Stadium de Toulouse. This stadium was built in 1937. It can hold 33,150 fans. The stadium has also hosted big events like the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.
Team Colours
The team's main colour is violet. This colour is a nod to one of Toulouse's nicknames: la Cité des violettes (the City of Violets). The city is also known as la Ville rose (the Pink City), which explains why some of their older away jerseys were pink.
The club's logo features the Occitan cross. This is a gold and blood-red symbol of Occitania, a historical region where Toulouse is a major city.
Club Rivalries
Derby de la Garonne
The Derby de la Garonne is a special match between Toulouse FC and Girondins de Bordeaux. These two teams are from the two biggest cities in southwestern France. Both cities are located on the Garonne River, which is why their matches are called a "derby." The rivalry became stronger after Toulouse returned to Ligue 1 in 2001.
Current Players
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Players on Loan
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Club Achievements
- As of 11 May 2023[update].
National Trophies
- Coupe de France
- Winners (1): 2022–23
- Ligue 2 (Second Division)
- Winners (3): 1981–82, 2002–03, 2021–22
Club Managers
José Farías (1970–72)
Richard Boucher (1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77)- Ángel Marcos (1977–78)
- Just Fontaine (1978–79)
- Pierre Cahuzac (1979–83)
Daniel Jeandupeux (1983–85)- Jacques Santini (1985–89)
- Pierre Mosca (1989–91)
- Victor Zvunka (1991–92)
- Serge Delmas (1992–94)
- Jean-Luc Ruty (1994)
- Rolland Courbis (1994–95)
- Alain Giresse (1995–98)
- Guy Lacombe (1998–99)
- Alain Giresse (1999–2000)
- Robert Nouzaret (2000–01)
- Erick Mombaerts (2001–06)
- Elie Baup (2006–08)
- Alain Casanova (2008–15)
- Dominique Arribagé (2015–16)
- Pascal Dupraz (2016–18)
- Mickaël Debève (2018)
- Alain Casanova (2018–19)
Antoine Kombouaré (2019–20)- Denis Zanko (2020)
- Patrice Garande (2020–21)
- Philippe Montanier (2021–23)
Carles Martínez Novell (2023–present)
See also
In Spanish: Toulouse Football Club para niños
- Toulouse FC (women)
