LIGUE 1


'Ligue 1' (''Première division'' or ''Division 1'' until 2003, now called Ligue 1 Orange) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being ''Ligue 2''. It has been an all-professional league since its inception in 1932 except for the 1943-44 season, during which the Vichy regime abolished professionalism. Since the end of World War II, the French first division has switched several times between an 18- and a 20- team format, the latter being in force today and having the preference of clubs in spite of a busier schedule for the players.
The 20 ''Ligue 1'' teams play each other twice (home and away) during the season for a 38-match schedule. At the end of the season, the bottom three teams in the division are relegated to ''Ligue 2''. This promotion and relegation format, in place since 1995, is a relative novelty in the French top flight. The traditional format has long been direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play-off between the third-last first-division team and the winner of the second-division play-offs.
Currently, the top three teams in ''Ligue 1'' qualify for the Champions League, with the top two proceeding directly to the group phase. The third-placed team enters in the final qualifying round. The fourth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Cup. The fifth- and sixth-placed teams can also qualify, depending on results in the two domestic cup competitions.
Point allocation follows the international standard with three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The three-point rule was adopted in 1994 after a one-time test in the 1988-89 season. From 1973 to 1976, a "bonus" rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play. The experience was ultimately inconclusive.
''Ligue 1'' teams standing on equal points are ranked by goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) and, if still even, by the number of goals scored. Until 1966, the league used goal average (the ''ratio'' of goals scored to goals conceded) instead of goal difference to break ties on points. This system actually favored the defensive over the offensive, as shown by the outcome of the 1961-62 season: Stade de Reims edged Racing Club de Paris for the title by a 0.018 difference in goal average and was crowned champion on equal points in spite of equal goal difference (83-60 vs. 86-63) and fewer goals scored.
''Ligue 1'' is generally regarded as competently run, with good planning of fixtures, complete and consistently enforced rules, timely resolution of issues, and adequate escalation procedures of judicial disputes to national or international institutions. It has faced three significant corruption scandals in its history (Olympique d'Antibes in 1933, Red Star in the 1950s, and Olympique de Marseille in 1993) and has preserved its reputation every time through swift and appropriately severe punishment of the guilty parties.

Contents
Current Teams (2007-2008)
Ligue 1 Teams In European Competition
Previous Winners
Records
Club
Players
Other records
Statistics by clubs (1932-1939 and 1945-2007)
See also
References
External links

Current Teams (2007-2008)




Auxerre
Bordeaux
Caen
Le Mans
Lens
Lille
Lorient
Lyon
Marseille
Metz
Monaco
Nancy
Nice
Paris Saint-Germain
Rennes
Saint-Étienne
Sochaux
Strasbourg
Toulouse
Valenciennes


★ Relegated ''to'' Ligue 2 for 2007-08: Nantes, Sedan, Troyes

★ Promoted ''from'' Ligue 2 for 2007-08: Metz, Caen, RC Strasbourg

Ligue 1 Teams In European Competition


The original European Cup of 1955-56 featured Real Madrid against Stade de Reims-Champagne, finishing in a 4-3 victory for the Spanish side. In 1958-59, Reims and Real Madrid faced off once again, but once again the French side lost, this time by a score of 2-0.
After Stade de Reims-Champagne fell from prominence, Ligue 1 had trouble producing strong sides that could compete with the rest of Europe. However, in the 1974-75 European Cup AS Saint-Étienne defeated European powerhouses such as Rangers F.C., FC Dynamo Kyiv and PSV Eindhoven until they reached the final losing to defending champions Bayern Munich. The following year AS Saint-Étienne advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Liverpool F.C..
AS Saint-Étienne entered a dry spell after a short period of dominance and the 1980s produced no significant French clubs ready to conquer Europe. Finally in 1990-91 Olympique de Marseille, with scoring phenomenon Jean-Pierre Papin, advanced all the way to the final before falling to Red Star Belgrade on penalties.
When the European Cup rebranded to the UEFA Champions League, Olympique de Marseille unleashed havoc on competition. ''Les Olympiens'' won Group A and suddenly found themselves in the final against AC Milan. Basile Boli hit home the winning goal in the 44th minute, winning the Champions League for Marseille.
Most recently, the 2003-04 UEFA Champions League saw underdogs AS Monaco FC win their group over Deportivo de La Coruña, PSV Eindhoven and AEK Athens FC to advance to the Round of 16. Monaco did not stop there, triumphing over FC Lokomotiv Moscow, Real Madrid and Chelsea F.C. until they reached the final. F.C. Porto ended the run with a 3-0 victory.

Previous Winners


See for more details: France champions (football)

★ 1932/33 - Olympique Lillois
★ 1933/34 - FC Sète
★ 1934/35 - FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
★ 1935/36 - Racing Club de Paris
★ 1936/37 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1937/38 - FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
★ 1938/39 - FC Sète
★ 1939 - 1945 - ''league interrupted due to World War II''
★ 1945/46 - Lille OSC
★ 1946/47 - CO Roubaix-Tourcoing
★ 1947/48 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1948/49 - Stade de Reims
★ 1949/50 - Girondins de Bordeaux
★ 1950/51 - OGC Nice
★ 1951/52 - OGC Nice
★ 1952/53 - Stade de Reims
★ 1953/54 - Lille OSC
★ 1954/55 - Stade de Reims

★ 1955/56 - OGC Nice
★ 1956/57 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1957/58 - Stade de Reims
★ 1958/59 - OGC Nice
★ 1959/60 - Stade de Reims
★ 1960/61 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1961/62 - Stade de Reims
★ 1962/63 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1963/64 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1964/65 - FC Nantes
★ 1965/66 - FC Nantes
★ 1966/67 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1967/68 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1968/69 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1969/70 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1970/71 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1971/72 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1972/73 - FC Nantes

★ 1973/74 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1974/75 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1975/76 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1976/77 - FC Nantes
★ 1977/78 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1978/79 - RC Strasbourg
★ 1979/80 - FC Nantes
★ 1980/81 - AS Saint-Étienne
★ 1981/82 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1982/83 - FC Nantes
★ 1983/84 - Girondins de Bordeaux
★ 1984/85 - Girondins de Bordeaux
★ 1985/86 - Paris Saint-Germain FC
★ 1986/87 - Girondins de Bordeaux
★ 1987/88 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1988/89 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1989/90 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1990/91 - Olympique de Marseille

★ 1991/92 - Olympique de Marseille
★ 1992/93 - ''no winner''
★ 1993/94 - Paris Saint-Germain FC
★ 1994/95 - FC Nantes
★ 1995/96 - AJ Auxerre
★ 1996/97 - AS Monaco FC
★ 1997/98 - RC Lens
★ 1998/99 - Girondins de Bordeaux
★ 1999/00 - AS Monaco FC
★ 2000/01 - FC Nantes
★ 2001/02 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2002/03 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2003/04 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2004/05 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2005/06 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2006/07 - Olympique Lyonnais
★ 2007/08 -

Records


Club


★ 'Most titles': AS Saint-Étienne, 10

★ 'Most consecutive titles': Lyon (2002-2007), 6

★ 'Longest unbeaten record within a single season': Nantes, 32 matches (1994-1995)

★ 'Longest unbeaten home record': Nantes, 92 matches, between May 15 1976 and April 7 1981

★ 'Most wins in a season': 26 for Reims (1959-60), Monaco (1960-61), Nantes (1965-66, 1979-80) for a 20-team league; 25 for Saint-Étienne (1969-70) for an 18-team league

★ 'Most home victories in a season': 19 for Saint-Étienne (1974-75)

★ 'Most away victories in a season': 12 for Saint-Étienne (1969-70) Lyon (2005-2006) and Marseille (1971-72)

★ 'Fewest losses in a season': 1 for Nantes (1994-95)

★ 'Most seasons in top-flight': Sochaux, 57 seasons (including 2005-2006)

★ 'Most consecutive seasons in top-flight': Nantes, 44 seasons (1963-2007)

★ 'Highest-scoring season': 1946-47 (1,344 goals, average: 3.51 per match) for a 20-team league; 1948-49 (1,138 goals, average: 3.71 per match) for an 18-team league

★ 'Highest-scoring team in a season': 1959-60 RC Paris, 118 goals, in 20-team format; 1948-49 Lille, 102 goals, in 18-team format

★ 'Best defense in a season': 1991-92 Marseille, 21 goals conceded

★ 'Best goal difference in a season': 1959-60 Reims, +63, 20-team format; 1948-49 Lille, +62, 18-team format

★ 'Biggest win:' 12-1, Sochaux v. Valenciennes, 1935-36

★ 'Season with most yellow cards': 2002-03 (1,654)

★ 'Season with most red cards': 2002-2003 (131)

★ 'Most red cards in a season' : 1998-99 Bastia, 2002-03 PSG, and 2003-04 Lens, 13

★ 'Most matches for a coach' : Guy Roux, Auxerre (1961-2000,2001-2005) 890 matches

★ 'Highest overall attendance' : 8,086,774 in 2004-2005 (20 clubs)

★ 'Highest average attendance' : 23,154 per match in 2000-2001 (18 clubs)

★ 'Highest daily attendance for a single game day' : 281,000, Day 33, 1997-1998 (28,100 per match)

★ 'Highest single attendance' : 57,714, Marseille-Lyon, 1998-1999.
Players

'Top Ten Players With Most Appearances'[1]
Player Period Club[2] Games
1 Jean-Luc Ettori 1975–1994 AS Monaco 602
2 Dominique Dropsy 1972-1989 RC Strasbourg 596
3 Dominique Baratelli 1967-1985 OGC Nice 593
4 Alain Giresse 1970–1988 Girondins de Bordeaux 586
5 Sylvain Kastendeuch 1982-2001 FC Metz 577
6 Patrick Battiston 1973-1991 Girondins de Bordeaux 558
7 Jacky Novi 1964-1980 Olympique de Marseille 545
8 Roger Marche 1944-1962 Stade de Reims 542
9 Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes 1969-1988 FC Nantes 532
- Henri Michel 1966-1982 FC Nantes 532

'Top Ten Highest Goalscorers'[3]
Player Period Club[4] Goals
1 Delio Onnis 1971–1986 AS Monaco 299 (Ø 0,66)
2 Bernard Lacombe 1969–1987 Olympique Lyonnais 255 (Ø 0,51)
3 Hervé Revelli 1965–1978 AS Saint-Étienne 216 (Ø 0,55)
4Thadée Cisowski 1947–1961 RC Paris 206 (Ø 0,72)
5 Roger Piantoni 1950–1966 Stade de Reims 203 (Ø 0,52)
6 Roger Courtois 1932–1956 FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 193
7 Joseph Ujlaki 1947–1964 RC Paris 189 (Ø 0,43)
8 Fleury Di Nallo 1960–1975 Olympique Lyonnais 187 (Ø 0,44)
9 Carlos Bianchi 1973–1980 Stade de Reims 179 (Ø 0,81)
- Gunnar Andersson 1950–1960 Olympique de Marseille 179 (Ø 0,77)


Other records


★ 'Most titles' : Jean-Michel Larqué and Hervé Revelli of Saint-Étienne, 7 times champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976)

★ 'Most consecutive minutes without conceding' : Jérémie Janot, AS Saint-Étienne, 1276 minutes without conceding in 2005-2006

★ 'Goals in single season' : Josip Skoblar, Marseille, 44 (1970-1971)


★ 'Each season': See Top goalscorers in Ligue 1

★ 'Goals in single match' : 7 , Jean Nicolas, Rouen, 1938 against Valenciennes; André Abegglen (Sochaux) 1935 against Valenciennes

★ 'Most games scored in a row' : Vahid Halilhodzic (Nantes) 9 matches in a row - 1984-1985

★ 'Most red cards' : Cyril Rool : 19 (as of end of 2005-2006)

★ 'Youngest player' : Laurent Paganelli, Saint-Étienne 15 years 10 months

★ 'Youngest to score a hat trick' : Jérémy Menez, Sochaux January 22 2005 against Bordeaux - 17 years 8 months 15 days

Statistics by clubs (1932-1939 and 1945-2007)


'Club''Seasons
in D1/L1'
'Number of titles''Best
result'
'First season
in D1/L1'
'Last season
in D1/L1'
'Matches played (as end of 2006-07 season)
in D1/L1'
1.FC Sochaux59 +07/082 1st 1932-33 2006-072102
2.Olympique Marseille57 +07/088 1st1932-33 2006-07 2018
3.FC Metz56 +07/08 -2nd 1932-33 2005-06 2004
4.RC Strasbourg55 +07/081 1st1935-36 2005-06 1978
5.AS Saint-Étienne54 +07/0810 1st1938-39 2006-07 1972
- FC Girondins de Bordeaux54 +07/085 1st1945-46 2006-07 1984
- Lille OSC54 +07/083 1st 1932-33 2006-07 1925
- RC Lens54 +07/081 1st1937-38 2006-07 1968
9.AS Monaco50 +07/087 1st 1953-54 2006-07 1848
- Stade Rennais50 +07/08- 4th1932-33 2006-07 1776
11.Olympique Lyonnais49 +07/0861st1945-46 2006-07 1802
12.OGC Nice48 +07/084 1st 1932-33 2006-07 1744
13.FC Nantes44 8 1st1963-64 2006-07 1636
14.Paris SG 34 +07/082 1st 1971-72 2006-07 1272
16.RCF Paris 301 1st1932-33 1989-901020
17.Stade Reims 29 6 1st 1945-46 1978-79 1050
- SC Bastia29 -3rd 1968-69 2004-05 1074
19.Montpellier HSC 27 -3rd 1932-33 2003-04 954
20.AJ Auxerre 27 +07/081 1st1980-81 2006-07 1006
21.Valenciennes FC27 +07/08-3rd 1935-36 2006-07 948
22.Angers SCO 23 -3rd 1956-57 1993-94 854
- Le Havre AC 23 -3rd 1938-39 2002-03 834
24.CS Sedan 24 -3rd 1955-56 2006-07 834
- AS Nancy 23 +07/08-4th 1970-71 2006-07 866
.AS Cannes 22 -2nd 1932-33 1997-98 749
27.Toulouse FC (1937) 19 -2nd 1946-47 1966-67 678
- FC Rouen 19 -4th 1936-37 1984-85 678
29.Toulouse FC 19 +07/08-3rd 1982-83 2006-07 713
30.FC Sète16 2 1st1932-33 1953-54 504
- Red Star 16 -7th 1932-33 1974-75 540
32.FC Nancy 15 -4th 1946-47 1962-63 530
- Stade Français (football) 15 -5th 1946-47 1966-67 538
34.Troyes AC15 -7th1954-55 2006-07 512
.Stade Laval 13 -5th 1976-77 1988-89 494
36.Sporting Toulon Var 12 -5th 1958-59 1992-93 452
37.CO Roubaix-Tourcoing 10 1 1st1945-46 1954-55 344
- AC Ajaccio 10 -6th 1967-68 2005-06 372
- Stade Brest 10 -8th 1979-80 1990-91 380
40.SM Caen 9 -5th 1988-89 2004-05 342
41.SC Fives 7 -2nd 1932-33 1938-39 194
- Excelsior Athlétic Club de Roubaix 7-5th1932-331938-39194
- FC Antibes 7 -7th 1932-33 1938-39 194
- EA Guingamp7-7th 1995-96 2003-04 254
45.FC Mulhouse 6 -6th 1932-33 1989-90 184
- Olympique Alès 6 -10th 1932-33 1958-59 184
47.Tours FC4 -11th 1980-81 1984-85 152
48.AS Angoulême 3 -4th 1969-70 1971-72 110
- Racing Club de Roubaix 3 -8th 1936-37 1938-39 90
- Limoges Foot 87 3 -10th 1958-59 1960-61 114
- FC Martigues 3 -11th 1993-94 1995-96 114
- Paris FC 3 -12th 1972-73 1978-79 114
- Sporting Club Nimois 3 -5th 1932-33 1934-35 74
54.Le Mans UC72 3 +07/08-11th2003-04 2005-06 76
- FC Lorient 3 +07/08-16th 1998-99 2001-02 106
.CA Paris 2 -5th 1932-33 1933-34 44
- Grenoble Foot 38 2 -17th 1960-61 1962-63 76
58Club Français 1 -8th 1932-33 1932-33 18
- Hyères FC 1 -9th 1932-33 1932-33 18
- SR Colmar 1 -11th 1948-49 1948-49 34
- LB Châteauroux 1 -17th 1997-98 1997-98 34
- AS Béziers (football) 1 -18th 1957-58 1957-58 34
- FC Gueugnon 1 -18th 1995-96 1995-96 38
- Chamois Niortais FC 1 -18th 1987-88 1987-88 38
- AS Aix 1 -20th 1967-68 1967-68 38
- Olympique Avignonais 1 -20th 1975-76 1975-76 38
- FC Istres 1 - 20th 2004-05 2004-05 38

See also



Ligue 1 season 2005/2006

List of sports attendance figures — Ligue 1 attendance in a worldwide context

References


1. http://www.rsssf.com/players/fran-div1-matches.html
2. where player played the most games.
3. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesf/frantops-allt.html
4. where player shot the most goals

External links



Official Site

2005-2006 France Ligue 1 Final Season, Team, and Player Statistics in .PDF format - (www.worldcupadvice.com)

All-time statistics

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