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Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
club based in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, France. They compete in
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
, the top division of French football. As France's most successful club, they have won over 40 official honours, including ten league titles and one major European trophy. Their home ground is the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
. The Parisians were founded in 1970, following the merger of
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
and
Stade Saint-Germain Stade Saint-Germain was a French football club active between 1904 and 1970, at which time it merged with Paris FC in 1970 to form Paris Saint-Germain. It was based in the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The club's best performance in the Coupe ...
. PSG won their first major honour, the French Cup, in 1982 and their first Division 1 title in 1986. The 1990s was among the most successful periods in the club's history; they claimed a second league title, three French Cups, two French League Cups, two French Super Cups and the
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The cup was, chronologically, the second seasonal inter-European club competition organised by UEFA. The tourn ...
in 1996. After suffering a decline in fortunes during the 2000s, the Red and Blues have enjoyed a revival since 2011 with increased financial backing, achieving unparalleled dominance in domestic competitions, winning multiple league titles and national cups. PSG have also become a regular feature in the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
, reaching their first final in
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
. PSG have the most consecutive seasons playing in France's top flight and are one of two French clubs to have won a major European title. They are the most popular football club in France and one of the most widely supported teams in the world. PSG's home kit colours are red, blue, and white, and their crest features the
Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed ...
and a
fleur-de-lis The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...
. Paris have a longstanding rivalry with
Olympique de Marseille Olympique de Marseille (, ; oc, Olimpic de Marselha, ), also known simply as Marseille or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Founded in 1899, the club p ...
; the duo contest French football's most notorious match, '' Le Classique''.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ( ar, تميم بن حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني; born 3 June 1980, Doha, Qatar) is the Emir of Qatar who succeeded his father, Sheikh Hamad, after Hamad abdicated in his favour. Tamim is the fourth son ...
, the
Emir of Qatar The Emir, or Amir, of the State of Qatar ( ar, أمیر دولة قطر) is the monarch and head of state of the country. He is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and guarantor of the Constitution. He holds the most powerful positi ...
, owns Paris Saint-Germain through closed shareholders
Qatar Sports Investments Qatar Sports Investments (QSi) is a closed shareholding organization founded in 2005 and based in Doha, Qatar. Revenues generated from ventures of QSi are reinvested into Qatar's sport, leisure and entertainment sectors. QSi is led by Chairman ...
(QSI), which purchased the club in 2011. The takeover made PSG the richest club in France and one of the wealthiest in the world. Paris currently have the sixth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of €556m according to
Deloitte Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (), commonly referred to as Deloitte, is an international professional services network headquartered in London, England. Deloitte is the largest professional services network by revenue and number of professio ...
, and are the world's seventh-most valuable football club, worth $3.2bn according to
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
.


History


Creation and split (1970–1973)

In the summer of 1970, an ambitious group of businessmen decided to create a major team in the French capital.
Guy Crescent Guy Crescent (10 June 1920 – 16 October 1996) was a French businessman. He was president of the company from 1963 to 1985, and of football club Paris Saint-Germain in 1971, which he helped create a year prior. Biography Early life ...
and Pierre-Étienne Guyot chose to merge their virtual side,
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
, created in 1969, with
Stade Saint-Germain Stade Saint-Germain was a French football club active between 1904 and 1970, at which time it merged with Paris FC in 1970 to form Paris Saint-Germain. It was based in the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The club's best performance in the Coupe ...
of
Henri Patrelle Henri Patrelle (5 November 1918 – 25 December 1995) was a French football player and executive who served as president of Stade Saint-Germain and its successor Paris Saint-Germain. Being the "backbone" of Stade Saint-Germain from 1942 onwards, ...
after the team from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 15 km west of Paris and founded in 1904, won promotion to Division 2. However, the three men were stuck with the financial feasibility of the project until they met
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
president Santiago Bernabéu. He told them that starting a crowdfunding campaign was the best solution to establish a new team.20,000 people backed the project and Paris Saint-Germain were formed on June 17, 1970. Guyot was elected the club's first president a few days later. For the first time in French football history, the fans had financially contributed in the making of a club. The merger was made official following the creation of the club's association on August 12, 1970. PSG retains this day as their foundation date. Paris FC contributed with the financial backing, while Stade Saint-Germain provided the sporting infrastructure, from the Division 2 status to the
Camp des Loges The Camp des Loges, also known as Ooredoo Training Centre for sponsorship reasons, located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, is the training ground of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. The current version of the Camp des Loges opened in Novem ...
training center, as well as the manager
Pierre Phelipon Pierre Phelipon (born 5 February 1935) is a French former professional footballer and manager. In his playing days, he was a defender. He is known for being the first manager in the history of Paris Saint-Germain Paris Saint-Germain ...
and most of the players, including
Bernard Guignedoux Bernard Guignedoux (31 January 1947 – 1 January 2021) was a French professional football player and manager. He is known for being the first goal-scorer in the history of Paris Saint-Germain. Playing career Guignedoux was a graduate of the ...
,
Michel Prost Michel Prost (born 23 February 1946) is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is known for being one of the first "stars" in the history of Paris Saint-Germain. As of November 2022, Prost is a delegate for the town ...
and
Camille Choquier Camille Choquier (born 25 September 1941) is a French former professional football player and manager. Career During his career as a player, he played for Abbeville, Épinal, Stade Saint-Germain, and its successor, Paris Saint-Germain. He co ...
. PSG further strengthened their squad with the signing of Jean Djorkaeff, captain of the French national team. PSG's first official game was a 1–1 league draw away to
Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglome ...
on August 23, 1970. Guignedoux scored the club's first ever goal from a free-kick. The club went on to clinch promotion to Division 1 and claim the Division 2 title in its inaugural season. PSG's first top-flight season ended with a safe 16th place, meaning they would stay in Division 1 next year, but behind the scenes the club was in a delicate financial situation. Back in September 1971, the Paris City Council offered 850k francs to pay the club's debt and save its place in the elite, demanding PSG in return to adopt the more Parisian name "Paris Football Club." Crescent, who had replaced Guyot as club president before the start of the season, was in favor of the name change, but Patrelle was against it. The disagreement led to Crescent's resignation in December 1971, handing the presidency to Patrelle. The latter tried to persuade the council to reconsider their position, but they remained inflexible and the club split on June 1, 1972, a few days after the last match of the campaign. Backed by the council, Crescent re-formed
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
and remained in Division 1, while the PSG of Patrelle were administratively relegated to Division 3, thus losing professional status.


Top-flight return and Parc des Princes move (1973–1978)

Paris Saint-Germain really took flight with the arrival of fashion designer Daniel Hechter as chairman of the management committee in June 1973. Besides offering his financial support to the club, he also designed the team's classic home outfit. Hechter then shocked the national game ahead of 1973–74 by appointing French legend Just Fontaine as sporting director. Robert Vicot's men finished second in Group B, four points behind
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
, qualifying for the promotion play–offs against
Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a ...
. PSG lost 1–2 away to Valenciennes, but PSG recorded an incredible 4–2 comeback at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
, thus achieving promotion to Division 1 and regaining its professional status abandoned two years earlier. Overwhelmed by emotion, Fontaine collapsed on the lawn and was then carried by the players in celebration. Since then, PSG have always played in the first tier of French football. PSG played their first game at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
during this campaign. It was against fellow Parisian side
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
on November 10, 1973. PSG won 3–1 and
Othniel Dossevi Othniel Dossevi (born 13 January 1947) is a Togolese former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder#Winger, winger and Forward (association football), forward. Career Dossevi started playing football in France ...
scored the club's first goal at the stadium. The Parisians also began their tradition of brilliant
Coupe de France The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
runs, reaching the quarterfinals after beating
Metz Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand ...
at the Parc in front of 25,000 spectators (2–1; 4–1 on agreggate). In an ironic turn of events,
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
were relegated to Division 2 at the same time as Paris Saint-Germain moved up to the top flight in 1974, leaving their home stadium, the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
, in the hands of their estranged Parisian brothers. Since then, the Parc has been the home of PSG. With promotion to Division 1 also came a change of command. Daniel Hechter, then chairman of the management committee, took over as club president in June 1974 following the resignation of Patrelle. He named
Francis Borelli Francis Borelli (8 April 1932 – 2 October 2007) was a French businessman. He was the chairman of Paris Saint-Germain from 1978 to 1991. Parc des Princes The west stand of the Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater foo ...
as vice-president. Under Hechter's tenure, the Parisians failed to win any silverware in the 1970s but began their tradition of brilliant Coupe de France runs, established themselves in Division 1, and attracted several prestigious players, including Jean-Pierre Dogliani, Mustapha Dahleb and Carlos Bianchi. After Hechter was banned for life from football by the
French Football Federation The French Football Federation ( FFF; french: Fédération Française de Football) is the governing body of football in France. It also includes the overseas departments ( Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion), the o ...
in January 1978, for running a ticketing scheme at the Parc des Princes, Francis Borelli, who had been vice-president until then, became the new boss of the
Île-de-France The Île-de-France (, ; literally "Isle of France") is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France. Centred on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the country and often called the ''Région parisienne'' (; en, Pa ...
club.


First major honours and decline (1978–1991)

Following the arrival of manager
Georges Peyroche Georges Peyroche (born 27 January 1937) is a French football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football th ...
in November 1979, the club established itself as a top-half team and then welcomed its first major honour when the Parisians reached their first French Cup final in 1982. Up against the great
Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Saint-Étienne is the ...
of
Michel Platini Michel François Platini (born 21 June 1955) is a French football administrator and former player and manager. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row, in 1983, 1984 and 1985, a ...
at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
,
Nambatingue Toko Nambatingue Tokomon Dieudonné, often shortened to Nambatingue Toko (born 21 August 1952) is a Chadian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He spent all of his career in France. Playing career Toko was born in N'Djamena, ...
opened the scoring for PSG following a good cross from
Ivica Šurjak Ivan "Ivica" Šurjak (born 23 March 1953) is a Croatian retired football midfielder. He was the driving force behind the success of Hajduk Split as it became a force in the Yugoslav First League in the 1970s. Club career He started his career a ...
. Saint-Étienne reacted and Platini equalized to send the game to extra-time. Platini then doubled his personal account, giving the Greens the lead. The Parc des Princes faithful no longer believed in their team when
Dominique Rocheteau Dominique Claude Rocheteau (born 14 January 1955) is a French former professional footballer who played as a winger. A French international, he played in three FIFA World Cups, scoring at least one goal in each of them, and was part of the team ...
, after yet another assist from Šurjak, scored an unexpected equalizer in the last seconds of the match. PSG fans invaded the field in joy, while club president
Francis Borelli Francis Borelli (8 April 1932 – 2 October 2007) was a French businessman. He was the chairman of Paris Saint-Germain from 1978 to 1991. Parc des Princes The west stand of the Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater foo ...
kneeled and kissed the lawn of the Parc. Following an interruption of 30 minutes, the penalty shootout sealed PSG's coronation.
Dominique Baratelli Dominique Baratelli (born 26 December 1947) is a French former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Career Born in Nice, Baratelli started his footballing career with ''Cavigal Nice'' and turned professional in 1967 when switchi ...
stopped Saint-Étienne's last attempt and
Jean-Marc Pilorget Jean-Marc Pilorget (born 13 April 1958) is a French former professional footballer and manager. He holds the record of the most appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, with 435 matches. Club career Pilorget is the all-time leader in appearances fo ...
scored the winning penalty for the capital side. This success opened the doors to Europe, where PSG made an impressive continental debut in reaching the quarterfinals of the
1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup The 1982–83 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won by Scottish club Aberdeen in an extra-time victory against Real Madrid. Alex Ferguson's young side defeated the Spanish giants after a notable victory over Bayern Munich in the quarter- ...
. On the domestic scene, results were just as satisfying. PSG captured their first podium finish, coming in 3rd place, and repeated the feat in the 1983 Coupe de France Final, this time against
Nantes Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabita ...
. Recently crowned French champions, the Canaries were headed for the league-cup double, leading at the break after overturning
Pascal Zaremba Pascal Zaremba (born 2 September 1959) is a French former professional football player and manager. Club career A youth graduate of Valenciennes, Zaremba was a versatile centre-back and defensive midfielder in his playing days. He notably scor ...
's early strike. But PSG managed their own comeback in the second half as Sušić equalized and then assisted Toko for the winning goal (3–2). The campaign ended on a sad note, though, as
Georges Peyroche Georges Peyroche (born 27 January 1937) is a French football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football th ...
left the club. Three years later, under the guidance of manager
Gérard Houllier Gérard Paul Francis Houllier (; 3 September 194714 December 2020) was a French professional football manager and player. Clubs he managed include Paris Saint-Germain, Lens and Liverpool, where he won the FA Cup, League Cup, FA Charity Shield, U ...
, PSG claimed their maiden league crown in 1985–86. They dominated the championship from start to finish thanks in big part to the likes of Joël Bats, Dominique Bathenay, Luis Fernandez,
Dominique Rocheteau Dominique Claude Rocheteau (born 14 January 1955) is a French former professional footballer who played as a winger. A French international, he played in three FIFA World Cups, scoring at least one goal in each of them, and was part of the team ...
and
Safet Sušić Safet "Pape" Sušić (; born 13 April 1955) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of TFF First League club Akhisarspor. He was a gifted midfielder known for his dribbling skills and technic ...
, all of whom made up the backbone of the team. The victory away to
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and fr ...
on Matchday 3 meant PSG sat at the top of the table for the first time ever, a spot they never relinquished, going a memorable 26 matches without defeat towards the title. The follow-up to the league title was not as glorious though. Defending champions PSG finished the league in 7th place, suffered an early exit from the French Cup and were knocked out by Czech minnows Vítkovice in the first round of a disappointing European Cup debut. The following year, PSG avoided relegation on the final match of the 1987–88 season thanks to a dramatic 0–1 win away to
Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very ...
. Highly indebted, the club briefly bounced back, fighting for the 1988–89 league crown with
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
, before going into decline.


Canal+ takeover and golden era (1991–1998)

The takeover by television giants
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
in 1991 revitalised Paris Saint-Germain as they became one of the richest clubs in France. Canal+ wiped out PSG's huge debt and appointed
Michel Denisot Michel Maurice Daniel Denisot (; born 16 April 1945)Michel Denisot
on ''premiere.fr''.
is a F ...
, journalist on the channel, as club president in place of Francis Borelli. Now enjoying serious investment, the Red and Blues were able to set their sights steadily higher: they had to qualify for European competitions in their first season and become French champions within three years. In consequence, Canal+ increased the club's budget from 90 to 120 million francs in order to build a strong squad for the 1991–92 season. The revolution began with the appointment of renowned coach Artur Jorge, famous for leading
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropo ...
to the 1986–87 European Cup trophy. The club then embarked on a spending spree, signing Brazilian stars Ricardo and Valdo as well as proven French players Paul Le Guen,
Laurent Fournier Laurent Fournier (born 14 September 1964) is a French former professional footballer. Managerial career Fournier retired in 1998, immediately becoming manager of his final club SC Bastia in Ligue 1. He was fired in April 1999, and his next jobs ...
,
Patrick Colleter Patrick Colleter (born 6 November 1965) is a French former professional footballer who played as a full-back. Career Early career Colleter begin his football career with his local team Brest in 1986. After some impressive performances, Collete ...
and prolific Liberian striker George Weah. The 1992–93 season also marked the beginning of '' Le Classique'', the rivalry between Paris Saint-Germain and
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
, as both teams battled each other on the field for the
1992–93 French Division 1 Olympique de Marseille won the 1992–93 Division 1 season of the French Association Football League with 53 points but lost its title due to a bribery scandal. The club that finished second, Paris Saint Germain refused it, making it unattribute ...
crown. PSG finished runners-up after losing both games against Marseille. In the second match between the two clubs, only three days after winning the
1992–93 UEFA Champions League The 1992–93 UEFA Champions League was the 38th European Cup, the premier European club football tournament, and the first season with the UEFA Champions League branding (originally adopted only in the group stage). It was the second season of t ...
, league leaders Marseille welcomed closest challengers PSG in a match that would determine the title. After Marseille won their fifth consecutive championship,
Bernard Tapie Bernard Roger Tapie (; 26 January 1943 – 3 October 2021) was a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Minister of City Affairs in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy. Life and career Tapie was bor ...
and Marseille were found guilty of match-fixing in what became known as the
French football bribery scandal The French football bribery scandal (french: Affaire VA-OM) occurred during a 1992–93 French Division 1 match between Valenciennes and Olympique de Marseille. Marseille president Bernard Tapie and general manager Jean-Pierre Bernès contac ...
. The
French Football Federation The French Football Federation ( FFF; french: Fédération Française de Football) is the governing body of football in France. It also includes the overseas departments ( Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion), the o ...
stripped Marseille of their title and offered it to second-placed PSG, who refused it because club owners Canal+ thought that claiming the trophy would anger their subscribers back in
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
. As a result, the 1992–93 title remained unattributed, with Canal+ even refused letting the capital club participate in next year's
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
after
UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs fo ...
excluded Marseille from the competition. Instead,
Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
, who finish third in Ligue 1 took the Champions League spot instead. Considered the club's golden era, the Parisians won nine trophies and reached five consecutive European semi-finals during the 1990s, including their first
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
last-four appearance and two at the same stage of the
UEFA Cup A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, clay ...
. PSG's crowning glory came in the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final with legend Luis Fernandez now as coach. Bruno Ngotty scored the only goal of the match to defeat
Rapid Wien Sportklub Rapid Wien (), commonly known as Rapid Vienna, is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid has won the most Austrian championship titles (32), including the first title in the season 1911–12, ...
and make Paris the second French club to ever clinch a major European tournament and the youngest club in history to win a European title at 26 years of existence. The following season, PSG finished runners-up in the
1996 UEFA Super Cup The 1996 UEFA Super Cup was a two-legged match that took place on 15 January 1997 and 5 February 1997 between Paris Saint-Germain of France, champions of the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and Juventus of Italy as winners of the 1995–96 UEFA C ...
and 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final. On the domestic scene, results were just as satisfying, with Paris celebrating a second league title, three French Cups, two French League Cups and just as many French Super Cup wins.


Crisis mode and relegation battles (1998–2011)

PSG then went into decline following years of mismanagement. In the summer 2000, PSG spent heavily on new players signing Nicolas Anelka,
Peter Luccin Peter Bernard Luccin (; born 9 April 1979) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He currently serves as an assistant coach with MLS side FC Dallas. After arriving in Spain at age 22, he went on to appe ...
and
Stéphane Dalmat Stéphane Dalmat (born 16 February 1979) is a French former footballer who played as a midfielder. Dalmat was a very versatile player who usually occupied a variety of positions on the midfield. His good ball control and dribbling ability has o ...
as part of the "PSG Banlieue" project of its shareholder Canal+, with the goal of winning Ligue 1 and performing a solid
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
campaign but it was a failure. In 2003, the club faced a massive financial loss with a deficit of €65 million, leading Canal+ to fire Luis Fernandez as coach and Laurent Perpère as president and replacing them with Vahid Halilhodžić, who became the new coach and Francis Graille the new president. The club's form dwindled as they slipped further down the table and eventually, a split from owners
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
became inevitable. At the start of the 21st century, PSG struggled to rescale the heights despite the magic of
Ronaldinho Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho () or simply Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder, but was also deployed as a winger. Wide ...
and the goals of Pauleta. Five more trophies arrived in the form of three French Cups (including one against '' Le Classique'' arch-rivals
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
), one French League Cup and one
UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from la, Inter, 'between' + german: toto, ' betting pool'),Most precisely, from ( football pool); cf. often abbreviated and more known in the German-speaking world as UI Cup and originally called the International Fo ...
, but the club became better known for lurching from one high-profile crisis to another. Following years of mismanagement, the club's form dwindled as they slipped further down the table and a split from
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
became inevitable. The French premium television channel sold the club to
Colony Capital DigitalBridge Group, Inc. is a global digital infrastructure investment firm. The company owns, invests in and operates businesses such as cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Digita ...
in 2006. The situation, however, only got worse and PSG spent the 2006–07 and 2007–08 campaigns staving off relegations. The latter was the most dramatic. Marred by poor results and fan violence, Paris avoided the drop on the final match after a 2–1 win at Sochaux. The hero was Ivorian striker
Amara Diané Amara Salim Diané (born 19 August 1982) is an Ivorian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Club career Born in Abidjan, Diané started his career training at the famous youth academy at the famous Ivorian club ASEC Abidjan, ...
who scored both goals that night. Despite not enjoying the star status of other current or past PSG greats, Diané is still considered a legend by most Parisian fans.


QSI ownership and domestic dominance (2011–present)

After two years of solid progress and stability under the stewardship of manager
Antoine Kombouaré Antoine Krilone Kombouaré (; born 16 November 1963) is a French professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Ligue 1 club Nantes. Playing career Born in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, Kombouaré be ...
and president
Robin Leproux Robin Leproux (born 22 July 1959) is a French businessman. He was the president of French football club Paris Saint-Germain from 2009 to 2011. Leproux was graduated from Reims Management School (Now NEOMA Business School) at 1983. Career Prior ...
, the fortunes of Paris Saint-Germain changed dramatically when
Qatar Sports Investments Qatar Sports Investments (QSi) is a closed shareholding organization founded in 2005 and based in Doha, Qatar. Revenues generated from ventures of QSi are reinvested into Qatar's sport, leisure and entertainment sectors. QSi is led by Chairman ...
(QSI) purchased the club in 2011. The takeover made PSG not only the richest club in France but one of the wealthiest in the world. Club president
Nasser Al-Khelaifi Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi ( ar, ناصر بن غانم الخليفي; born 12 November 1973) is a Qatari businessman and the chairman of beIN Media Group, chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, president of Paris Saint-Germain and the Qatar ...
pledged to form a team capable of winning the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
and making the club France's biggest name. Club legend
Leonardo Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard. People Notable people with the name include: * Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Italian Renaissance scientist ...
was brought back in a sporting director capacity and oversaw a spending spree in summer 2011 that has so far been unprecedented in
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
history, including the signings of Blaise Matuidi,
Salvatore Sirigu Salvatore Sirigu (, ; born 12 January 1987) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Fiorentina and the Italy national team. Sirigu began his career with Venezia, and then Palermo. In 2011, he moved to Paris S ...
,
Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of ...
, Kevin Gameiro and
Javier Pastore Javier Matías Pastore (; born 20 June 1989) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Qatar SC. Pastore began his club career with Talleres and then Huracán in his native Argentina before moving to ...
. As a result, the Parisians have dominated French football, despite finishing behind
Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the department of Hérault. In 2018, 290,053 people l ...
in 2011–12, the elusive league crown was finally brought back to Paris in 2012–13 driven by star player Zlatan Ibrahimović, team captain Thiago Silva and famous manager
Carlo Ancelotti Carlo Ancelotti , (born 10 June 1959) is an Italian professional football manager and former player who is the manager of La Liga club Real Madrid. Regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, Ancelotti is the most decorated manager ...
. During the season, ahead of the winter transfer deadline it was announced that
David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham (; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Known for his range of passing, crossing ability and bending ...
signed a five-month deal with the club. Zlatan's 30-goal haul almost single-handedly led the capital side to its first Ligue 1 title in 19 years, and third overall. They also became a regular in the knockout stages of the Champions League, being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League on away goals by Barcelona in the quarter-finals after drawing both games. Big money signings continued with the arrivals of
Edinson Cavani Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez (; born 14 February 1987) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Valencia and the Uruguay national team. Nicknamed ''El Matador'' ('The Bullfighter'), being known for his i ...
in 2013 for a league record of €64 million, making it the sixth largest transfer in history and
David Luiz David Luiz Moreira Marinho (born 22 April 1987) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Flamengo. Primarily a centre back, he can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder. After starting out at Vitoria, David Luiz moved to Be ...
in 2014 for a £50 million transfer fee, a world-record transfer for a defender. Despite the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, PSG kept its winning ways under
Laurent Blanc Laurent Robert Blanc (born 19 November 1965) is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back, and is currently the manager of Ligue 1 club Lyon. He has the nickname ''Le Président'', which was given to hi ...
. The club secured a maiden domestic treble (Ligue 1,
Coupe de la Ligue The Coupe de la Ligue (), known outside France as the French League Cup, was a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. The tournament was established in 1993 and, unlike the Coupe de France ...
and
Trophée des Champions The Trophée des Champions (, ) is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the super cups found in many other countries. His ...
) in the 2013–14 season, before claiming an unprecedented national quadruple (Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue and Trophée des Champions) twice in a row in 2014–15 and 2015–16, winning the latter with a record-breaking 96 points, becoming the only first French men's team to achieve that feat. Fresh from three consecutive
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. ...
titles with
Sevilla Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...
, Unai Emery was hired by PSG for his European pedigree. But with star player Zlatan Ibrahimović gone, the club endured a disappointing 2016–17 season. Paris were pipped to the
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
title by Monaco, missing out on top spot for the first time in five years. Meanwhile, in the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
, the club suffered several disappointing nights, including arguably the club's most painful continental defeat in the infamous and controversial "La Remontada" ("The Comeback") against
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, losing 6–1 in the second leg of the round of sixteen, despite winning the first leg in France by a score of 4–0. In response, PSG signed
Neymar Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (born 5 February 1992), known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. A prolific goalscorer and renowned ...
for a world-record fee of €222 million and French prodigy
Kylian Mbappé Kylian Mbappé Lottin (born 20 December 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is renowned for his dri ...
on an initial loan, which was made permanent in 2018 in a transfer worth €180 million plus add ons, making him both the second- most expensive player and most expensive teenager. The capital club reclaimed the Ligue 1 title and also won the Trophée des Champions, the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France, clinching the domestic quadruple for the third time in four seasons. Despite their massive expenditure, in the Champions League, PSG lost to
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
in the round of 16, leading manager Unai Emery to leave the club at the end of the season. In May 2018, Thomas Tuchel signed a two-year contract with PSG, replacing Unai Emery. Paris Saint-Germain again fell in the Champions League round of 16 in 2018–19, suffering a shock 3–1 defeat at home to
Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
after winning the first leg 2–0 at
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wembl ...
. This season, they also won the Ligue 1 for the 8th time in their history, but lost in the Coupe de France Final against
Rennes Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine departme ...
. PSG were eliminated from the Coupe de la Ligue in embarrassing fashion, as they lost 2–1 at home to
Guingamp Guingamp (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 6,895 as of 2017, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Gui ...
in the quarterfinals. In the 2019–20 season, PSG won the Ligue 1 for the 9th time in their history, despite the season ending prematurely due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, and also reclaimed the Coupe de France defeating
Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Saint-Étienne is the ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of con ...
and won the last-ever Coupe de la Ligue defeating
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...
in a penalty shootout. In the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, PSG reached the semi-finals for the second time since 1995, after a last minute 2–1 win over
Atalanta Atalanta (; grc-gre, Ἀταλάντη, Atalantē) meaning "equal in weight", is a heroine in Greek mythology. There are two versions of the huntress Atalanta: one from Arcadia, whose parents were Iasus and Clymene and who is primarily kno ...
, before losing to
Bayern Munich Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), also known as FC Bayern (), Bayern Munich, or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional men's football team, which pla ...
1–0 in the finals in
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...
, with former PSG player
Kingsley Coman Kingsley Junior Coman (; born 13 June 1996) is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Bayern Munich and the France national team. Trained at Paris Saint-Germain's academy, Coman moved to Juventus in 2014 on the expi ...
scoring the winning goal. Tuchel's tenure at Paris Saint-Germain was marred by a fractured relationship with the club's hierarchy, leading him to be dismissed on 24 December, despite placing top of their Champions League group. On 2 January 2021, former PSG player
Mauricio Pochettino Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero (; born 2 March 1972) is an Argentine professional football manager and former player. He was most recently the head coach of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. Pochettino played as a central defender and be ...
was appointed as the new head coach. PSG's good form in the Champions League continued in 2021 with a second consecutive UCL semi-final appearance, a first for the club. Domestically, PSG won the Coupe de France, but failed to retain the Ligue 1 title, finishing one point behind
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the No ...
, losing the league for the second time in four years. During the 2021 summer transfer season, PSG completed one of the most historic transfer windows in football history, exercising the option to buy
Danilo Pereira Danilo Luís Hélio Pereira (born 9 September 1991), known as Danilo Pereira (), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Portugal national team. ...
and signing Achraf Hakimi from
Inter Milan Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Inter i ...
for a reported fee of €60 million. In addition, the club registered the free transfers of
Georginio Wijnaldum Georginio Gregion Emile Wijnaldum (formerly Boateng; born 11 November 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Roma, on loan from Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, and the Netherlands national team. A ...
,
Sergio Ramos Sergio Ramos García (; born 30 March 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Spain national team. Known for his aggressive play, he is widely regarded as one of the g ...
, and
Gianluigi Donnarumma Gianluigi Donnarumma (born 25 February 1999) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Italy national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in world footbal ...
. PSG concluded their transfer window with the signing of one of the greatest players of all time and record
Ballon d'Or The Ballon d'Or (; ) is an annual football award presented by French news magazine '' France Football'' since 1956. Between 2010 and 2015, in an agreement with FIFA, the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year (f ...
winner
Lionel Messi Lionel Andrés Messi (; born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the g ...
, who unexpectedly left Barcelona following the expiration of his contract, and promising defender Nuno Mendes on an initial loan, which was made permanent in 2022. Later in the season, PSG went on to reclaim the Ligue 1 title for the record 10th time, but fell short in the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid in the round of 16, a tie amplified by the uncertainty surrounding Kylian Mbappé's future. However, on 21 May 2022, Mbappé extended his contract with PSG until 2025, despite speculations of a possible transfer to Real Madrid, which prompted
La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Banco Santander, Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaL ...
officials to file a complaint to
UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs fo ...
regarding accumulating losses of PSG in the previous years. Unsatisfied with the club direction and lack of European success club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi promised mega-changes heading into next season and stated the team would not win the UEFA Champions League as currently constructed. This was in an interview with ''
Le Parisien ''Le Parisien'' (; French for "The Parisian") is a French daily newspaper covering both international and national news, and local news of Paris and its suburbs. It is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, better known as LVMH. Histor ...
.'' Changes were needed at the club on a very deep level and as such during the pre season for the 2022–23 season the club embarked on an ambitious rebuild. This began with the hiring of transfer market expert Luís Campos who made his name at Monaco first and then Lille. A change in club ethos was noted, and was followed by the sacking of first team coach Pochettino, while an announcement for the hiring of
Christophe Galtier Christophe Galtier (born 23 August 1966) is a French professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. A defender, Galtier was a journeyman professional who spent many of his 15 years as ...
was made in quick succession. A busy pre-season followed with a new transfer policy of "no bling-bling", the club quickly signed Nuno Mendes, Vitinha,
Hugo Ekitike Hugo Ekitike (born 20 June 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. Early life Hugo Ekitike was born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, Marne to a French father and a Cameroonian mother. ...
and Nordi Mukiele. Meanwhile a lot of older players who were not committed to the project were transfer listed.


Identity


Colours and mascot

Since their foundation, Paris Saint-Germain have represented both the city of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
and the nearby royal town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. As a result, red, blue and white are the club's traditional colours. The red and blue are Parisian colours, a nod to revolutionary figures Lafayette and
Jean Sylvain Bailly Jean Sylvain Bailly (; 15 September 1736 – 12 November 1793) was a French astronomer, mathematician, freemason, and political leader of the early part of the French Revolution. He presided over the Tennis Court Oath, served as the mayor of Par ...
, and the white is a symbol of
French royalty France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the firs ...
and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. On the club's crest, the
Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed ...
in red and the blue background represent Paris, while the fleur de lys in white is a hint to the
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The fleur de lys is a royal symbol as well and recalls that French King
Louis XIV Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
was born in the town. Throughout its history, PSG have brandished several crests, but all of them have featured the club's three historical colours. Likewise, PSG's most iconic shirts have been predominantly red, blue or white, with the remaining two colours included as well. The club's official mascot, Germain the
Lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, ...
, also sports PSG's traditional colours. It was unveiled during the 2010 Tournoi de Paris in commemoration of the club's 40th anniversary, and can be seen entertaining kids in the stands of the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
or near the pitch with the players during the warm-up.


Anthems and mottos

"Allez Paris!," recorded by Belgian actress and singer Annie Cordy in 1971, was the club's first official anthem. A PSG fan from the start, she was part of an association of hundreds of celebrities who contributed to the club's foundation in 1970. The club's second anthem, "Allez Paris-Saint-Germain!" by Les Parisiens, was recorded in 1977, replacing Cordy's version. An initiative of historical PSG leader and music producer Charles Talar, he produced and released it under his homonym record label. The song's chorus became a popular chant among PSG supporters during games. A new version, also called "Allez Paris-Saint-Germain!," was recorded in 2010 as part of the club's 40th anniversary celebrations. Sung to the tune of " Go West" by
Village People Village People is an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the releas ...
, the lyrics were rewritten with suggestions made by fans. This is the club's current official anthem. "Ô Ville Lumière" ("Oh City of Light"), to the tune of " Flower of Scotland," is another veritable club anthem for PSG supporters. Other notable chants from supporters' groups in the Boulogne and Auteuil stands include "Le Parc est à nous" ("The Parc is ours"), "Ici, c'est Paris!" ("This is Paris!"), and "Paris est magique!" ("Paris is magical!"). Both stands began exchanging these chants during PSG matches in the 1990s. "Ici, c'est Paris!" and "Paris est magique!" are also the club's most iconic mottos. "
Who Said I Would "Who Said I Would" is a song performed by Phil Collins that was originally recorded for his 1985 album ''No Jacket Required'' but was released in 1991 as a single from his live album '' Serious Hits... Live!'' in the United States and Japan. H ...
" by
Phill Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 an ...
is also a traditional anthem for the fans. The song has accompanied the players' entry into the field since 1992.


Iconic shirts

During their first three seasons of existence, the home shirt of Paris Saint-Germain was red with blue and white details in its sleeves and neck to bring together the three colours of the club: the red and blue of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, and the white of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. During the 2010–11 season, PSG wore a red shirt during home matches to commemorate their 40th anniversary. The connection between Paris Saint-Germain and the city's fashion houses is a longstanding one. French fashion designer Daniel Hechter became PSG president in 1973 and designed the club's traditional home look that same year: a blue shirt with a red vertical stripe flanked by two thinner white stripes (blue-white-red-white-blue). First worn in the 1973–74 season, the so-called "Hechter shirt" has remained the classic home identity of PSG ever since. The famous jersey made its debut during a home
Ligue 2 Ligue 2 (, League 2), also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsorship by Balkrishna Industries, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue ...
game against
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
on November 10, 1973. This was also the club's maiden match at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
. PSG won 3–1 as
Othniel Dossevi Othniel Dossevi (born 13 January 1947) is a Togolese former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder#Winger, winger and Forward (association football), forward. Career Dossevi started playing football in France ...
scored the club's first goal at the stadium as well as the first with the Hechter shirt. PSG stars from the 1990s and 2000s like
Raí Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira (born 15 May 1965), known as Raí (), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent the better part of his 15-year career with São Paulo and Paris Saint-Germain, w ...
,
Ronaldinho Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho () or simply Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder, but was also deployed as a winger. Wide ...
and Pauleta are associated with this kit. While wearing it, the capital club reached five European semi-finals in a row between 1993 and 1997, claimed the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and achieved eight consecutive wins against '' Le Classique'' arch-rivals
Olympique de Marseille Olympique de Marseille (, ; oc, Olimpic de Marselha, ), also known simply as Marseille or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Founded in 1899, the club p ...
between 2002 and 2004. The general belief is that Hechter based his creation on the red-and-white jersey worn by
Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Gree ...
, the dominant team in Europe at the time, but with the French flag in mind. Hechter himself has denied this, though, instead claiming he was inspired by the
Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best selli ...
. He transposed the car's hood stripes on the shirt and employed the three colours of the club. The Hechter shirt has two alternate versions: the "reversed Hechter" (red-white-blue-white-red), introduced in the 1974–75 season, and the "white Hechter" (white-blue-red-blue-white), which premiered in the 1994–95 season. It was with the club's most iconic away outfit, though, that fans saw the first big PSG team which won their maiden
Coupe de France The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
titles in 1982 and 1983, experienced their first European campaign in 1983 and claimed their maiden league crown in 1986. The shirt was white with blue and red vertical stripes on the left. Like the Hechter jersey, it debuted in the 1973–74 season as the away kit. Promoted by PSG president
Francis Borelli Francis Borelli (8 April 1932 – 2 October 2007) was a French businessman. He was the chairman of Paris Saint-Germain from 1978 to 1991. Parc des Princes The west stand of the Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater foo ...
, the white shirt was the club's home identity from 1981 to 1990. Now known as the "Borelli shirt," it is synonym with PSG legends from the 1980s like
Safet Sušić Safet "Pape" Sušić (; born 13 April 1955) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of TFF First League club Akhisarspor. He was a gifted midfielder known for his dribbling skills and technic ...
,
Luis Fernández Luis Miguel Fernández Toledo (born 2 October 1959), known as Luis Fernandez, is a French football manager and former player who played as a defensive midfielder. Fernandez spent most of his playing career for Paris Saint-Germain. He earned ...
and Dominique Bathenay.


Crest evolution

The club's first crest was basically the same as the original
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
(PFC) logo. Having to merge and give birth to PSG using
Stade Saint-Germain Stade Saint-Germain was a French football club active between 1904 and 1970, at which time it merged with Paris FC in 1970 to form Paris Saint-Germain. It was based in the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The club's best performance in the Coupe ...
's stadium, the PFC crest kept its original design but the name below it changed from "Paris FC" to "Paris Saint-Germain Football Club." This badge consisted of a blue football with a red vessel inside it. The latter is a historic symbol of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
and is present in the city's coat of arms. The name of the club was written below in red. PSG, however, split from PFC in 1972 and thus needed a new crest. Representing both Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the club's second crest became the basis of the one the fans know today. The round logo featured the
Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed ...
in red against a blue background and, underneath it, two Saint-Germain symbols in white: a fleur de lys and
Louis XIV Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
's cradle. Created by Christian Lentretien, former PSG board member and publicist by profession, this crest was first used in 1972 and lasted until 1982. The
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
, the club's home stadium, appeared below it between 1982 and 1990. The stadium was dropped from the crest in 1990. Two years later, then club owners
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
radically changed it in 1992. The new model had the acronym "PSG" in white against a blue-white-red-white-blue background (like the colour pattern of the Hechter shirt) with "Paris Saint-Germain" underneath in white against a black background. Under pressure from supporters, the traditional crest returned in 1995 with "Paris Saint-Germain" above the tower and "1970" below the cradle. This logo went through a slight facelift in 2002, most notably featuring a darker shade of blue. At the request of the club's Qatari owners, the traditional crest underwent a major makeover in 2013. “Paris” is now written in big white bold letters above a large
Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed ...
, clearly putting forward the brand “Paris” instead of “Paris Saint-Germain.” Underneath it, “Saint-Germain” is written in smaller letters below the fleur de lys. The cradle and the club's founding year "1970" were left out. PSG deputy general manager
Jean-Claude Blanc Jean-Claude Blanc (; born 9 April 1963 in Chambéry, France) is a French general manager and former marketing executive of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and former CEO of Juventus Football Club. Education Blanc holds an International Business and M ...
said: “We are called Paris Saint-Germain but, above all, we are called Paris.”


Friendly tournaments

Paris Saint-Germain used to host two very famous invitational competitions: the Tournoi de Paris and the
Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy The Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy was a mid-season indoor football invitational competition hosted by French club Paris Saint-Germain at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France. The tournament was founded in 1984 and was held annually until 1991. ...
. Regarded as French football's most prestigious friendly tournament, the Tournoi de Paris is considered a precursor of both the Intercontinental Cup and the
FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The competition was first contested in 200 ...
. PSG began hosting it in 1975 and were crowned champions a record seven times. Held at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
, the Tournoi de Paris was last organized in 2012. The Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy was an indoor football tournament founded by PSG in 1984 and held annually until 1991 at the
AccorHotels Arena Accor Arena (originally known as Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, and previously as AccorHotels Arena; also known as Bercy in competitions where commercial names are prohibited, such as in the Olympic Games) is an indoor sports arena and concert ...
in the
12th arrondissement of Paris The 12th arrondissement of Paris (''XIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, it is referred to as ''le douzième'' ("the twelfth"). Situated on the right bank of the River Seine, it ...
. Played indoors on a synthetic field and featuring seven-a-side teams, the competition featured hosts PSG and five more clubs. The Parisians lifted the trophy on two occasions, more than any other club.


Grounds


Stadiums

Paris Saint-Germain played their first game at their current home stadium, the 47,929-seater
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
, against
Ligue 2 Ligue 2 (, League 2), also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsorship by Balkrishna Industries, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue ...
promotion rivals
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
on November 10, 1973. It was the curtain-raiser for that season's opening
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
match between
Paris FC Paris Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional football club based in Paris, that competes in the Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Paris FC play their home matches at the Stade C ...
and Sochaux. PSG moved into the ground upon its return to Ligue 1 in 1974, ironically the same year that Paris FC were relegated. Up until that point it had been the home venue of Paris FC. During their early years, PSG played at several grounds including the Stade Municipal Georges Lefèvre, the Stade Jean-Bouin, the
Stade Bauer The Stade Bauer (also called the Stade de Paris) is a 10,000-capacity football stadium in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine in the northern suburbs of Paris. The stadium is mainly used by Red Star F.C. who currently play in Championnat National but have tas ...
, the
Stade Yves-du-Manoir The Stade Yves-du-Manoir (officially Stade olympique Yves-du-Manoir, also known as the Stade olympique de Colombes, or simply Colombes to the locals) is a rugby, track and association football stadium in Colombes, near Paris, France. History ...
and even the Parc a few times despite the reluctance of Paris FC. Ever since PSG moved to the Parc, the pitches of the Georges Lefèvre have hosted training sessions and home matches for the club's academy sides. The complex is located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, just across the street from the
Camp des Loges The Camp des Loges, also known as Ooredoo Training Centre for sponsorship reasons, located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, is the training ground of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. The current version of the Camp des Loges opened in Novem ...
, the club's training center.


Training facilities

Located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the
Camp des Loges The Camp des Loges, also known as Ooredoo Training Centre for sponsorship reasons, located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, is the training ground of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. The current version of the Camp des Loges opened in Novem ...
has been the club's training ground since 1970. The current Camp des Loges, built on the same site as the old one, was inaugurated in November 2008. It was then renamed Ooredoo Training Centre in September 2013 as part of a sponsorship deal with Ooredoo. The
Paris Saint-Germain Training Center The Paris Saint-Germain Training Center, sometimes referred to as Campus PSG, located in Poissy, Paris Region, will be the new training ground and sports complex of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. It will replace Camp des Loges — the cl ...
will be the club's new training ground and
sports complex A sports complex is a group of sports facilities. For example, there are track and field stadiums, football stadiums, baseball stadiums, swimming pools, and Indoor arenas. This area is a sports complex, for fitness. Olympic Park is also a kind ...
. It will replace the Camp des Loges upon its completion in June 2023. Owned and financed by the club, the venue will bring together PSG's male football, handball and judo teams, as well as the football and handball academies. The club, however, will remain closely linked to their historic birthplace in Saint-Germain-en-Laye as the Camp des Loges will become the training ground of the female football team and academy.


Records and statistics

Paris Saint-Germain holds many records, most notably being the most successful French club in history in terms of official titles won, with 47. They are the record holders of all national competitions, having clinched ten
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
championships, fourteen Coupe de France, nine Coupe de la Ligue, and eleven Trophée des Champions. Their trophy cabinet also includes one
Ligue 2 Ligue 2 (, League 2), also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsorship by Balkrishna Industries, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue ...
title. In international football, PSG have claimed one
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The cup was, chronologically, the second seasonal inter-European club competition organised by UEFA. The tourn ...
and one
UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from la, Inter, 'between' + german: toto, ' betting pool'),Most precisely, from ( football pool); cf. often abbreviated and more known in the German-speaking world as UI Cup and originally called the International Fo ...
. Their victory in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup makes PSG the sole French side to have won this trophy, one of only two French clubs to have won a major European competition, and the youngest European team to do so. They are also the only side to have won the Coupe de France without conceding a single goal (
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
and 2016–17), five Coupe de la Ligue in a row (2014–2018), four back-to-back Coupe de France (2015–2018), and eight consecutive Trophée des Champions (2013–2020). PSG have won all four national titles in a single season on four occasions. This feat is known as the domestic quadruple. The Red and Blues have completed the
domestic double The Double, in association football, is the achievement of winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season. The lists in this article examine this definition of a double, while derivative sections exami ...
, the league and league cup double, the domestic cup double, the domestic treble and the league three-peat several times as well. Therefore, PSG are the club with the most domestic doubles and league and league cup doubles, one of two sides to have achieved the league three-peat twice, and the only team to have won the domestic cup double, the domestic treble and the domestic quadruple. Since their inception, PSG have completed 52 seasons, of which 49 have been played in the highest division in French football, known as
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
. In 2021–22, they celebrated their 48th consecutive campaign in Ligue 1, which makes them the competitions's longest-serving club. PSG have played continuously in Ligue 1 from the 1974–75 season onwards. Since then, the Parisians have won ten league titles, finishing first more frequently than in any other position. Having come second in nine league campaigns, PSG have therefore made up the top two spots on 19 occasions. They have also reached the top five 27 times, which represents more than half of the club's seasons in Ligue 1. PSG's lowest-ever finish is 16th, both in 1971–72 (their first in Ligue 1) and 2007–08, when they escaped relegation on the final day of the season, with a 2–1 win at Sochaux.


Supporters

Paris Saint-Germain is the most popular football club in France and one of the most widely supported teams in the world. Famous PSG fans include
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...
, Tony Parker,
Fabio Quartararo Fabio Quartararo (; born 20 April 1999), nicknamed El Diablo, is a French Grand Prix motorcycle rider racing in MotoGP for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. Having won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, he is the first French World Champion in t ...
,
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
, Patrick Dempsey,
Victoria Azarenka Victória Fyódarauna Azárenka ( be, Вікторыя Фёдараўна Азаранка; Russian: Виктория Фёдоровна Азаренко; born 31 July 1989) is a Belarusian professional tennis player. Azarenka is a former w ...
,
Teddy Riner Teddy Pierre-Marie Riner (, ; born 7 April 1989) is a French judoka. He has won ten World Championships gold medals, the first and only judoka (male or female) to do so, and three Olympic gold medals (two individual, one team). He has also won ...
, and
DJ Snake William Sami Étienne Grigahcine (born 13 June 1986), known by his stage name DJ Snake, is an Algerian French music producer and DJ, first achieving international recognition in 2013 by releasing an instrumentation-oriented single called " Turn D ...
. Lacking a big passionate fanbase, the club began offering cheaper season tickets to young supporters in 1976. These fans were placed in the Kop K, located in the K section of the Borelli stand at the
Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin and Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47 ...
. Following an increase in ticket prices, Kop K supporters moved to the Boulogne stand in 1978, and the Kop of Boulogne (KoB) was born. There, the club's first Italian-style
ultra adopted by British military intelligence in June 1941 for wartime signals intelligence obtained by breaking high-level encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter communications at the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley P ...
group, Boulogne Boys, was founded in 1985. Other KoB groups, however, took British hooligans as dubious role models and violence rapidly escalated. PSG
supporters' groups A supporters' group or supporters' club is an independent fan club or campaign group in sport, mostly association football. Supporters' groups in continental Europe are generally known as ultras, which derives from the Latin word ultrā, m ...
have been linked to
football hooliganism Football hooliganism, also known as soccer hooliganism, football rioting or soccer rioting, constitutes violence and other destructive behaviours perpetrated by spectators at association football events. Football hooliganism normally involves ...
ever since. PSG owners
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
responded in 1991 by encouraging and financing non-violent fans of the KoB stand to take place in the Auteuil stand at the other end of the Parc des Princes. The Virage Auteuil was born, alongside Supras Auteuil, its most notorious ultras. At first the measure worked but, slowly, a violent rivalry arose between the two stands. Things came to a head in 2010 before a match against
Olympique de Marseille Olympique de Marseille (, ; oc, Olimpic de Marselha, ), also known simply as Marseille or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Founded in 1899, the club p ...
in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
. Boulogne fan Yann Lorence was killed following a fight between groups from both stands outside the Parc des Princes, forcing PSG president
Robin Leproux Robin Leproux (born 22 July 1959) is a French businessman. He was the president of French football club Paris Saint-Germain from 2009 to 2011. Leproux was graduated from Reims Management School (Now NEOMA Business School) at 1983. Career Prior ...
to take action. The club exiled the supporters' groups from the Parc des Princes and banned them from all PSG matches in what was known as Plan Leproux. It made PSG pay the price in terms of atmosphere, with one of Europe's most feared venues now subdued. For their part, former Virage Auteuil supporters formed the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) in February 2016, with the aim of reclaiming their place at the stadium. In October 2016, after a six-year absence, the club agreed to their return. Grouped in the Auteuil end of the stadium, the CUP currently is the only ultra association officially recognized by PSG. The ultra movement has also started to come back to life in the Boulogne stand. New groups Block Parisii, Paname Rebirth and Résistance Parisienne are trying to convince the club of relaunching the Kop of Boulogne.


Rivalries


Le Classique

Paris Saint-Germain shares an intense rivalry with
Olympique de Marseille Olympique de Marseille (, ; oc, Olimpic de Marselha, ), also known simply as Marseille or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Founded in 1899, the club p ...
; matches between the two teams are referred to as Le Classique. The clubs are the two most successful clubs in French football, and the only French teams to have won major European trophies. Therefore, the fixture is the biggest rivalry in France. PSG and OM were the dominant teams prior to the emergence of
Olympique Lyonnais Olympique Lyonnais (), commonly referred to as simply Lyon () or OL, is a men and women's French professional football club based in Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The men play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. Founded in 1950, th ...
in the 2000s, and are the most followed French teams internationally. Both clubs are at or near the top of the French attendance lists each season. Their meetings during the 1970s gave little indication the two would become major adversaries. The newly formed Parisians were trying to assemble a competitive team, while the Olympians were
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. ...
contenders. The rivalry began in earnest in 1986 when PSG won their first championship and OM was bought by
Bernard Tapie Bernard Roger Tapie (; 26 January 1943 – 3 October 2021) was a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Minister of City Affairs in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy. Life and career Tapie was bor ...
. By the end of the decade, PSG was fighting for the 1988–89 title against Tapie's Marseille. The accusations made by PSG president
Francis Borelli Francis Borelli (8 April 1932 – 2 October 2007) was a French businessman. He was the chairman of Paris Saint-Germain from 1978 to 1991. Parc des Princes The west stand of the Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater foo ...
against Tapie and OM for fixing matches during that season were a contributor to their growing rivalry. In the 1990s, tensions between the two sides escalated. French TV channel
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
bought PSG in 1991 with the aim of breaking Marseille's hegemony but then agreed with Tapie to emphasize the animosity between them as a way to promote the league. With equivalent financial backing, PSG and OM became the main contenders in the title race. Both sides were less successful in the late 1990s and the 2000s but the rivalry remained strong. Since the 2010s, the matchup has been dominated by PSG, and the significant investment of their Qatari owners has created a wide gap between the clubs.


Ownership and finances

During its first three years of existence, Paris Saint-Germain were fan-owned and had 20,000 members. The club was run by board members Guy Crescent, Pierre-Étienne Guyot and Henri Patrelle. A group of wealthy French businessmen, led by Daniel Hechter and
Francis Borelli Francis Borelli (8 April 1932 – 2 October 2007) was a French businessman. He was the chairman of Paris Saint-Germain from 1978 to 1991. Parc des Princes The west stand of the Parc des Princes Parc des Princes () is an all-seater foo ...
, would then buy the club in 1973. PSG changed hands in 1991, when
Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
took over, and then again in 2006 with the arrival of
Colony Capital DigitalBridge Group, Inc. is a global digital infrastructure investment firm. The company owns, invests in and operates businesses such as cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Digita ...
.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ( ar, تميم بن حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني; born 3 June 1980, Doha, Qatar) is the Emir of Qatar who succeeded his father, Sheikh Hamad, after Hamad abdicated in his favour. Tamim is the fourth son ...
, the
Emir of Qatar The Emir, or Amir, of the State of Qatar ( ar, أمیر دولة قطر) is the monarch and head of state of the country. He is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and guarantor of the Constitution. He holds the most powerful positi ...
, has been PSG's owner since 2011 through Qatar Sports Investments (QSI). QSI acquired a majority stake in June 2011 and then became the club's sole owner in March 2012. This means PSG are a state-owned club, the only of its kind, and thus one of the richest teams in the world. QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been PSG president since the takeover. Al Thani, however, has the final word on every major decision of the club. He is both the chairman of the QIA and the founder of QSI. Upon its arrival, QSI pledged to form a team capable of winning the UEFA Champions League. PSG have spent over €1.3bn on player transfers since the summer of 2011. These massive expenditures have translated in PSG's domination of French football but have not yet brought home the coveted UCL trophy as well as causing problems with
UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs fo ...
's Financial Fair Play regulations. PSG currently have the sixth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual turnover of €556m according to
Deloitte Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (), commonly referred to as Deloitte, is an international professional services network headquartered in London, England. Deloitte is the largest professional services network by revenue and number of professio ...
, and are the world's seventh-most valuable football club, worth $3.2bn according to ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine. PSG's strong financial position has been sustained by the club's Qatari owners; the team's on-pitch success; high-profile signings, including Zlatan Ibrahimović,
Neymar Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (born 5 February 1992), known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. A prolific goalscorer and renowned ...
,
Kylian Mbappé Kylian Mbappé Lottin (born 20 December 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is renowned for his dri ...
and
Lionel Messi Lionel Andrés Messi (; born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the g ...
; and lucrative sponsorship deals with the
Qatar Tourism Authority Qatar Tourism (QT) ( ar, قطر للسياحة/الهيئة العامة للسياحة), a branch of the Government of Qatar, is the apex body responsible for the formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to the ...
, Nike,
Air Jordan Air Jordan is an American brand of basketball shoes produced by American corporation Nike. The first Air Jordan shoe was produced for Hall of Fame former basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in late 1984 an ...
, Accor and
Qatar Airways Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. ( ar, القطرية, ''al-Qaṭariya''), operating as Qatar Airways, is the state-owned flag carrier airline of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, the airline operates a hub-and-spoke netwo ...
.


Honours

:''As of the
2022 Trophée des Champions The 2022 Trophée des Champions was the 27th edition of the French Super Cup. The match was contested by the 2021–22 Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain, and the 2021–22 Coupe de France winners, Nantes. It took place at Bloomfield Stadium ...
.'' * * shared record


Players


First-team squad

:''As of 24 September 2022.''


Elite group


Out on loan


Other players under contract


Personnel

:''As of 16 July 2022.''


Management


Technical staff


References


External links

*
Paris Saint-Germain – Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain – UEFA.com
{{Authority control Football clubs in Paris Association football clubs established in 1970 G-14 clubs 16th arrondissement of Paris Ligue 1 clubs 1970 establishments in France P UEFA Intertoto Cup winning clubs Unrelegated association football clubs Football clubs in Île-de-France