FC Nantes

FC Nantes

Football Club de Nantes (Breton: Naoned, Gallo: Naunnt; commonly referred to as simply Nantes) is a French association football club based in Nantes, Pays de la Loire. The club was founded on 21 April 1943, during World War II, as a result of local clubs based in the city coming together to form one big club. From 1992–2007, the club was referred to as FC Nantes Atlantique before reverting to its current name at the start of the 2007–08 season. Nantes currently play in Ligue 2, the second division of French football. The club has spent the majority of its life in Ligue 1, but last played in the league in 2008. The first-team is currently managed by Franco-Armenian coach Michel Der Zakarian and captained by defender Matheus Vivian.

Nantes is one of the most successful clubs in French football having won eight Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France wins, and attained one Coupe de la Ligue victory. The club is famous for its jeu à la nantaise, its collective spirit, mainly advocated under coaches José Arribas, Jean-Claude Suaudeau and Raynald Denoueix and for its youth system, which has produced players such as Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Mickaël Landreau and Christian Karembeu. As well as Les Canaris (English: The Canaries), Nantes is also nicknamed Les jaunes et verts (English: The Green and Yellows) and La Maison Jaune (English: The Yellow House).