Paris Saint-Germain Féminine

Paris Saint-Germain Féminine (French pronunciation: ​[paʁi sɛ̃ ʒɛʁmɛ̃]), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris SG, or simply Paris or PSG, are a French professional football club based in Paris. Founded in 1971, they compete in Division 1 Féminine, the top division of French football. Their home ground is Stade Jean-Bouin. They are the women's department of Paris Saint-Germain.

This article is about the women's football team. For the men's football team, see Paris Saint-Germain F.C. For other uses, see Paris Saint-Germain (disambiguation).

Paris Saint-Germain Féminine
Full nameParis Saint-Germain Football Club
Nickname(s)Les Parisiennes (The Parisians)
Les Rouge-et-Bleu (The Red and Blues)
Short namePSG, Paris SG, Paris
Founded1971 (1971)
GroundStade Jean-Bouin
Capacity20,000
OwnerQatar Sports Investments
PresidentNasser Al-Khelaifi
CoachOlivier Echouafni
LeagueDivision 1 Féminine
2019–20Division 1 Féminine, 2nd
WebsiteClub website
Active departments of
Paris Saint-Germain
Football (Men's) Football (Youth Mixed) Football (Women's)
Handball (Men's) Esports Judo (Mixed)
Closed departments of
Paris Saint-Germain
Boxing (Men's) Rugby League (Men's)

PSG have played in the top flight since 2001, when they won the Division 2 Féminine. They have never clinched the Division 1 title, though. The Parisians won their first major honour, the French Cup, in 2010. The 2010s have been the most successful period in PSG's history: they claimed their second cup title, finished league runners-up seven times and reached the UEFA Women's Champions League final twice.

History

Rise to Division 1 (1971–2001)

The female section of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club was born in the summer of 1971 following the green light given by the French Football Federation (FFF) to women's football.[1] The club signed 33 women for the 1971–72 season and the newly formed team began life from the bottom of the football pyramid.[1][2]

Eight years after its foundation, PSG still had not played in the elite. In turn, the team played in the Championnat de Paris with the likes of RC Joinville and VGA Saint-Maur.[2] They finished runners-up in 1972, their best result. PSG does not take part in the first five editions of the Division 1 Féminine (1974–1979), preferring to continue life in the Championnat de Paris.[1]

PSG finally joined the Division 1 at the end of the 1978–1979 season.[2] They were promoted to the top-flight after the Division 1 went from 20 to 48 teams for the 1979–1980 season.[1] However, three seasons later, the capital club was relegated to the Division 2 Féminine. PSG would bounce between divisions throughout the next 19 years.[2]

After a 1999–2000 season in which PSG dramatically missed promotion to the Division 1 due to a heavy defeat in the last match against SC Schiltigheim (0–3), they made amends the following season. Coached by Sébastien Thierry and guided by young defender Laura Georges, the team won 16 out of 18 games played in Group A and was promoted to the top tier. Additionally, PSG won the 2000–01 Division 2 title by defeating Group C leader Tours (2–1). Since then, Paris SG have never been relegated from Division 1.[2]

First major title (2001–2010)

Under manager Cyril Combettes, PSG remained without major problems among the elite without ever challenging the top teams.[1] In the summer of 2005, Sabrina Delannoy and Laure Boulleau, two of PSG's most iconic players, arrived to the club from the CNFE Clairefontaine. Together, Delannoy and Boulleau played more than 400 matches with Paris. The defending duo experienced everything with the capital side: relegation battles, mid-table finishes and title races.[2]

At the end of March 2007, Cyril Combettes resigned due to relationship problems with the players.[1] Eric Leroy replaced him and signed striker Marie-Laure Delie to PSG for the 2007–08 season.[1][2] Despite a difficult start, a heavy 1–5 defeat to Montpellier in the first match, the season was a success.[2] Under Leroy's direction, the team finished in fifth place and reached the Coupe de France Féminine final for the first time in their history, losing against Olympique Lyonnais at Stade de France.[1][2] The 2008–2009 season, however, was disappointing and Éric Leroy was replaced by co-managers Camille Vaz and Karine Noilhan in June 2009.[1]

PSG recruited French internationals Élise Bussaglia, Julie Soyer and Jessica Houara during the summer of 2009.[1] The club celebrated 38 years of existence by hosting the Parisian derby against Paris FC at Parc des Princes on 18 October 2009. Usually reserved for the men's team, it was the women's first match at the stadium in their history. In front of 5,892 spectators, PSG defeated Paris FC 1–0 thanks to an early goal from Camille Abily. They ended the 2009–10 season in third place, a first for them on the podium, and reached their second French Cup final.[2]

In the final, they met defending champions Montpellier at Stade Robert Bobin in the 2009–10 edition. Ingrid Boyeldieu opened the scoring in the first half, before the capital side added four more after half time for a final 5–0 scoreline. It was the club's maiden major title and its first since the D2 title. Moreover, PSG achieved the men's and women's double of the French Cup, with the boys having won the 2010 Coupe de France Final against Monaco (0–1).[2] Emblematic club striker Ingrid Boyeldieu would retire from football at the end of the season.[1]

Power struggle with Lyon (2010–)

Today, PSG are trying to break the dominance of Olympique Lyonnais over French and European football.[3][4]

The 2010–11 season marked a turning point for the women's team. In the summer, Brazilian star Kátia joined on free signing from Lyon. Then, PSG finished league runners-up and qualified for UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history, after defeating second-placed Montpellier in the final match of the season. Club captain Sabrina Delannoy scored the winning penalty, whistled in stoppage time. And finally, Élise Bussaglia was named Division 1 Féminine Player of the Season.[1]

PSG would then finish league runners-up between 2013 and 2016. The ladies also lost the French Cup final in 2013–14 and the 2015 UEFA Women's Champions League Final to 1. FFC Frankfurt.[2][5][6][7]

Identity

Parent club Paris Saint-Germain represent both the city of Paris and the nearby royal town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.[8] As a result, red, blue and white are the club's traditional colours.[9] The red and blue are Parisian colours, a nod to revolutionary figures Lafayette and Jean Sylvain Bailly, and the white is a symbol of French royalty and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.[9][10]

On the club's crest, the Eiffel Tower in red and the blue background represent Paris, while the fleur de lys in white is a hint to the coat of arms of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.[10][9] The fleur de lys is a royal symbol as well and recalls that French King Louis XIV was born in the town.[9] Throughout its history, PSG have brandished several different crests, but all of them have featured the club's three historical colours.[11] Likewise, PSG's most iconic shirts have been predominantly red, blue or white, with the remaining two colours included as well.[12] The club's official mascot, Germain the Lynx, also sports PSG's traditional colours.[10]

Grounds
Main articles: Camp des Loges, Stade Municipal Georges Lefèvre, and Paris Saint-Germain Training Center

Stadiums

Since they do not possess a dedicated home stadium, PSG Féminine have played some of its home games in several venues along the years.[13][14] These include Stade Municipal Georges Lefèvre,[2] Stade Sébastien Charléty,[13] Stade Jean-Bouin,[14] and Parc des Princes.[15] They currently play its home matches in the 20,000-capacity Stade Jean-Bouin, located across the street from Parc des Princes, home to the club's male football section.[16]

Training facilities

PSG Féminine train at the Centre Sports et Loisirs de la Banque de France de Bougival (CSLBF de Bougival).[16] The Camp des Loges will become the training ground of the female football team and academy in 2022. Their male counterparts will move to the Paris Saint-Germain Training Center.[17][18] The new venue will have its own stadium.[19] With a total capacity of 5,000, including over 3,000 seats, the arena will host some of the women's first team games in official competitions such as the Division 1 Féminine and UEFA Women's Champions League.[20][21]

Supporters
Main article: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. supporters

Between 2010 and 2016, with the impossibility for fan groups to support parent club Paris Saint-Germain (men's team) at home or away, the PSG faithful turned to Paris Saint-Germain Féminine, and to a lesser extent to the Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy sides, being the very rare case of fan groups supporting their club's women's team. Liberté Pour les Abonnés and Nautecia, which were among several groups that reunited Boulogne and Auteuil supporters, were behind this initiative.[22] PSG ultras have also occasionally attended big matches of the club's handball team, Paris Saint-Germain Handball, ever since it was bought by PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in 2012.[23][24][25]

"With our return to the men's team's matches, we must admit that we now have less time to go encourage the women. But we're not going to let them down because of this. It's nice to show them that we haven't forgotten them."

— Axel, spokesman of Nautecia, in March 2017.[22]

In 2010, unlike some fans who decided to cheer for other Parisian clubs such as Paris FC or Créteil, Liberté Pour les Abonnés and Nautecia noticed there wasn't much enthusiasm around the women and chose to stay with PSG by supporting them in France and abroad, from league clashes against rivals Olympique Lyonnais to the 2015 UEFA Women's Champions League Final in Berlin.[22]

A marriage of convenience at first, the ultras began to really enjoy supporting the women for three main reasons: their proximity compared to the men, being able to easily approach female players; their appreciation for the fans, always thanking them after every match; and their solidarity with the ultra movement, publicly supporting a return to Parc des Princes for men's team games in interviews and social media, in contrast to male players whose communication was more controlled by the club.[22]

Even after being allowed back into the stadium in 2016, they have continued to support the women under the banner of Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP). In March 2017, they attended the Champions League quarterfinals return game against Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes.[22] They were also part of the record 19,192 spectators in attendance for the semifinals against Barcelona the following month.[22][26] Later that same season, 300 PSG ultras cheered the team during the 2017 UEFA Women's Champions League Final against Lyon in Cardiff in June 2017.[27]

Ownership and finances
Main article: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. ownership and finances

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ruler of Qatar, bought 70% of parent club Paris Saint-Germain represent through state-owned shareholding organization Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).[28][29][30] Colony Capital (29%) and Butler (1%) remained minority shareholders.[28] In March 2012, QSI purchased the remaining 30% stake to become PSG's sole shareholder, valuing the club at €100m.[28][31] PSG thus became one of the wealthiest clubs in the world.[29]

In late June 2019, Paris Saint-Germain announced a long-term contract extension with kit manufacturer Nike, which is now one of European football's most lucrative and the biggest sponsorship agreement in the club's history.[32] PSG are tied to the American brand until 2032 and will more than triple their previous €25m deal with an annual figure in excess of €80 million.[32][33] PSG said the new Nike deal will cover the men's and women's football teams, as well as their handball outfit.[32]

Honours
Main articles: List of Paris Saint-Germain Féminine records and statistics and List of Paris Saint-Germain Féminine seasons
As of the 2019–20 season.[34][35]

Since their inception, Paris Saint-Germain have played 49 seasons, all of them within the top three levels of the French football league system: Division 1, Division 2 and Ligue de Paris.[1][36][37] The Parisians began life in the Ligue de Paris in 1971–72, playing regional league football during eight seasons.[1] They were promoted to Division 1 ahead of the 1979–1980 campaign.[1][2][38] PSG have played 29 seasons in the top flight; they have been in D1 since 2001–02. Paris have never won the league title, though. They have been relegated to Division 2 three times: first in 1981–82, then in 1991–92 and finally in 1994–95. The capital club have played twelve seasons in the second tier. They returned to the Division 1 in 2001–02 and have never looked back since. The club's worst D1 finish to date is 12th, their placing at the end of the 1994–95 season.[1][2][38][39]

PSG have won three titles. Domestically, the capital side have clinched two Coupe de France and one Division 2 title. PSG have yet to claim their first Division 1 championship; they have finished as runners-up on eight occasions. In international club football, Paris have reached the UEFA Champions League final twice, first in 2015 and then in 2017. On the other hand, influential officials and players in the club's history include most decorated presidents Bernard Brochand, Simon Tahar and Nasser Al-Khelaifi,[40][41] trophy-winning managers Sébastien Thierry, Camille Vaz and Bernard Mendy,[39][42] record appearance maker and longest-serving captain Sabrina Delannoy,[39][43][44] all-time top scorer Marie-Laure Delie,[45] Champions League record striker Cristiane,[46] and award-winning players Élise Bussaglia,[47][48] Shirley Cruz,[49] Katarzyna Kiedrzynek,[50] Christiane Endler,[51] Grace Geyoro,[50] Marie-Antoinette Katoto,[51][52][53] and Kadidiatou Diani.[52]

Domestic

Players
As of the 2019–20 season.[54][55][56]

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  GER Charlotte Voll
2 DF  FRA Bénédicte Simon
4 DF  POL Paulina Dudek
5 DF  USA Alana Cook
6 MF  BRA Luana
7 FW   SUI Ramona Bachmann
8 MF  FRA Grace Geyoro
9 FW  FRA Marie-Antoinette Katoto
10 FW  DEN Nadia Nadim (vice-captain)
11 FW  FRA Kadidiatou Diani
12 DF  CAN Ashley Lawrence
13 MF  GER Sara Däbritz
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF  ESP Irene Paredes (captain)
15 FW  NOR Karina Sævik
16 GK  CHI Christiane Endler
20 DF  FRA Perle Morroni
21 MF  FRA Sandy Baltimore
22 FW  DEN Signe Bruun
23 FW  CAN Jordyn Huitema
24 MF  BRA Formiga
27 MF  FRA Léa Khelifi
30 GK  USA Arianna Criscione
— GK  FRA Alice Pinguet
— MF  FRA Laurina Fazer

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  FRA Aminata Diallo (at Utah Royals until 31 December 2020)

Youth system
Main article: Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy

Former players

Staff and management
See also: List of Paris Saint-Germain Féminine managers, List of Paris Saint-Germain Féminine presidents, and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. ownership and finances § Organizational chart
As of the 2019–20 season.[54][57][58][59]
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi

Organizational chart
Position Name
Owner Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Majority shareholder Qatar Sports Investments
President Nasser Al-Khelaifi
Sporting director Leonardo
Assistant sporting director Angelo Castellazzi
Head of legal affairs Grégory Durand

Technical staff
Position Name
Coach Olivier Echouafni
Assistant coach Bernard Mendy
Goalkeeper coach Bruno Valencony
Fitness coach Sébastien Lopez-Guia

References
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Official websites
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