Racing Club de France Football

Racing Club de France Football (French pronunciation: [ʁasiŋ klœb də fʁɑ̃s], also known as Racing Paris, RCF Paris, Matra Racing, Racing Club, or Racing) is a French association football club based in Colombes, a suburb of Paris.

This article is about the association football club. For the rugby union club, see Racing 92.

Racing Club de France
Full nameRacing Club de France Football
Nickname(s)Les Ciels et Blancs (The sky-blues and whites)
Les Pingouins (The Penguins)
Founded20 April 1882 (1882-04-20)
1896 (1896) (as Football)
GroundStade Yves-du-Manoir
Stade Alphonse Le Gallo (2023–24 season)
Capacity15,000
ChairmanPatrick Norbert
ManagerGuillaume Norbert
LeagueNational 2 Group C
2022–23National 2 Group A, 2nd
WebsiteClub website

Racing was founded in 1882 as a multi-discipline sports club, and is one of the oldest clubs in French football history. The team plays in the Championnat National 2, the fourth level of French football. Racing is managed by Guillaume Norbert and hosts its home matches at the Stade Lucien-Choine, a smaller stadium next to the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in Colombes.[1][2]

Racing Club de France, founded in 1882, was a founding member of Ligue 1. The club has won one Ligue 1 title (in 1935–36) and five Coupe de France titles, and is tied for fourth-best. Racing also played in the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques-sanctioned league, France's first championship league. The club debuted in the league in 1899 and won the championship in 1907 after finishing second in 1902 and 1903. The club holds the Ligue 1 record for most goals scored during a 38-match season with 118 goals in 1959–60.

Notable players include Roger Marche, Oscar Heisserer, Thadée Cisowski, Raoul Diagne, Luis Fernández, Maxime Bossis, David Ginola, Luís Sobrinho, Pierre Littbarski, Enzo Francescoli, Alfred Bloch, and Rubén Paz. Diagne spent a decade with the club (1930–1940) and, in 1931, was the first black player on the France national team. He played in the 1938 FIFA World Cup with Abdelkader Ben Bouali, his Racing teammate who was one of the first North African players on the national team. From 2009 to 2012, the club moved to nearby Levallois-Perret after reaching a financial agreement with the commune.

History
Opposing players competing for the ball
Racing (in dark jersey with horizontal stripes) playing Argentine Racing Club in Parc des Princes, 1950

During the 1900 Summer Olympics, Racing Club de France hosted the athletics events at Croix-Catelan Stadium (the club's previous home).[3] Racing's zenith was the 1930s and 1940s, when the club won Ligue 1 in 1936 and the Coupe de France in 1936, 1939, 1940, 1945 and 1949. The club was also successful in the early 1960s, finishing second in the first division in 1961 and 1962. However, Racing was a focal point of the financial crisis affecting French football during the mid-1960s. The club's financial struggles resulted in its relegation to the lower divisions.

In 1982, businessman Jean-Luc Lagardère wanted to build a team of stars and invested in the club as a second major club in Paris (with Paris Saint-Germain). Although he considered a merger of Paris FC and Racing, the Racing management refused due to a lack of detailed information on PFC finances. Lagardère bought the Paris FC (incurring a debt of more than four million francs) and renamed it "Paris Racing 1". Lagardère invested in experienced players in 1982 and 1983.

Lagardère, determined to lead his club to the European Cup draws in 1987, hired Portuguese coach Artur Jorge after Jorge's victory in the European Cup with FC Porto. He completed the team with Gérard Buscher and Pascal Olmeta. However, the club fell on hard times and attendance declined. During the late 1980s, Racing lost 300 million francs.

The club, relegated to the amateur levels, sought firmer financial footing. In December 2008, Georgios Kintis tried unsuccessfully to buy the club.[4] Before the 2009–10 season, Racing reached a financial agreement with the city of Levallois. The club's association and support from the commune resulted in a name change to Racing Club de France Levallois 92.[5] Despite assistance from Levallois, Racing was relegated to the Championnat de France amateur 2 by the DNCG in July 2010 after it was determined that the club had a €500,000 debt. On 21 November 2010, Racing Levallois and UJA Alfortville announced plans to merge for the following season. In 2012, the club returned to Colombes as Racing Club de France Colombes 92. The club achieved promotion in the 2021–22 Championnat National 3 season to reach Championnat National 2 where they currently compete in Group A.

2022–present: Return in Championnat National 2
RC France celebrating a goal against AF Virois during the 2023–24 Championnat National 2 season at Stade Alphonse Le Gallo.

For the 2023–24 season, RC Frace will play his matches at Stade Alphonse Le Gallo due to the renovation of their original home ground, Stade Yves du Manoir.

Name changes
  • Turkey travel of Racing football players in the evening newspaper dated 30 June 1932
    Racing Club de France: (1896–1932, 1966–1981, 2005–2007)
  • Racing Club de Paris: (1932–1966, 1981–1987, 1999–2005)
  • Matra Racing: (1987–1989)
  • Racing Paris 1: (1989–1991)
  • Racing 92: (1991–1995)
  • Racing Club de France 92: (1995–1999)
  • Racing Club de France football 92: (2007–2009)
  • Racing Club de France Levallois 92: (2009–2012)
  • Racing Club de France Colombes 92: (2012–2018)
  • Racing Club de France Football: (2018–present)

Players

Current squad

As of 18 August 2022

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Algeria ALG Anis Derkaoui
— GK Guadeloupe GLP Rubens Adélaïde
16 GK Mali MLI Sory Camara
— DF France FRA Ouassim Faradji
— DF France FRA Sabri Daouadji
— DF France FRA Baila Dia
— DF Senegal SEN Salif Dramé
— DF France FRA Abderrahmane Tabbackh
— DF France FRA Valentin Tacheau
— DF France FRA Yohan Somme
— DF France FRA Maxime Da Veiga
— MF France FRA Adama Camara
— MF France FRA Adama Niakaté
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF France FRA Charles-André Raux Yao
— MF France FRA Fabien Lippmann
— MF France FRA Mohamed El Kourchi
— MF France FRA Merwan Ifnaoui
— MF France FRA Walid Ait Draoui
— MF France FRA Romain Vidot
— MF France FRA Jason Jacqueray
— FW France FRA Lilian Ricol
— FW France FRA Moriba Traoré
— FW France FRA Arnold Vula
— FW Central African Republic CAF Ghislain Vénuste Baboula

Past players

The following players have represented Racing in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1882. They have played in at least 100 official matches for the club, or achieved prominence elsewhere. For a complete list of RCF Paris players, see Category:Racing Club de France football Colombes 92 players.

Officials
  • President : Patrick Norbert
  • Vice-president : Guillaume Norbert
  • General secretary : –
  • Manager : Guillaume Norbert
  • Assistant manager : Serge Gnonsoro

Managers

Honours

References
  1. "Un nouveau manager général Azzedine Meguellatti" (in French). Racing Club de France Football. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  2. "Le Stade Yves du Manoir" (in French). Racing Club de France Football. Archived from the original on 31 July 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  3. 1900 Summer Olympics official report. p. 15. (in French)
  4. "On s'arrache le Racing CFF 92 ! : France Football". Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  5. "Partenariat Levallois-Racing". 28 May 2009.
  6. "Les entraîneurs du Racing depuis 1932" (in French). Allez Racing. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
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