Association Sportive de Cannes Football (; commonly referred to as AS Cannes or simply Cannes) is a
French association football club based in
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
. The club was formed 1902 as a
sports club
A sports club or sporting club, sometimes an athletics club or sports society or sports association, is a group of people formed for the purpose of playing sports.
Sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and ...
and currently plays in the
Championnat National 3, the fifth division of
French football
Association football is the most popular sport in France. The French Football Federation (FFF, Fédération Française de Football) is the national governing body and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of association football in the cou ...
. Cannes plays its home matches at the
Stade Pierre de Coubertin, located within the city. The team is managed by
Ludovic Pollet.
Despite playing football on the
French Riviera
The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...
, a popular and relaxing tourist destination, Cannes have had a lackluster existence. The club was one of the founding members of the
first division of French football and finished runners-up in the
league's inaugural season. The club's highest honour to date was winning the
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 ...
in
1932. Cannes last played in Ligue 1 in the
1997–98 season and are currently serving the longest stint of any club in the National division, having been in the league since the 2001–02 season. The club has most notably served as a springboard for several prominent French football players such as
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane (; born 23 June 1972), popularly known as Zizou, is a French professional football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. He most recently coached Spanish club Real Madrid and is one of the mos ...
,
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira (born 23 June 1976) is a French professional football manager and former player who is the manager of club Crystal Palace. He is widely considered as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. Vieira began his career at ...
,
Johan Micoud
Johan Cédric Micoud (born 24 July 1973) is a French former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder.
He was considered a skilled midfielder and a dead-ball expert. During a 16-year career he played professionally, o ...
,
Gaël Clichy
Gaël Dimitri Clichy (born 26 July 1985) is a French professional footballer who plays for Swiss Super League club Servette. He primarily plays as a left-back, being also capable of playing as an offensive-minded wing-back. He is predominant ...
,
Sébastien Frey
Sébastien Jacques André Frey (born 18 March 1980) is a French former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. His club career began in France with Cannes in 1997, but later went on to spend most of his career in the Italian Serie A, ...
and
Jonathan Zebina.
Cannes is known as ''Les Dragons'' (''The Dragons'') and incorporates the nickname into a multitude of club's fixtures, most notably its crest. On 21 May 2010, the club unveiled its new logo to its supporters. The new logo is similar to the club's previous logo, but is more dynamic with the club's city name and foundation being displayed on the badge. The dragon, which is a focal point of the club, is also given a more up-to-date design.
History
![Coupe de France 1920, AS Cannes-O](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Coupe_de_France_1920%2C_AS_Cannes-O._lillois.jpg)
Association Sportive de Cannes was founded on 4 August 1902 by English sportsman Herbert Lowe and a group of friends. Lowe was installed as the club's president. During the infancy of the club, in addition to association football, Cannes also practised the sports of
competitive swimming
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
and athletics. The club also wore a black and blue combination kit before switching to its current red and white stripe following the club's merger with ''Club Sportif de Cannes'' in 1905. Under the leadership of Louis Grosso, a local furniture dealer, the football section developed its structures. In 1920, Cannes were playing in the Ligue du Sud-Est, a regional league under the watch of 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 over ...
(FFF). While playing in the league, Cannes developed rivalries with
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
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 Franc ...
. Nice and Cannes contest the
derby match
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes, affecting participants, management, and supporters all to varying degrees.
The intensity of the rivalry can range anywhere from a light hearted banter to serious violen ...
that is known as the
Derby de la Côte d'Azur
The Derby de la Côte d'Azur is a football match contested between Ligue 1 clubs AS Monaco and OGC Nice. The name of the derby derives from the fact that Monaco and Nice are the two major clubs in France that are situated on or near the Côte d'A ...
. In 1921, the club inaugurated the Stade Municipal de Cannes and celebrated the opening by defeating Spanish club
Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona (; "Royal Spanish Sports Club of Barcelona"), commonly known as Espanyol, is a professional sports club based in Barcelona, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top tier of the Spanish football league sy ...
4–0. During the 1920s, Cannes successfully reached the semi-finals of the
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 ...
on two occasions. Led by
French internationals such as
Maurice Cottenet
Maurice Cottenet (11 February 1895 – 11 April 1972) was a French footballer. He was part of France national football team at the 1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games o ...
, Charles Bardot, and Raoul Dutheil, Cannes were regular participants in the latter rounds of the prestigious cup competition. In 1932, the club finally
won the competition after defeating
RC Roubaix
Racing Club de Roubaix was a French association football team that played in Roubaix, Nord.
History
The team was founded in 1895 and was very successful before the establishment of professionalism in France. In 1933, after losing twice in a ...
1–0 at the
Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in
Colombes, courtesy of a goal from captain Louis Clerc.
In July 1930, the National Council of the FFF voted 128–20 in support of professionalism in French football. Cannes, along with most clubs from the south, were among the first clubs to adopt the new statute and, subsequently, became professional and were founding members of the new league. In the
league's inaugural season, Cannes finished runner-up to champions
Olympique Lillois
Olympique Lillois was a French association football club from the city of Lille. Founded in 1902 they merged with SC Fives in 1944 to form Lille OSC.
Honours
Championnat de France
*Champion: 1914, 1933
*Runner-up: 1936
Events
Jan ...
after losing 4–3 in the ultimate match on 14 May 1933. Cannes had originally finished second in its group behind
Antibes
Antibes (, also , ; oc, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal, Antíbol) is a coastal city in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department of southeastern France, on the French Riviera, Côte d'Azur between Cannes and Nice.
The town of ...
, but were declared champions of the group after Antibes was disqualified from the league for suspected bribery. Cannes remained in Division 1 for a decade before falling to Division 2 in the
1948–49 season after finishing last in the league table.
Cannes returned to the top division for the
1965–66 season and spent an unforgettable campaign in the league finishing second from bottom, thus returning to Division 2. It took another 20 years before the club returned to the first division for the
1987–88 season. During this time, Cannes had a young playmaker by the name of
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane (; born 23 June 1972), popularly known as Zizou, is a French professional football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. He most recently coached Spanish club Real Madrid and is one of the mos ...
in its ranks. In the club return to the first division, Cannes finished in 11th place. In the ensuing two seasons, Cannes remained mid-table finishing 12th and 11th, respectively. However, in the
1990–91 season, the club surprised everyone by finishing in fourth place, which gave the club qualification for 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 Solid, solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, porcela ...
. Along with Zidane, PSG loanee striker
Amara Simba and the presence of experienced players like
Luis Fernandez
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 6 ...
, Cannes overclassed many of their higher-rated counterparts. Unfortunately, in the following season, with the departure of Simba and Cannes having to combine its focus on both the league and Europe, the club finished in a disastrous 19th-place position. The club also suffered elimination in Round of 32 in the UEFA Cup. The resulting relegation led to the departure of Zidane and numerous others who were being courted by Division 1 clubs.
Though the departure of Zidane and others did hurt the club, Cannes still had a solid core of players, which included veterans André Amitrano,
William Ayache
William Ayache ( ar, ويليام عياش, born 10 January 1961) is a French former professional footballer who played as a side back, both left and right, and then manager.
International career
At international level, Ayache participated at ...
,
Franck Durix
Franck Durix (born 20 October 1965) is a French former professional footballer. He is the brother of fellow player David Durix.
Career
Club career
Beginning as an apprentice at Belleville sur Saône, Durix played professionally in France, Japa ...
, and
Adick Koot
Adick Koot (born 16 August 1963) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
He started his 18-year career with PSV, then spent its remainder in France, mainly at the service of Cannes.
Club career
Born in Ein ...
and youngsters
Johan Micoud
Johan Cédric Micoud (born 24 July 1973) is a French former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder.
He was considered a skilled midfielder and a dead-ball expert. During a 16-year career he played professionally, o ...
,
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira (born 23 June 1976) is a French professional football manager and former player who is the manager of club Crystal Palace. He is widely considered as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. Vieira began his career at ...
,
David Jemmali and
Laurent Macquet. The group effectively lived up to club expectations by finishing second in its group in the second division. Due to having more points than the second-place finisher in the other group, Cannes were back in Division 1. In the club's return, Cannes finished in a respectable ninth-place position for the
1994–95 season under manager
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 techn ...
. The next season didn't start well, with Sušić getting sacked in September 1995. Ultimately, Cannes finished 14th that season. In the off-season heading into the
1996–97, Vieira departed the club for Italy, Durix ventured to Japan, and Ayache retired. Cannes struggled to replace the departed players and, subsequently, finished in 15th place for the season. Midway through the campaign, Micoud left the club for
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
. After the season, Jammeli followed suit and also joined Bordeaux. The resulting departure of all the club's youth talent ultimately led to its downfall with Cannes finishing dead last in the
1997–98 season. Since the club's relegation in 1998, Cannes have yet to return to the first division of French football.
On 1 July 2014, Cannes were officially excluded from professional football in France after a ruling from the
Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion
The Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG) (English: National Directorate of Management Control) is the organization responsible for monitoring and overseeing the accounts of professional association football clubs in France. It was fo ...
relating to the club's financial situation. For the 2015–16 season, the remnants of Cannes played in the Division of Honor, in the Mediterranean Regional League of the French football system.
Players
Current squad
Notable players
Below are the notable former players who have represented Cannes in
league
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
and international competition since the club's foundation as a football club in 1909. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 80 official matches for the club.
''For a complete list of Cannes players, see
:AS Cannes players''
Club officials
Management and coaching
;Association Sportive de Cannes Football
*President:
Anny Courtade
*General Director:
Bernard Lambourde
Bernard Lambourde (born 11 May 1971) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defender.
Career
Lambourde was born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.
He joined Chelsea in 1997, and in his first season at the club he made seven ...
*Head coach:
Ludovic Pollet
*Assistant coach:
Derek Decamps
Coaching history
Honours
*
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. A ...
**''Runners-up'' (1):
1932–33[Though finishing runner-up in the league is not considered an honour, during the French league's inaugural season, a league table/playoff format was used with the top two teams of each league table contesting each other in a one-off final match to determine the champions.]
*
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 ...
**''Champions'' (1):
1931–32
*
USFSA
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee "USOPC" under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act an ...
League (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)
**''Champions'' (1): 1910
*
Coupe Gambardella
The Coupe Gambardella is a French football cup competition held between the under-18s of the French football clubs, organized by the French Football Federation (FFF).
The cup is regarded as an opportunity for young hopefuls to showcase their sk ...
**''Champions'' (2): 1955, 1995
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cannes
Association football clubs established in 1902
As Cannes
Association Sportive de Cannes Football (; commonly referred to as AS Cannes or simply Cannes) is a French association football club based in Cannes. The club was formed 1902 as a sports club and currently plays in the Championnat National 3, ...
1902 establishments in France
Football clubs in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Ligue 1 clubs