Grenoble Foot 38, commonly referred to as simply Grenoble or GF38, is a French association football club based in

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

. The club plays its home matches at the

Stade des Alpes The Stade des Alpes is a rugby and football stadium in Grenoble, France. The stadium seats 20,068 and hosts the home games of Grenoble Foot 38 and the FC Grenoble rugby club. Situated in Paul Mistral Park, it replaced their stadium Stade Lesdigu ...

, a sports complex based in the heart of the city, and wears white and blue. The original incarnation of the club was founded in 1911 and, in 1997, was formed into the club that exists today as a result of a merger. Grenoble currently plays in

Ligue 2 Ligue 2 (, League 2), also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsor (commercial), 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 ...

, the second level 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 ...

, after having gone into bankruptcy and relegation to the fifth level of French football in 2011.

History

The club was founded in 1911 as ''Football Club de Grenoble''. In 1997, a merger of ''Olympique Grenoble Isère'' and ''Norcap Olympique'' led to the ''Grenoble Foot 38'' incarnation. Olympique Grenoble Isère played in Ligue 1 in the 1960–61 and 1962–63 seasons. In 2004, Grenoble Foot was acquired by

Index Holdings , formerly known as , is a Japanese corporate information and communications technology company owned by Sawada Holdings. "Index Corporation" was a corporate name used by three different Japanese companies, between 1997 and 2016, the last one be ...

, a Japanese mobile software company, therefore becoming the first French football club to have foreign owners. The price of the deal was around €2 million. The new owners invested in the

, a new ground with an initial capacity of 20,000 which opened in February 2008. Grenoble finished the

2007–08 Ligue 2 The Ligue 2 season 2007–08 was the sixty-sixth since its establishment, and started in August 2007. The fixtures were announced in June 2007. FC Metz, the champions of Ligue 2, SM Caen, and RC Strasbourg were promoted to France's top division ...

season in third place, thus returning to

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 ...

for the first time since 1963. In the

2008–09 Ligue 1 The 2008–09 Ligue 1 season was the 71st since its establishment. Bordeaux became champions for the sixth time on the last weekend of the season. The fixtures were announced on 23 May 2008. The season began on 9 August 2008 and ended on 30 May ...

season, Grenoble finished 13th. However, after losing their first eleven games of the following season, they were eventually relegated with six games remaining amidst severe financial problems. The professional football club was liquidated in July 2011 with debts of €2.9 million, and relegated administratively to

Championnat de France Amateur 2 The Championnat National 3, commonly referred to as simply National 3 and formerly known as Championnat de France Amateur 2, is a football league competition. The league serves as the fifth division of the French football league system behind ...

, the fifth tier. Index provided false financial statements during their ownership of the club. Now an amateur side, Grenoble won promotion from

at the first attempt in 2012, and were champions of the 2016–17 Championnat de France Amateur, returning to

Championnat National The Championnat de France National ( en, French National Championship), commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Contested by 18 clubs, t ...

for the 2017–18 season. They secured their second successive promotion to

on 27 May 2018, after an aggregate play-off victory over

Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse (; frp, Bôrg) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Ain Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in Eastern France. Located northeast of Lyon, it is the capital of the ...

Name changes

* ''Football Club de Grenoble'' (1911–1977) * ''Football Club Association Sportive de Grenoble'' (1977–1984) * ''Football Club de Grenoble Dauphiné'' (1984–1990) * ''Football Club de Grenoble Isère'' (1990–1992) * ''Football Club de Grenoble Jojo Isère'' (1992–1993) * ''Olympique Grenoble Isère'' (1993–1997) * ''Grenoble Foot 38'' (1997–''present'')

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable players

Below are the notable former players who have represented Grenoble and its predecessors 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 in 1997. ''For a complete list of Grenoble Foot 38 players, see :Grenoble Foot 38 players'' * Ruben Aguilar *

Laurent Batlles Laurent Batlles (born 23 September 1975) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder, currently head coach of club Saint-Étienne. Playing career Batlles was born in Nantes. In 1993, he emerged from the Toulouse academy ...

Laurent Courtois Laurent Courtois (born 11 September 1978) is a French former professional footballer who is currently the head coach of Columbus Crew 2, the MLS Next Pro reserve team of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew. Club career Laurent Courtois began his ...

Gaël Danic Gaël Danic (born 19 November 1981) is a French retired professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Club career Danic played for Stade Rennais F.C. at senior Level, before moving to En Avant de Guingamp, and after that Grenoble, where he ...

Youri Djorkaeff Youri Raffi Djorkaeff (born 9 March 1968) is a French former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward. Throughout his club career, he played for teams in France, Italy, Germany, England, and the United States. A ...

* Laurent David *

Julien François Julien François (born 21 September 1979) is a retired French professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Born in Metz, Julien started his career at FC Metz, and also played for Gazélec Ajaccio and Grenoble, in Ligue 2. He playe ...

Olivier Giroud Olivier Jonathan Giroud (born 30 September 1986) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for club AC Milan and the France national team. Regarded for his work-rate, strength, acrobatic strikes, shot power, consistent goal-s ...

Biagui Kamissoko Biagui Kamissoko (born February 9, 1983) is a retired French professional Association football, footballer. External links Profile
at L'Équipe 1983 births Living people French people of Malian descent Footballers from Paris Association foo ...

Sandy Paillot Sandy Paillot (born 27 February 1987) is a French footballer who plays for FC Fleury 91. His primary position on the pitch is defender. Club career Paillot was promoted to the Lyon first team for the 2007–08 Ligue 1 season. He was given the ...

* Steven Pelé *

Martial Robin Martial Robin (born 27 August 1977 in Marseille) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or left-back. He won Ligue 2 with Ajaccio and was a UEFA Cup runner-up with Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in ...

* Jérémy Stinat *

Florian Thauvin Florian Tristan Mariano Thauvin (born 26 January 1993) is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Tigres UANL. He made his professional debut for Grenoble in 2011, moving on to Bastia where he won the Ligue 2 t ...

* Grégory Wimbée *

Nassim Akrour Nassim Akrour ( ar, نسيم أكرور; born July 10, 1974) is an Algerian footballer and coach who currently plays for Chambéry and coaches the youth team at Annecy, whom he represented as a player between 2016 and 2019. At international leve ...

Sofiane Feghouli Sofiane Feghouli ( ar, سفيان فيغولي; born 26 December 1989) is a professional footballer who is a free agent currently, and plays for the Algeria national team. He mainly operates as a right midfielder, but can also play as a winger ...

Saphir Taïder Saphir Sliti Taïder ( ar, سفير سليتي تايدر; born 29 February 1992) is a professional association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder, central midfielder. Born in France, he plays for the Algeria national football team, A ...

Walid Regragui Hoalid Regragui (born 23 September 1975), known as Walid Regragui ( ar, وليد الركراكي, Walīd ar-Ragrāgī), is a Moroccan professional football manager and former player who played as a right-back. He is the head coach of the Mor ...

* Sergio Rojas *

Hristo Yanev Hristo Yanev ( bg, Христо Янев; born 4 May 1979 in Kazanlak) is a Bulgarian football manager and former player. Yanev played as a midfielder. Career Early years Born in Kazanluk, Yanev was picked as a youth to play for local side Ro ...

* Bertin Tokéné *

Zdeněk Nehoda Zdeněk Nehoda (born 9 May 1952, in Hulín) is a former Czech football forward. At international level, he played for Czechoslovakia, making 91 appearances and scoring 31 goals, usually as a right-winger. He was a participant in the 1982 FIFA W ...

* Franck Dja Djédjé *

Milivoje Vitakić Milivoje Vitakić (; born 16 May 1977) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a defender. Club career Vitakić started out at his hometown club Borac Čačak, making his senior debut in 1995. He was acquired by Čukarički in 1997. In th ...

* Charles Pickel *

Robert Malm Robert Ismaël Kobla Malm (born 21 August 1973) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in France, he represented Togo at international level. Club career Malm was born in Dunkerque, France. In January 2008, he signed ...

Alaixys Romao Jacques-Alaixys Romao (born 18 January 1984), commonly known as Alaixys Romao, is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Super League Greece club Ionikos, for which he is captain. Born in France, he represents Togo at internat ...

Daisuke Matsui is a Japanese professional footballer who plays for YSCC Yokohama. He played for Japan national team. His wife is Japanese actress Rosa Kato. Club career Early years In 2000, Matsui graduated from and began his professional career with Kyo ...

Masashi Oguro is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He made 22 appearances scoring 5 goals for Japan national team between 2005 and 2008. Club career Oguro joined the J1 League in 1999, with Gamba Osaka. He was loaned to C ...

Moussa Djitté Moussa Kalilou Djitté (born 4 October 1999) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Major League Soccer club Austin FC. Professional career On 21 June 2018, Djitté transferred from the Senegalese club ASC Niarr ...

Ibrahima Sonko Ibrahima Sonko (born 22 January 1981) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a centre back. Sonko moved to France from Senegal at a young age and began his career with Olympique Noisy-le-Sec and AS Saint-Étienne, before ...

Gustavo Poyet Gustavo Augusto Poyet Domínguez (; born 15 November 1967) is a Uruguayan professional football manager and former footballer. He is currently the head coach of the Greece national football team. Poyet played as a midfielder and began his caree ...

Coaching Staff

Managers

Jules Dewaquez Jules Aimé Devaquez (9 March 1899 – 12 June 1971), known as Jules Dewaquez, was a French amateur footballer, who played for both club and country on the right wing. He was of shorter stature (1.69m) and renowned for his small moustache. By pr ...

(1945–1946) *R. Lacoste (1953–1954) *G. Dupraz (1957–1958) *A. Fornetti (1958–1963) *

Albert Batteux Albert Batteux (2 July 1919 – 28 February 2003) was a French football midfielder and a manager. He is the most successful manager in the history of Ligue 1 having won eight domestic titles, twice reaching the European Cup final and a third-p ...

(1963–1967) *R. Abad (1967–1970) * René Gardien (1970–1971) *J. Donnard (1971–1972) *R. Garcin (1972–1975) *

Jean Deloffre Jean Deloffre (born 5 October 1939) is a French former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he was a midfielder, and he represented the France national team in 1967. Managerial career Deloffre coached Grenoble and Vittel Vitt ...

(1975–1978) *R. Belloni (1978–1980) * Michel Lafranceschina (1980–1981) *

Jean Djorkaeff Jean Djorkaeff (born 27 October 1939) is a French former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he operated as a defender. Early life Djorkaeff was born in the French commune of Charvieu, located in the ''département'' of Isère. ...

(1981–1983) *

Claude Le Roy Claude Le Roy (born 6 February 1948) is a French football manager and former player, who gained prominence at international level as coach to the Senegal and Ghana national teams. He was most recently the manager of the Togo national team. Ma ...

(1983–1985) *

Robert Buigues Robert Buigues (born 9 May 1950) is a French former professional football player and manager. Whilst playing for Olympique de Marseille, Buigues started in the 1976 French Cup final and collected a winner's medal when Marseille defeated Olympiq ...

(1985–1986) *

Christian Dalger Christian Dalger (born 19 December 1949 in Nîmes, Gard) is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward. He made six international caps for France, scoring two goals. During his career he played for clubs including SC Tou ...

(1986–1989) *

Patrick Parizon Patrick Parizon (born 3 June 1950, in Le Creusot, France) is a football manager. He was fired from coaching SM Caen Stade Malherbe Caen (; commonly known as SM Caen, SMC, or simply Caen) is a French professional football team, based in the c ...

(1989–1990) * Noël Tosi (1990–1991) *

Bernard Simondi Bernard Simondi (born 28 July 1953) is a French former footballer and coach. He played for SC Toulon, Stade Lavallois, FC Tours and AS Saint-Étienne. After his playing career, he became a coach with Al-Nassr, Puget, Aubagne, Grenoble, US Cré ...

(1991–1993) *B. David (1993–1994) *C. Letard (1994–1995) *É. Geraldes (1995–1996) *

(1996–1997) * Alain Michel (1997–2001) *Marc Westerloppe (2001–2002) * Alain Michel (2002–2004) *

Thierry Goudet Thierry Goudet (born 11 November 1962 in Château-Gontier, France) is a football coach and former player who played as a midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively de ...

(2004–2006) *

Yvon Pouliquen Yvon Pouliquen (born 17 October 1962) is a French football manager and former footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder for 14 seasons (all but one in Ligue 1) and made 455 appearances in the French league. He then spent several years as a ...

(2006–2007) *

Mehmed Baždarević Mehmed Baždarević (born 28 September 1960) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Ligue 2 club Guingamp. Baždarević played for Bosnian side Željezničar and French outfit Sochaux, ...

(2007–2010) *

(2010–2011) *Olivier Saragaglia (2012–2015) * Jean-Louis Garcia (2015–2016) * Olivier Guégan (2016–2018) *

Philippe Hinschberger Philippe Hinschberger (born 19 November 1959) is a French football manager and former player who is manager of Ligue 2 side Amiens. Playing career Hinschberger was a one-club man, having spent his entire career with Metz. Managerial career Af ...

(2018–2021) *

Maurizio Jacobacci Maurizio Jacobacci (born 11 January 1963) is a Swiss professional football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Grenoble. Managerial career On 18 June 2021, Jacobacci was announced as the new manager of Ligue 2 side ...

(2021) *

Vincent Hognon Vincent Hognon (born 16 August 1974) is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a defender. He spent his playing career in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 at Nancy, Saint-Étienne and Nice. He managed Nancy, Metz and Gre ...

(2021–present)

Honours

**''Champions'': 1960, 1962 *

**''Champions'': 2001 *

Coppa delle Alpi Coppa delle Alpi (translated as ''Cup of the Alps'') was a friendly football tournament, first organized by the Italian national league as it started in 1960 and then they were aided by the Swiss League from 1962, for the reason that the majorit ...

**''Runners-up'': 1963 *

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 ...

**''Runners-up'': 1987, 1990

References

External links

{{Ligue 2 teamlist Association football clubs established in 1911 1911 establishments in France Football clubs in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Sport in Grenoble Ligue 1 clubs