The Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionels (UNFP; English: National Union of Professional Footballers) is the main
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
for professional
football players in France. It was founded on 16 November 1961 by
Eugène N'Jo Léa
Eugène N'Jo Léa (15 July 1931 – 23 October 2006) was a Cameroonian professional footballer who played in France with Saint-Étienne, Lyon and Racing Paris.
Personal life
His son is fellow player William N'Jo Léa.
With Just Fontaine he fo ...
and
Just Fontaine
Just Louis Fontaine (born 18 August 1933) is a French former professional footballer. A prolific forward, he is best known for scoring the most goals in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup, with thirteen in six matches in 1958. In 2004, Pel ...
, two footballers, and Jacques Bertrand, a jurist. As of May 2021, the presidents of the UNFP are Philippe Piat and
Sylvain Kastendeuch.
Each month, a
trophy is awarded by the UNFP to the best players in
Ligue 1 and
Ligue 2. At the end of each season, the
Trophées UNFP awards the best
Ligue 1 and
Ligue 2 players, managers and referees of the season. Since 1990, during the summer, the UNFP organizes training sessions for players whose contracts have ended but have not found new teams.
Presidents
*1961–1964:
Just Fontaine
Just Louis Fontaine (born 18 August 1933) is a French former professional footballer. A prolific forward, he is best known for scoring the most goals in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup, with thirteen in six matches in 1958. In 2004, Pel ...
*1964–1969:
Michel Hidalgo
Michel François Hidalgo (22 March 1933 – 26 March 2020) was a French professional footballer and manager. He was the head coach of the French national team from 1976 to 1984, with whom he won the UEFA Euro 1984 on home soil, also reaching th ...
*1969–2006: Philippe Piat
*2006–present: Philippe Piat &
Sylvain Kastendeuch
See also
*
Trophées UNFP du football
The Trophées UNFP du football are a number of awards given annually by the National Union of Professional Football Players to players playing in France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, as well as to managers and referees, the most prestigious one being the ...
*
UNFP Player of the Month
The UNFP Player of the Month trophy is an award that recognises the best Ligue 1 player each month of the season. The winner is chosen by a combination of an online public vote, which contributes to 50% of the final tally, and the players of each ...
Footballers in France
Association football trade unions
Trade unions in France
Trade unions established in 1961
Association football player non-biographical articles
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