FC Metz

Metz was founded on 23 March 1932 by the amalgamation of two amateur athletic clubs, and shortly thereafter became a professional team; it is one of the oldest professional football teams in France. Its roots trace back further, to the SpVgg Metz club, formed in 1905 when the city of Metz was part of the German Empire. SpVgg played in the tier-one Westkreis-Liga for a season in 1913–14, before the outbreak of the First World War stopped all play. Some players of this club were part of the Cercle Athlétique Messin in 1919, which went on to become FC Metz in 1932. Messin was a leading club in the Division d'Honneur – Lorraine, taking out league titles in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929 and 1931. The club played in the French second division north from 1933, winning the league in 1935 and earning promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time. The team became a mid-table side in the first division until the outbreak of the war interfered with play once more. FCM did not take part in the top-tier regional competitions in 1939–40. During World War II, due to the Moselle département being annexed by Germany, the club had to play under the Germanised name of FV Metz in the Gauliga Westmark. In the three completed seasons of this league from 1941 to 1944, the club finished runners-up each year. Despite the city of Metz being retaken by allied forces in autumn 1944, the club did not take part in French league football in 1944–45, but returned to Ligue 1 in 1945–46, to come 17th out…

Metz has never won the French championship; its best result was a second-place finish in 1998, behind Lens. The title race lasted until the ultimate fixture, however Metz never recovered from a 0–2 loss against Lens on their home turf. Metz won the Coupe de France twice, in 1984 and 1988, the first of these victories enabled it to qualify for the European Cup Winners' Cup where it achieved arguably the team's greatest moment, an upset of Barcelona in the first round of the competition in October 1984. It lost 4–2 at home in the first leg but won 4–1 away in the return leg, thus qualifying 6–5 on aggregate, making Metz unique among the French teams who have beaten Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Metz also won the Coupe de la Ligue twice, in 1986 and 1996, and has made a total of ten appearances in European tournaments.

Ligue 1 Runners-up (1): 1997–98 Ligue 2 Winners (4): 1934–35, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2018–19 Runners-up (4): 1950–51, 1960–61, 1966–67, 2022–23 Coupe de France Winners (2): 1983–84, 1987–88 Runners-up (1): 1937–38 Coupe de la Ligue Winners (2): 1985–86, 1995–96 Runners-up (1): 1998–99 UEFA Intertoto Cup Runners-up (1): 1999