INF Clairefontaine

Prior to the establishment of Clairefontaine, France had little success at international football, and in large tournaments France had not won any official trophies, in contrast with its neighbours Italy and Germany. In the 1960s, Spain and England also had success, forcing France to establish a football centre to catch up. In 1976, French Football Federation president and longtime official Fernand Sastre desired the creation of a national centre of football. The project was initiated by Ștefan Kovács, who was inspired by the former Romanian communist training centres. Six years later, following France's victory at the UEFA Euro 1984, the FFF selected Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines as the site for the centre. Construction commenced in 1985 and lasted nearly three years. The centre opened its doors in January 1988. During the 1998 World Cup, which France hosted, Clairefontaine hosted the France national team. That same year, the FFF named the centre in Fernand Sastre's honour. A bust of Sastre was put on the grounds in 2000; also present on the grounds is a statue of the FIFA World Cup. Young football players from the Île-de-France region (which includes Paris) stay at Clairefontaine from the age of 13 to 15, for training and the development of their technical skills. A high percentage of the players go on to play in higher leagues. Today, many high-ranked local clubs play at the grounds.