Coupe de France of football

The Coupe de France of football is a test open to the clubs amateurs or professionals, is more than 6000 of the 20.000 French clubs. This configuration allows each year to record many “surprises” signed by clubs amateurs. This competition is organized by the French federation of football (FF). In 2007 - 2008, 6734 clubs take part in it. Each year, the winner of the Coupe de France is directly qualified for the UEFA Cup the following season.

History

The Coupe de France is created the January 15th 1917 by the “French Comité interfédéral” (CFI), ancestor of the FF. It is the general secretary Henri Delaunay who gives the decisive impulse to this creation. With the image of the Sacred union, then of setting during the First World War, this competition is opened with all. This opening makes part of the charm of the test which gathers 48 clubs with its first edition, more than 100 in 1919, more than 1.000 in 1948, more than 6.000 today. In fact, the requirements to take part in the test are minimalists: to be laid off with the federation, to pay the registration fees of the test, and to have an approved ground. It is the latter point which poses problem to two thirds of the French clubs, from where the number of registered voters of 6.000 and not of 20.000 clubs. “The large” clubs tried, as of the years 1920, to limit the access to the test to an elite widened on the English model, but the federation remained inflexible. The inflation of the number of registered voters obliged the organization to set up preliminary rounds before the thirty-second of finale. A first preliminary round is added at the time of the edition 1919-20, then a second in 1920-21. In 2007, there are 8 preliminary rounds before the thirty-second of finale, and even an additional preliminary round in certain leagues (Paris in particular) which generally disputes a month before the finale of the back issue.

The shocks opposing the professionals and the amateurs inevitably produce surprises then clarifying a small club, called “Tom Thumb of the Coupe de France”. The February 4th 1957 remains on this level emblematic. The modest club Algérie N of SCU El Biar eliminates the prestigious Stade from Rheims! Among the other formations amateurs which eliminated from the professional teams, it is necessary to quote Villenave (1957), US Quevilly of the Années 1920 with the Années 1960, as well as the ACE Évry and the US Sanary in the Années 1980. More recently remain in the memories the courses of the Nimes Olympique in 1996, of Calais RUFC in 2000, which manages to rise finally vis-a-vis FC Nantes (demolished of Calais, 2 goals with 1) and of the FC Montceau Burgundy which rises in semi-final in 2007 loser against FC Sochaux Montbeliard 2-0 after prolongations.

These results aggravate the professional clubs, the more so as the payments on the spot of the matches evolve/move. In the beginning, the matches of Coupe de France were played on neutral ground with match with rejouer in the event of equality. It is the rule until 1968, and the introduction of the matches in return ticket on the model of the Cut of Europe. The thirty-second of finale are always played on neutral ground, but from sixteenth of finales, one plays in return ticket, formula less favourable with the surprises. Paradoxically, three clubs amateurs manage to rise in quarterfinals at the time of the edition 1968-69; it is a first since professionalism setting-up in 1932. New reform in 1989 with the abandonment of the formula in return ticket, allowing to reduce the calendar. One then plays the matches on the ground of the drawn club to the fate the first during pulling. In order to protect the clubs hierarchically weaker, one systematically plays on the ground of a club being located at least two levels in lower part of his adversary. One witnesses then logically a multiplication of the surprises. In reaction, the League is equipped a cut: the Cut of the League, reserved for the only professional clubs. The latter always take part in the Coupe de France, much less equipped than its competitor but much more prestigious.

Until 1967, in the event of equality it had neither prolongations there nor shootings with the goals, the matches were rejoués even drawn with the fate after three ties. This rule of the drawing lot after three ties had been founded in 1964 following the marathon which opposed Agde and Pierrots of Strasbourg: four matches to decide between these two formations. The May 10th 1967, after three ties in semi-finals, Lyon and Angouleme decided between at piece-rates to reach finally. Lyon gains crushes it or face. With the introduction of the formula in return ticket, a match of support is founded to decide between two formations with equality. As of sixteenth of finale of the edition 1968-69, the case arises with the Evreux-Bollène oppositions and Saint-Germain it Ciotat. The series of shootings to the goal are introduced in 1970. In thirty-second of finale of the edition 1970-71, the Red Star and RC Strasbourg are qualified with the shootings with the goal at the conclusion of the match with rejouer. The rule of the match with rejouer in the event of equality remains in application until in 1975 but does not concern any more that thirty-second of finale, because the others turns are played in return ticket.

Traditionally, the finales of the Coupe de France dispute with Paris or in its suburbs (Colombes). Since 1918, seven Parisian enclosures accommodated at least a final: Stage of the street Olivier-of-Greenhouses, Park of the Princes (in its three configurations), Stage Bergeyre, Stage Pershing, Olympic stadium Yves-of-Manor of Doves, Stage of Paris of Saint-Ouen and Stade de France of Saint-Denis. There too, the principle of the match with rejouer in the event of equality remained a long time the rule. The first final disputed without possibility of match with rejoué was that of 1982 later because of the behavior of the World cup a few days. Obviously, this final did not deliver a winner close 120 minutes of play, and a series of shootings to the goal designated the winner. On a purely exceptional basis, the semi-finals of edition 1982 had been played even on only one match and neutral ground in order to reduce the calendar. As of the following season, the cut found its normal formula with possibility matches return ticket in semi-finals and possibility of match with rejouer finally, but the decision was done there in 90 minutes. The possibility of finale with rejouer is definitively abandoned in 1986 and the editions 1988, 1997, 2001 and 2007 are completed by series of shootings to the goal.

The president of the Republic traditionally gives the trophy to the victorious captain. It is Gaston Doumergue which inaugurates this tradition the May 8th 1927, that all the presidents will attempt to follow.

Created during the Great War, the trophy bears the name of one of the many footballers fallen to the field from honor: Charles Simon. The cut concerned is preserved one year by the victorious club, then it returns to the Federation for a small restoration, before being given concerned. The Cut was stolen once at the beginning of the Années 1980, but it was quickly found.

Three players gained five Cuts of France: Marceau Sommerlynck (1946, 1947,1948,1953 and 1955), Dominique Bathenay (1974, 1975,1977,1982 and 1983) and Alain Roche (1986, 1987,1993,1995 and 1998).

The Coupe de France ensures today its winner a direct qualification for the following edition of the UEFA Cup. However, the rule could change and the winners of the national cuts could integrate the Ligue of the Champions.

Traditionally the final of the Coupe Gambardella, which is the equivalent of the Coupe de France for the 18 years, is played in curtain raiser of the finale of this one.

The replacement of a player is authorized since the edition 1967-68.

The current president of the Commission of the Coupe de France is Jean Djorkaeff, former captain of the team of France and father of Youri.

Prize list

Honnor roll

clubs most often victorious:

Finales

Result of the finales:

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