Les Gones

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Lore & Background

The club won its first Ligue 1 championship in 2002, beginning a national record-setting streak of seven successive titles. Lyon has also won eight Trophées des Champions, five Coupes de France, and three Ligue 2 titles. On a European level, the team has participated in the UEFA Champions League seventeen times, reaching the semi-final of the competition during the 2009–10 season and the 2019–20 season, and have made it to the quarterfinals in three other occasions. They have also qualified for the Europa League numerous times, making it as far as the semi-final during the 2016–17 season. The club's nickname, Les Gones, translates to 'The Kids' in Lyon's regional dialect of Franco-Provençal. They have a long-standing rivalry with nearby team Saint-Étienne, against whom they contest Le Derby. Lyon was owned by French businessman Jean-Michel Aulas from June 1987 until it was purchased by American businessman John Textor in December 2022, who remains the club's owner and president.

In Their Own Story

On 27 August 1950, Olympique Lyonnais played its first official match under manager Oscar Heisserer, defeating CA Paris-Charenton 3–0 in front of 3,000 supporters, with Lyon's first goal scored within the first forty seconds. In just the club's second year of existence, Lyon were crowned champions of Division 2 during the 1950–51 season, securing promotion to Division 1 for the 1951–52 season. Under manager Lucien Jasseron, Lyon won its first-ever Coupe de France title defeating Bordeaux 2–0 during the 1963–64 season. Under Louis Hon, Lyon won their second Coupe de France title after defeating Sochaux 3–1 during the 1966–67 season. Under Aimé Mignot, Lyon won its third Coupe de France title during the 1972–73 season, beating Nantes 2–1. In June 1987, Lyon was bought by local businessman Jean-Michel Aulas, who aimed to turn Lyon into an established Division 1 side. Under his presidency, the club won its first Ligue 1 title in 2002, starting a streak of seven successive titles. In the 2019–20 season, Lyon reached the Champions League semi-finals, defeating Juventus in the round of 16 and Manchester City in the quarter-final before losing 3–0 to Bayern Munich. On 8 May 2023, after 36 years of presidency, Aulas stepped down, having sold the club to American businessman John Textor in December 2022. On 24 June 2025, Lyon were administratively relegated to Ligue 2 by the DNCG due to the poor state of the club's finances. On 30 June 2025, Michele Kang was announced president of the club.

Reader's Guide

The club's origins date to 1899, when a football club named Olympique de Lyon was formed within the multi-sport club Lyon Olympique Universitaire. Following internal disagreements, a meeting on 23 May 1950 at Café Neuf in Place Bellecour decided the name Olympique Lyonnais and the colours red and blue. The club played its first official match on 27 August 1950 under manager Oscar Heisserer, defeating CA Paris-Charenton 3–0. Lyon won Division 2 in the 1950–51 season, securing promotion to Division 1. The club won its first Coupe de France in 1963–64 under Lucien Jasseron, a second in 1966–67 under Louis Hon, and a third in 1972–73 under Aimé Mignot. Under Jean-Michel Aulas (president from June 1987 to December 2022), Lyon won its first Ligue 1 title in 2002, starting a streak of seven successive titles, and also won a fourth Coupe de France, a first Coupe de la Ligue, and six Trophée des Champions. In the 2019–20 season, Lyon finished seventh in Ligue 1 and reached the Champions League semi-finals, losing to Bayern Munich. In December 2022, John Textor's Eagle Group acquired a 77.49% stake in the club. Fabio Grosso was appointed head coach in September 2023 but was sacked in November 2023, with Pierre Sage named interim coach.

Did You Know?

• The club's colours of red and blue were decided at a meeting in Café Neuf on 23 May 1950.
• Lyon reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in both the 2009–10 and 2019–20 seasons.