Olympique Lyonnais–AS Saint-Étienne rivalry

The Olympique Lyonnais–AS Saint-Étienne rivalry is a football clash between French clubs Olympique Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne, with matches known as the Derby rhônalpin or simply Le Derby. Both teams are based in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, just 50 kilometers apart, and the fixture is seen as a symbolic contest between two cities: Lyon is considered white-collar, while Saint-Étienne is viewed as blue-collar. (The term Derby du Rhône is sometimes used by French media, but this is inaccurate, as Saint-Étienne lies neither on the Rhône River nor in the Rhône département.)

The clubs first met in 1951, and their close proximity quickly fueled a fierce rivalry. It is often cited as a highlight of the Ligue 1 season and extends beyond the pitch. In the 20th century, Saint-Étienne dominated French football, winning ten league titles between 1957 and 1981—a record that stood until Paris Saint-Germain surpassed it in 2023—along with six Coupe de France trophies and strong European performances. However, the club declined in the 1980s and suffered relegations to the second division in 1984 and 2022, weakening its grip on national and regional attention. Lyon, meanwhile, rose to prominence at the start of the new millennium, winning its first Ligue 1 title in 2002 and then a record seven consecutive championships. Today, both clubs are among the best-supported in Ligue 1 and have recently competed in European tournaments.

Only 27 players have ever played for both Lyon and Saint-Étienne since 1951, and just 13 have transferred directly between the clubs. The first to do so was Antoine Rodriguez in 1951, moving from Saint-Étienne to Lyon after a nine-year spell. Notable switches include Aimé Jacquet, who left Saint-Étienne after 13 successful years for Lyon, where he later managed the team to the 1973 Coupe de France Final. Striker Bernard Lacombe, a Lyon legend, moved to Saint-Étienne in 1978 but was booed and jeered, prompting his departure to Bordeaux after one season. Other direct transfers include François Lemasson, Alain Moizan, André Calligaris, Romarin Billong, Jean-Luc Sassus, Christopher Deguerville, Grégory Coupet, Franck Priou, Lamine Diatta, and Bafétimbi Gomis.