Gregory Coupet

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Lore & Background

In 2009 Coupet joined Paris Saint-Germain where he finished his career before retiring in 2011. In the 2011 Coupe de France Final against Lille OSC he saved a penalty from Mathieu Debuchy, but was unable to prevent his side from losing 1–0.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere was tense during the 2011 Coupe de France Final against Lille OSC. Grégory Coupet, standing between the posts for Paris Saint-Germain, faced a decisive moment that would define his final major appearance. Mathieu Debuchy stepped up to take a penalty kick, the weight of the match resting on the striker's shoulders. With composure born from decades of experience, Coupet read the play perfectly and dived to save the shot, denying Lille an early breakthrough or equalizer. The crowd held its breath as the ball rebounded away from danger. However, the story did not end there; despite Coupet's heroics, PSG could not score, and the match ended in a 1–0 loss. It was a poignant conclusion to his playing days, showcasing his skill until the very last whistle.

Reader's Guide

Coupet performed a memorable double save against Barcelona during a 2001–02 UEFA Champions League match, when he first acrobatically headed an unintended lob by his team-mate Caçapa onto his own crossbar, and then immediately parried a close header by the arriving Barcelona striker Rivaldo.

Did You Know?

• Coupet openly wept during the group photo before France faced Turkey in a 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final match, which had taken place just hours after the shocking death of his close friend and former Lyon teamm
• In 2005, Coupet was voted for the first time, at age 33, into the top 10 for the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Award, finishing fourth behind Petr Čech, Dida and Gianluigi Buffon.
• Coupet has 34 caps with France and was part of the squads that won the 2001 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cups.