Girondins de Bordeaux

Lore & Background

Bordeaux was founded on 1 October 1881 as a multi-sports club. The club took its name Girondins from the demonym for people from the department of Gironde. Football was introduced in 1910 on a trial basis, lasted only a year, and returned in 1919. The club's first official match was in 1920, a 12–0 victory over Section Burdigalienne.

Bordeaux achieved professional status on 2 July 1936 after merging with Girondins Guyenne Sport. The club's first manager was Spaniard Benito Díaz. Bordeaux's first league win was against Nîmes. The club moved to the Stade Chaban-Delmas in 1938.

Bordeaux won its first major honour, the Coupe de France, in 1941, defeating SC Fives 2–0. The club won its first league championship in the 1949–50 season, its first season in the first division. Bordeaux reached the Latin Cup final in 1950 and the UEFA Cup final in 1996. The club has won six Division 1/Ligue 1 titles, the last in 2009, four Coupe de France titles, three Coupe de la Ligue titles, and three Trophée des champions titles.

Reader's Guide

Bordeaux's home ground from 1938 to 2015 was the Stade Chaban-Delmas, after which the club moved to the Stade Atlantique. The club's most successful period under president Claude Bez in the 1980s included three league championships (1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87) and two Coupe de France titles (1986 and 1987). Key players from that era included Alain Giresse, Bernard Lacombe, Jean Tigana, and René Girard.

Did You Know?

• Bordeaux reached the Latin Cup final in 1950, drawing 3–3 with Benfica before losing after extra time.
• The scapular tradition was adopted in 1910, not from the 1940 merger with AS Port.