Olympique de Marseille

Olympique de Marseille, commonly known as OM, is a professional football club based in Marseille, France. Founded on August 31, 1899, the club's name draws inspiration from the ancient Olympic Games, and its nickname Les Phocéens references the Greek founders of the city. Marseille plays its home matches at the Stade Vélodrome, a stadium that regularly boasts the highest attendances in French football. The club is a perennial contender in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football, and maintains a fierce rivalry with Paris Saint-Germain in a fixture known as Le Classique.

With 29 trophies, including 28 major titles, Marseille is the second most decorated French club after PSG. Domestically, they have won nine Ligue 1 titles, ten Coupe de France trophies, three Coupes de la Ligue, and three Trophées des Champions. Internationally, they made history in 1993 by becoming the first French club to win the UEFA Champions League, a feat matched only by one other French team since. They also claimed the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2005 and have been runners-up in the European Cup/UEFA Europa League four times (1991, 1999, 2004, 2018).

The club's golden era unfolded in the 1990s under owner Bernard Tapie, yielding six trophies including four consecutive league titles and the 1993 Champions League. After a difficult period in the 2000s, a resurgence came in the 2010s under former captain Didier Deschamps, who led the team to six titles, including the 2010 Ligue 1 crown—the club's first league championship in 18 years. American businessman Frank McCourt acquired a 95% stake in 2016, and as of the 2023–24 season, Marseille ranked 19th in the Deloitte Football Money League with revenues of approximately €287 million.[edit]

Olympique de Marseille was founded on August 31, 1899, by French politician René Dufaure de Montmirail. The club quickly established itself in French football, winning its first Ligue 1 title in 1937. The post-war years brought further success, with Coupe de France victories in 1943 and 1948. However, the club's most transformative period began in the 1980s when businessman Bernard Tapie took over. Under his ambitious leadership, Marseille signed stars like Jean-Pierre Papin, Enzo Francescoli, and Chris Waddle, and won four consecutive league titles from 1989 to 1992. The crowning achievement came in 1993 when they defeated AC Milan 1–0 in the UEFA Champions League final, becoming the first French club to win Europe's top prize. The victory was later tarnished by a match-fixing scandal in 1994, leading to relegation and a period of decline.

Marseille returned to Ligue 1 in 1996 and gradually rebuilt. The 2000s were marked by instability, with frequent managerial changes and inconsistent results. The club reached the UEFA Cup final in 2004, losing to Valencia, but failed to challenge for the league title. The appointment of Didier Deschamps as manager in 2009 heralded a new era. Deschamps, who captained the 1993 Champions League-winning side, led Marseille to the 2010 Ligue 1 title, the club's first in 18 years, along with three Coupe de la Ligue trophies and three Trophées des Champions. After Deschamps left in 2012, the club struggled to maintain its status, finishing outside the top three in several seasons.

American businessman Frank McCourt purchased the club in 2016, injecting new investment and ambition. Under his ownership, Marseille has seen a series of high-profile coaches, including Marcelo Bielsa, Jorge Sampaoli, and Igor Tudor. The team finished as runners-up in Ligue 1 in the 2021–22 season and reached the Europa League semi-finals in 2023. The 2023–24 campaign was turbulent, with three different managers leading the team to an eighth-place finish. In 2024, the club appointed Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi, known for his attacking philosophy, to lead a new project. The 2024–25 season has shown promise, with Marseille competing for a top-three finish and a return to European competition.[edit]