The Coupe de la Ligue, known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organised by the Ligue de Football Professionnel.[1] The tournament was established in 1994,[2] although similar competitions had been previously held in France.[3] The Coupe Charles Drago was held from 1953 to 1965; it involved teams eliminated from the Coupe de France.[3] The winner of the first Coupe Charles Drago final was decided by a coin-toss when Sochaux and Toulouse tied 3–3 after extra time.[2] Another competition named Coupe de la Ligue existed from 1963 to 1965; this was run alongside the Coupe Charles Drago for two years until they both ceased.[3] In 1982, a Coupe d'Eté (Summer cup) was held before the start of the French league season; the cup was won by Stade Laval.[4] This tournament continued under the name of Coupe de la Ligue, until 1994, before the beginning of the French season.[3]
| File:CoupeLigueLogo.jpg | |
| Founded | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Region |  France |
| Number of teams | 45 |
| Current champions | Marseille (1st time) |
| Most successful club(s) | Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain (3 times) |
| Television broadcasters | France 2, France 3, France 4 (France Télévisions) |
 2009–10 Coupe de la Ligue | |
History
The tournament in its current format started in 1994. Entrance to the UEFA Cup, now called the UEFA Europa League, is offered to the winning team.[2] Its first winner was Paris Saint-Germain, after their 2–0 victory over Bastia.[5] The first final decided by a penalty shootout was the 1996 cup when Metz beat Olympique Lyonnais.[6] The first three finals were held at Parc des Princes; since the 1998 cup, all finals have been held at the Stade de France.[7] Strasbourg and Paris Saint-Germain have won the competition at both stadiums.[2] Gueugnon became the first team below the top division of France to win the cup after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the 2000 final.[2] Overall, there have been 14 winners of the competition since 1995.[3] The most successful teams, in terms of competitions won, are Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain, who have won the cup thrice.[3] The current holders of the cup are Bordeaux, who beat Vannes in the 2009 final.[8]
Finals
Records
- Most tournament wins (team): three, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux.[9]
- Most final appearances (team): six, Bordeaux.[9]
- Highest goalscorer (career): Pauleta, 15 goals.[10]
- Most goals scored in a season (player): Stéphane Guivarc'h, seven goals in 1997–98.[11]
Media coverage
In Australia the Coupe de la Ligue is broadcast by Setanta Sports Australia.
See also
- Coupe de France, the nation's football cup
References
- ^ "League Cup". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "League Cup History". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f "France — List of League Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
- ^ "France Summer Cup 1982". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 SC Bastia". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "FC Metz 0–0 Olympique Lyonnais". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "Roll of Honour". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "FC Girondins de Bordeaux 4–0 Vannes OC". Ligue de Football Professionnel. 25 April 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
- ^ a b "Roll of Honour". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "Top Scorer — All Time". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ "Top Scorer — Season 1997-98". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 20 February 2009.