Girondins celebrate their 139th birthday

The “Girondins gymnastics and shooting club” was officially established on 1st October 1881. This club, the forerunner of today’s FC Girondins de Bordeaux, did not originally include a football team. The football section was finally established in 1910, but only lasted for one season. It was in 1919 that the Girondins finally became a fully-fledged football club.  The club played its first professional match on 23rd August 1937, against Toulouse. FC Girondins de Bordeaux would go on to become one of the most storied and prestigious clubs in French footballing history. Bordeaux have been crowned Champions of France on six occasions (1950, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1999, 2009), and won four Coupes de France (1941, 1986, 1987, 2013). Three League Cups (2002, 2007, 2009) complete the trophy cabinet. The Girondins have also enjoyed some truly momentous occasions on the European stage, not least reaching the final of the UEFA Cup (C3) in 1996 after an epic season which peaked with a legendary victory over AC Milan in the quarter-finals. Bordeaux also reached the semi-finals of the Champions Cup (C1) in 1985, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup (C2) in 1987. The club’s history has been written by generations of iconic players. To name but a few: Jaime Mancisidor, Francisco Mateo, Santiago Urtizberea, René Gallice, Didier Couécou, Alain Giresse, Patrick Battiston, Dominique Dropsy, René Girard, Gaëtan Huard, Bixente Lizararu, Marius Trésor, Jean Tigana, Zinédine Zidane, Bernard Lacombe, Ulrich Ramé, Marouane Chamakh, Cheick Diabaté, Jaroslav Plasil and Benoît Trémoulinas have all contributed to the legend of the Girondins, wearing the navy blue with pride and passion. Today the club celebrates its 139th birthday. So happy birthday to us all, and above all: Allez Bordeaux.