Lille

Founded in 1944 following a merger between Olympique Lillois and SC Fives, Lille are a French football club currently competing in Ligue 1, the first division of the French Football League. Having previously played their home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq, Lille moved to the Grand Stade Lille Métropole in 2012. 

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Under the Lille name, the club's most successful period came between 1946 and 1955, under the management of George Berry and then Andre Cheuva. During that time, the club won two of their three league titles in 1946 and 1954 (the third coming in 2011) and five Coupe de France titles in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1953 and 1955. Lille and Red Star FC are the only French clubs in the competition's history to win the Coupe de France in three consecutive seasons. Lille won the tournament for a sixth time in 2011. 

Lille's main rivalry comes against local neighbours RC Lens. The two clubs meet in games named the Derby du Nord. The derby has the name despite Lille being the only club of the two situated in the Nord region, Lens situated further west in Pas-de-Calais. Derby du Nord can also refer to matches between Lille and Valenciennes as both clubs are located within Nord. 

Marceau Somerlinck holds the record of most appearances for Lille with an impressive tally of 359, with Jean Baratte the current all-time leading scorer for the club with 167 goals to his name.  

Lille's current chairman is Michel Seydoux. The French businessman initially purchased shares of the club in January 2002 before gaining full control two years later. Rudi Garcia, who played for Lille from 1980 to 1988, was the club's most successful recent manager, leading the club to the 2010-2011 title. Finishing the season eight points ahead of second placed Marseille, Lille's 2010-2011 title was one of the biggest shocks in recent Ligue 1 history.

During his time at the club, Garcia won a league and cup double in 2011 to cement himself in the Lille history books, ending his time at the club in the summer of 2013 to join Italian club Roma. Rene Girard was the next man to take the Lille manager job, arriving at the club after leading Montpellier to the Ligue 1 title in 2012, and he'll now be looking to repeat that feat with Lille.

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