Montpellier

Montpellier Hérault Sport Club (known more commonly as Montpellier HSC or Montpellier) is a football club based in the French city of Montpellier. The club, initially named Olympique Montpelliérain (SO Montpellier), was first established in 1919, acting as one of the French League's founding clubs. They were reincarnated in their current form following a 1974 merger with Montpellier Littoral. Montpellier spent much of their history known as Olympique Montpelliérain but changed their name to Montpellier HSC in 1989. 

Montpellier currently compete in the French top league, Ligue 1, playing their home matches at the Stade de la Mosson. Montpellier are one of the founding members of the first division of French football. Along with Marseille, Rennes, Sochaux, and Nice, Montpellier are one of only a few clubs to have played in the first Ligue 1 season back in 1932 still to be playing in the first division.

With a solid if unspectacular history of success, the club picked up the Coupe de France title in 1929 and 1990. They also won three Ligue 2 championship titles in 1945-1946, 1960-1961, and 1986-1987, adding the UEFA Intertoto Cup trophy to their cabinet in 1999. 

However, the club were able to add the Ligue 1 title to their collection in 2012 when they won it for the first time in their history, manager René Girard guiding the club to their maiden first division title. The champions finished the season with 82 points, three points ahead of runners-up Paris Saint-Germain. Striker Olivier Giroud finished the season with 21 goals and 9 assists to finish as the league's top scorer, shortly before leaving the club to sign for Premier League side Arsenal. 

The club have produced a number of high profile players during their history, with the likes of Eric Cantona, Roger Milla, John Utaka, Laurent Robert and Carlos Valderrama all international players who have played in Montpellier's colours. 

The most successful product of the Montpellier youth system is former France World Cup winning captain Laurent Blanc, who started his career as an attacking midfielder with the club. Despite making his name as a defender for much of his career, Blanc's 76 goals for the club means that he is still Montpellier's leading goalscorer.  

Montpellier's main rival is Nîmes, who currently compete in Ligue 2. The rivalry really started in the 1980s, with both clubs battling for regional supremacy, but this has cooled down in recent years due to the clubs playing in separate leagues. 

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