With Faivre, OL revives its tradition

Olympique Lyonnais recruited the left-handed midfielder Romain Faivre (until 2026), revelation of the past season and already author of 7 goals and 4 assists in 21/22 from Stade Brestois 29. Player who had found the loophole to score his first meeting against Lyonnais in Ligue 1 Uber Eats (2-2, December 2020). Recruiting directly from the French championship has in the past enabled OL to build the team crowned French champions in 2001/2002 and to dominate the 2000s.

If in the last mercatos, OL have bet more on players from other leagues – Damien Da Silva acting as an exception last summer – Les Gones have a rich history with recruitments made from other clubs in the elite: like the international Espoirs in 58 games (13 goals and 9 assists) in Ligue 1 Uber Eats.

During the first seasons under the presidency of Jean-Michel Aulas, OL certainly relied on talents from abroad, such as Eugène Kabongo (Anderlecht), Claudio Garcia (Velez) and Mick McCarthy (Celtic) from 1987 to 1989. But the main recruits have arrived from France, as well Roberto Cabanas (SB29 in 90/91), Aziz Bouderbala (RCP in 90/91), Franck Gava (ASNL, 92/93), Eric Roy (Toulon , 93/94) than the Marseillais trio Olmeta-Amoros and Abedi Pelé in 1993/94 or even Alain Caveglia (HAC, 96/97) and Christophe Cocard (AJA, 96/97).

Ligue 1 Uber Eats a breeding ground for OL

Similarly, the backbone of the first Ligue 1 champions in 2001/2002 were recruited from the French championship: Coupet (ASSE) in 1997, Violeau (AJA), Delmotte (RCL), Carteron (ASSE) in 1997/98 , Dhorasoo (HAC) in 98/99, Vairelles (RCL) in 99/00, Chanelet (FCN) and Marlet (AJA) the following season and then Carrière (FCN), Luyindula (RCSA) and Née (SCB) the season of 1^er coronation of Lyon.

An effective strategy that OL perpetuated during their seven-year term at the top of Ligue 1 Uber Eats, recruiting Michael Essien from SC Bastia, Florent Malouda from EAG and Anthony Reveillère from Stade Rennais (03/04), then the season next Eric Abidal at LOSC and Pierre-Alain Frau at Sochaux.

While managing to recruit in the other championships, the Lyon club still attracts many talented elite players, such as Sébastien Squillaci (AS Monaco), Jérémy Toulalan (FC Nantes), Alou Diarra (RC Lens) and Kim Källstrom ( Stade Rennais) in 2006/07. A year later, it was the turn of Messina nugget Miralem Pjanic to strengthen OL, along with Kader Keita and Mathieu Bodmer (LOSC), all crowned champions in 2007/2008: the 7^and and last consecutive title.

In 2008/2009, OL again opted for a recruitment made in Ligue 1, enlisting Nice’s Hugo Lloris and Ederson, but also Lille’s Jean II Makoun (LOSC), John Mensah (SRFC) and Frédéric Piquionne ( RCL).

The following years, Michel Bastos (LOSC) and Bafé Gomis (ASSE) in 2009/10, Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux) and Jimmy Briand (SRFC) in 10/11, Maxwel Cornet (Metz) and Christophe Jallet (PSG) in 14/ 15, Lucas Tousart (VAFC, 15/16), Martin Terrier (LOSC, 17/18), Ferland Mendy (HAC, 17/18), Tanguy Ndombele (ASC, 18/19), Léo Dubois (FCN, 18/19 ), Reine-Adélaïde (SCO, 19/20), Thiago Mendes (LOSC, 19/20) and Tino Kadewere (HAC, 19/20) were the main elements recruited in France by Les Gones. With Romain Faivre (23), who worked for Tours FC, AS Monaco and therefore Stade Brestois 29, Olympique Lyonnais is once again betting on a talent from Ligue 1 Uber Eats.