View source for FC Metz

{{short description|Association football club}}
{{About|the men's association football team|the women's association football club|FC Metz (women)}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Metz
| image = FC Metz 2021 Logo.svg
| upright = 0.6
| alt = Logo
| fullname = Football Club de Metz
| nickname = ''Les Grenats'' (The Maroons),<ref name="nickname">{{Cite web|url=https://footnickname.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/144-fc-metz-les-grenats/|title=#144 – FC Metz : les Grenats|language=fr|date=3 July 2020|publisher=Footnickname|access-date=22 December 2021|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922004749/https://footnickname.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/144-fc-metz-les-grenats/|url-status=live}}</ref><br>''Les [[Clément of Metz#Legend of the Graoully dragon|Graoullys]]''
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|March 23 1932}}
| ground = [[Stade Saint-Symphorien]]
| capacity = 25,636<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcmetz.com/club/stade/stade-saint-symphorien|title=Stade Saint-Symphorien|date=28 July 2015|website=Football Club de Metz|access-date=11 September 2021|archive-date=11 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911180621/http://www.fcmetz.com/club/stade/stade-saint-symphorien|url-status=live}}</ref>
| owner = Bernard Serin
| chairman = Bernard Serin
| chrtitle = President
| manager = [[Stéphane Le Mignan]]
| league = {{French football updater|Metz}}
| season = {{French football updater|Metz2}}
| position = {{French football updater|Metz3}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.fcmetz.com/}}
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| leftarm1 = 781614
| body1 = 781614
| rightarm1 = 781614
| shorts1 = FFFFFF
| socks1 = 781614
| pattern_la2 = _metz2425a
| pattern_b2 = _metz2425a
| pattern_ra2 = _metz2425a
| pattern_sh2 =
| pattern_so2 = _metz2425al
| leftarm2 = 0180A5
| body2 = 0180A5
| rightarm2 = 0180A5
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| pattern_la3 = _metz2425t
| pattern_b3 = _metz2425t
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| current = 2024–25 FC Metz season
}}

'''Football Club de Metz''' ({{IPA|fr|mɛs|-|prononciationmetz.ogg}}) is a [[Football in France|French association football]] club based in [[Metz]], [[Lorraine]]. The club was formed in 1932 and plays in [[Ligue 1]], the highest division in the [[French football league system]], for the [[2025–26 Ligue 1|2025–26]] season following their promotion from the second division in the [[2024–25 Ligue 2|2024–2025]] season. They play their home matches at [[Stade Saint-Symphorien]] located within the city. The team is currently managed by [[Stéphane Le Mignan]]. Despite never winning the top flight, they have won the [[Coupe de France]] twice and the [[Coupe de la Ligue]] twice.

==History==
FC Metz was founded in 23 March 1932 by the amalgamation of two amateur athletic clubs, and shortly thereafter became a professional team; it is one of the oldest professional football teams in France. Its roots trace back further, to the ''SpVgg Metz'' club, formed in 1905 when the city of Metz was part of the [[German Empire]]. ''SpVgg'' played in the tier-one ''[[Westkreis-Liga]]'' for a season in 1913–14, before the outbreak of the First World War stopped all play. Some players of this club were part of the ''Cercle Athlétique Messin'' in 1919, which went on to become FC Metz in 1932. ''Messin'' was a leading club in the ''Division d'Honneur – Lorraine'', taking out league titles in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929 and 1931.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-lothahist.html France – Division d'Honneur – Lorraine 1919–1932] rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref>

The club played in the [[Ligue 2|French second division north]] from 1933, winning the league in 1935 and earning promotion to [[Ligue 1]] for the first time.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran2hist.html France – List of Final Tables Second Level] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414005233/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesf/fran2hist.html |date=14 April 2015 }} rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref> The team became a mid-table side in the first division until the outbreak of the war interfered with play once more. ''FCM'' did not take part in the top-tier regional competitions in 1939–40.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/franfullhist.html France – First Division Results and Tables 1932–1998] rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref>

During [[World War II]], due to the [[Moselle (department)|Moselle]] [[Departments of France|département]] being annexed by Germany, the club had to play under the Germanised name of ''FV Metz'' in the ''[[Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen|Gauliga Westmark]]''. In the three completed seasons of this league from 1941 to 1944, the club finished runners-up each year.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/crossborder.html French clubs in the German football structure 1940–1944] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044629/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/crossborder.html |date=6 March 2019 }} rsssf.org, accessed: 31 May 2008</ref>

Despite the city of Metz being retaken by allied forces in autumn 1944, the club did not take part in French league football in 1944–45 but returned to Ligue 1 in 1945–46, to come 17th out of 18 clubs. An expansion of the league to 20 clubs meant, the team was not relegated and stayed at the highest level until 1950, when a last place finish ended its Ligue 1 membership. Metz was allowed to stay within Ligue 1 as a special privilege due to its catastrophic situation in the year following the war: the stadium had been damaged, almost beyond repair. The team had to start from scratch once again.

The club rebounded immediately, finishing second in Ligue 2, behind [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] and returned to the first division. FC Metz made a strong return to this league, finishing fifth in its first season back. After this, the club once more had to battle against relegation season-by-season, finishing second-last in 1958 and having to return to Ligue 2. It took three seasons in this league before it could manage to return to Ligue 1 in 1961, but lasted for only one year in the top flight. FC Metz spent the next five seasons at second division level.

FC Metz ascended to the top level of French football once more in 1967; the team remained in the highest division until they were relegated in 2001, although they bounced back immediately and returned to the Ligue 1 the following year.

After losing the first leg of their [[1984–85 European Cup Winners' Cup]] tie 4–2 to [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] at Stade Saint-Symphorien, FC Metz were widely expected to be thrashed at [[Camp Nou]]. However, a hat-trick from Yugoslav striker [[Tony Kurbos]] gave Les Grenats a shock 4–1 win in the second leg to send the French side through 6–5 on aggregate.

In 1998, the team competed in the qualifications to the [[UEFA Champions League]], but lost in the third round to Finnish team [[Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi|HJK Helsinki]]. In 2006, FC Metz were relegated from Ligue 1, finishing at the bottom of the table, despite the regular presence of an extremely promising prospect, [[Miralem Pjanić]], who would later be transferred to giants Lyon, for an astonishing fee of €7.5 million. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Metz finished 18th in Ligue 2 and were relegated to the [[Championnat National]], the third tier of French football after a 1–1 draw with [[Tours FC|Tours]] at home on 20 May 2012, in very tense circumstances. Metz spent only one season at this level, rebuilding a team with iconic former player [[Albert Cartier]] as coach, winning promotion to Ligue 2, and then immediately finishing first and winning promotion to Ligue 1. The team was relegated again to Ligue 2, but won promotion the next season. This time, Metz managed to secure a 14th place finish, ensuring another season in Ligue 1. For the [[2017–18 Ligue 1]] season, Metz endured a horrid campaign, losing eleven out of their first twelve matches. The club recovered later in the season but finished bottom of the table and were relegated back to Ligue 2.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/bordeaux-snatch-last-european-place.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011239/http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/bordeaux-snatch-last-european-place.htm |archive-date=23 May 2018 |title=Ligue1.com - Bordeaux snatch last European place}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/amiens-see-off-metz.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011213/http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/amiens-see-off-metz.htm |archive-date=23 May 2018 |title=Ligue1.com - Amiens see off Metz}}</ref>

On 26 April 2019, Metz were promoted back to Ligue 1 at the first time of asking by finishing first in Ligue 2. The promotion was confirmed with a 2–1 victory over [[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/928901/john-boyes-fc-metz-secures-promotion-to-ligue-1.html/|title=John Boye's FC Metz secures promotion to Ligue 1|website=www.modernghana.com|access-date=7 May 2019|archive-date=28 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428143837/https://www.modernghana.com/sports/928901/john-boyes-fc-metz-secures-promotion-to-ligue-1.html/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the clubs first season back in the top flight, Metz finished 15th on the table followed by an improved 10th place finish the following season. In the [[2021–22 Ligue 1]] season, Metz finished 19th and were relegated back to [[Ligue 2]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2022/metz-boss-frederic-antonetti-open-to-continuing-despite-relegation-to-ligue-2/|title=METZ BOSS FRÉDÉRIC ANTONETTI OPEN TO CONTINUING DESPITE RELEGATION TO LIGUE 2|website=www.getfootballnewsfrance.com}}</ref> The club were promoted back to [[Ligue 1]] as [[Ligue 2]] runners-up for the [[2022–23 Ligue 2|2022-23]] season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Metz Does the Job, Promotion Still Pending |url=https://www.beinsports.com/us/ligue-2/video/metz-does-the-job-promotion-still-pending/2105442 |website=BeIN SPORTS |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref>

On Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 2023, there was a dispute at a youth football tournament on the field of SV Viktoria Preußen e.V. in the Eckenheim district of [[Frankfurt am Main]] between young players from FC Metz and JFC Berlin, in which a 16-year-old [[Morocco|Moroccan]] player from FC Metz killed a 15-year-old [[Germany|German]] player from JFC Berlin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/teenage-footballer-death-berlin-metz-30125113/|title=Teenage footballer tragically dies following altercation with opponent after youth match|access-date=31 May 2023|archive-date=1 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601143401/https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/teenage-footballer-death-berlin-metz-30125113|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pfad |first=Daniela |date=2 June 2023 |title=Anwalt von Prügel-Spieler mit dem Tod bedroht |url=https://www.bild.de/regional/frankfurt/frankfurt-aktuell/paul-15-bei-turnier-getoetet-morddrohung-gegen-spieler-anwalt-84157106.bild.html |language=German |work=[[Bild]] |location=Berlin |publisher=BILD GmbH |access-date=8 March 2024 }}</ref>
On 12 June 2023, LFP Decision that FC Metz secure promotion to Ligue 1 from 2023–24 season after Bordeaux against Rodez has been suspended and return to top flight after one year absence. In the [[2023–24 Ligue 1]] season, Metz finished in the relegation/promotion playoff spot and faced off against [[AS Saint-Étienne]] from Ligue 2. Metz would lose the playoff 4-3 on aggregate and were relegated back to Ligue 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/Match-Reports/2024/06/02/saint-etienne-promoted-to-ligue-1/|title=
Saint-Étienne promoted to Ligue 1 Uber Eats|website=www.ligue1.com}}</ref>

==Supporters and rivalries==
Metz's biggest rivals are [[AS Nancy]] with whom they contest the [[Derby Lorrain|Lorraine derby]]. The other major rivals are [[Racing Strasbourg]].

There are currently two [[ultras]] groups: ''Gradins Populaires Ouest'' and ''Horda Frénétik'' (founded 1997).

FC Metz has fan friendships with [[Toulouse FC]], the German clubs [[1. FC Kaiserslautern|Kaiserslautern]] and [[SV Eintracht Trier 05|Eintracht Trier]] and the Italian club [[LR Vicenza|Vicenza]].

==Stadium==
FC Metz plays its home matches at [[Stade Saint-Symphorien]], which has a capacity of 25,636. Thus, it is the largest venue dedicated to football in [[Lorraine]].

==Crest==
Its official colours are grenat (maroon) and white, from which the team derives its nickname Les Grenats.  The team's crest features the [[Cross of Lorraine|Lorraine cross]], symbolic of the team's regional affiliation, and the dragon called the ''[[Graoully]]'', which in local legend was tamed by [[Saint Clement of Metz]].<ref>[http://www.culture-routes.lu/php/fo_index.php?lng=en&back=%252Fphp%252Ffo_index.php%253Flng%253Den%2526dest%253Dbd_ar_lst&dest=bd_ar_det&id=00000300&PHPSESSID=3784b18f5b85000593c7a59b13a1e792 The Graoully, symbol of Metz<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522192206/http://www.culture-routes.lu/php/fo_index.php?lng=en&back=%2Fphp%2Ffo_index.php%3Flng%3Den&dest=bd_ar_lst&dest=bd_ar_det&id=00000300&PHPSESSID=3784b18f5b85000593c7a59b13a1e792 |date=22 May 2011 }}</ref>

==Youth academy==
FC Metz also gained recognition in France and Europe for its successful youth academy, which produced star players including: [[Rigobert Song]], [[Robert Pires]], [[Louis Saha]], [[Emmanuel Adebayor]], [[Papiss Cissé]], [[Miralem Pjanić]], [[Kalidou Koulibaly]], and [[Sadio Mané]]. The city's proximity to Luxembourg (about 55&nbsp;km) plays a significant role in the importation of young prospects. The club's board has close ties with the Luxembourgish Football Federation. [[Nico Braun|Nicolas "Nico" Braun]], the team's top all-time goalscorer, as well as Pjanić or more recently [[Chris Philipps]], have played in the G-D's amateur leagues before joining "les Grenats". Despite this, not all Luxembourgers enjoy success with Metz, with Robert "Robby" Langers as the best example.

==FC Metz in European football==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Season
! Competition
! Round
! Club
! Home
! Away
! Aggregate
! 
|-
| [[1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup|1968–69]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup]]
| rowspan="3" | [[1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup#First round|First round]]
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Hamburger SV]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–4
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 2–3
| style="text-align:center;"| '''3–7'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1969–70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup|1969–70]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 1–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''2–3'''
|-
|rowspan=2| [[1984–85 European Cup Winners' Cup|1984–85]]
|rowspan=2| [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]
| {{flagicon|ESP}} [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 2–4
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 4–1
| style="text-align:center;"| '''6–5'''
| [[File:Symbol keep vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1984–85 European Cup Winners' Cup#Second round|Second round]]
| {{flagicon|GDR}} [[Dynamo Dresden]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 0–0
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–3
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–3'''
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1985–86 UEFA Cup|1985–86]]
| [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]
| rowspan="2" | [[1985–86 UEFA Cup#First round|First round]]
| {{flagicon|Yugoslavia}} [[HNK Hajduk Split|Hajduk Split]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 2–2
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–5
| style="text-align:center;"| '''3–7'''
|-
| [[1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup|1988–89]]
| [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–3
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–5'''
|-
| rowspan="6" |[[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup|1995]]
| rowspan="6" |[[UEFA Intertoto Cup]]
| rowspan="4" | [[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Group 6|Group stage (Group 6)]]
| {{flagicon|ISL}} [[Knattspyrnudeild Keflavík|Keflavík]]
| {{n/a}}
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;" | 2–1
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | '''1st Place'''
| rowspan="5" |[[File:Symbol keep vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 1–0
| {{n/a}}
|-
| {{flagicon|CRO}} [[NK Zagreb]]
| {{n/a}}
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 1–0
|-
| {{flagicon|AUT}} [[LASK|Linzer ASK]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 1–0
| {{n/a}}
|-
| [[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Round of 16|Round of 16]]
| {{flagicon|ROU}} [[CSM Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț|Ceahlăul]]
| {{n/a}}
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 2–0
| style="text-align:center;"| '''2–0'''
|-
| [[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Quarter-finals|Quarter-finals]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–2
| {{n/a}}
| style="text-align:center;"| '''0–2'''
| [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|-
|rowspan=3| [[1996–97 UEFA Cup|1996–97]]
| rowspan="5" | [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]
| [[1996–97 UEFA Cup#First round|First round]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}} [[FC Tirol Innsbruck|Tirol Innsbruck]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 1–0
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 0–0
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–0'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Symbol keep vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1996–97 UEFA Cup#Second round|Second round]]
| {{flagicon|POR}} [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 2–0
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''3–2'''
|-
| [[1996–97 UEFA Cup#Third round|Third round (round of 16)]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 1–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–3'''
| [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|-
|rowspan=2| [[1997–98 UEFA Cup|1997–98]]
| [[1997–98 UEFA Cup#First round|First round]]
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[R.E. Mouscron]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 4–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 2–0
| style="text-align:center;"| '''6–1'''
| [[File:Symbol keep vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1997–98 UEFA Cup#Second round|Second round]]
| {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Karlsruher SC]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–2
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 1–1
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–3'''
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1998–99
| [[UEFA Champions League]]
| [[1998–99 UEFA Champions League#Second Qualifying round|Second Qualifying round]]
| {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi|HJK]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 1–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–1
| style="text-align:center;"| '''1–2'''
|-
| [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]
| [[1998–99 UEFA Cup#First round|First round]]
| {{flagicon|FRY}} [[Red Star Belgrade]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 2–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''3–3{{pso|3–4}}'''
|-
|rowspan=4|[[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup|1999]]
|rowspan=4|[[UEFA Intertoto Cup]]
| [[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Second round|Second round]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}} [[MŠK Žilina]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 3–0
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–2
| style="text-align:center;"| '''4–2'''
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Symbol keep vote.svg|17px]]
|-
| [[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Third round|Third round]]
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|Lokeren]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 0–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 2–1
| style="text-align:center;"| '''2–2 ([[Away goals rule|a]])'''
|-
| [[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Semi-finals|Semi-finals]]
| {{flagicon|POL}} [[Polonia Warsaw]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 5–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#ffd;"| 1–1
| style="text-align:center;"| '''6–2'''
|-
| [[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup#Finals|Finals]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]
| style="text-align:center;background:#fdd;"| 1–3
| style="text-align:center;background:#dfd;"| 1–0
| style="text-align:center;"| '''2–3'''
| [[File:Symbol delete vote.svg|17px]]
|}

==Honours==
Metz has never won the French championship; its best result was a second-place finish in 1998, behind [[RC Lens|Lens]]. The title race lasted until the ultimate fixture, however Metz never recovered from a 0–2 loss against Lens on their home turf. Metz won the [[Coupe de France]] twice, in 1984 and 1988, the first of these victories enabled it to qualify for the [[European Cup Winners' Cup]] where it achieved arguably the team's greatest moment, an upset of [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] in the first round of the competition in October 1984. It lost 4–2 at home in the first leg but won 4–1 away in the return leg, thus qualifying 6–5 on aggregate, making Metz unique among the French teams who have beaten Barcelona at the [[Camp Nou]]. Metz also won the [[Coupe de la Ligue]] twice, in 1986 and 1996, and has made a total of ten appearances in European tournaments.

*'''[[Ligue 1]]'''
**''Runners-up (1):'' [[1997–98 French Division 1|1997–98]]
*'''[[Ligue 2]]'''
**'''Winners (4):''' [[1934–35 French Division 2|1934–35]], [[2006–07 Ligue 2|2006–07]], [[2013–14 Ligue 2|2013–14]], [[2018–19 Ligue 2|2018–19]]
**''Runners-up (4):'' [[1950–51 French Division 2|1950–51]], [[1960–61 French Division 2|1960–61]], [[1966–67 French Division 2|1966–67]], [[2022–23 Ligue 1|2022–23]]
*'''[[Coupe de France]]'''
**'''Winners (2):''' [[1984 Coupe de France final|1983–84]], [[1988 Coupe de France final|1987–88]]
**''Runners-up (1):'' [[1938 Coupe de France Final|1937–38]]
*'''[[Coupe de la Ligue]]'''
**'''Winners (2):''' [[Coupe de la Ligue|1985–86]], [[1996 Coupe de la Ligue final|1995–96]]
**''Runners-up (1):'' [[1999 Coupe de la Ligue final|1998–99]]
*'''[[UEFA Intertoto Cup]]'''
**''Runners-up (1):'' [[1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup|1999]]

==Players==

===Current squad===
{{updated|21 June 2025}}<ref>{{Cite news|title = Effectif et staff|url = https://www.fcmetz.com/effectif/2024-2025/equipe-pro|work = FC Metz|archive-date = 9 August 2024|access-date = 9 August 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240809151010/https://www.fcmetz.com/effectif/2024-2025/equipe-pro|url-status = live}}</ref>
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no= 2|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=[[Maxime Colin]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 3|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=[[Matthieu Udol]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player|no=4|nat=GAB|pos=DF|name=[[Urie-Michel Mboula]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 6|nat=ANG|pos=MF|name=[[Joseph Nduquidi]]}}
{{Fs player|no=7|nat=FRA|pos=FW|name=[[Gauthier Hein]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 8|nat=CIV|pos=DF|name=[[Ismaël Traoré]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|vice-captain]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 9|nat=SEN|pos=FW|name=[[Ibou Sané]]}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=SEN|pos=MF|name=[[Pape Amadou Diallo]]}}
{{Fs player|no=12|nat=SEN|pos=MF|name=[[Alpha Touré]]}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=SEN|pos=FW|name=[[Cheikh Sabaly]]}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=SEN|pos=DF|name=[[Aboubacar Lô]]}}
{{Fs player|no=16|nat=ALG|pos=GK|name=[[Alexandre Oukidja]]}}
{{Fs player|no=17|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=[[Lilian Raillot]]}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=SEN|pos=FW|name=[[Idrissa Gueye (footballer, born 2006)|Idrissa Gueye]]}}
{{Fs player|no=19|nat=CMR|pos=FW|name=[[Morgan Bokele]]}}
{{Fs player|no=20|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=[[Jessy Deminguet]]}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=[[Benjamin Stambouli]]}}
{{Fs player|no=22|nat=ALG|pos=DF|name=[[Kevin Van Den Kerkhof]]}}
{{Fs player|no=33|nat=FRA|pos=FW|name=[[Joseph Mangondo]]|other=}}
{{Fs player|no=36|nat=GMB|pos=MF|name=[[Ablie Jallow]]}}
{{Fs player|no=38|nat=SEN|pos=DF|name=[[Sadibou Sané]]}}
{{Fs player|no=39|nat=CIV|pos=DF|name=[[Koffi Kouao]]}}
{{Fs player|no=44|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=Charles Divialle-Corbière}}
{{Fs player|no=61|nat=SEN|pos=GK|name=[[Pape Sy (footballer)|Pape Sy]]}}
{{Fs player|no=99|nat=SWE|pos=FW|name=[[Joel Asoro]]}}
{{Fs end}}

===Out on loan===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=SEN|name=[[Ousmane Ba]]|pos=GK|other=at [[R.F.C. Seraing (1922)|Seraing]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=FRA|name=[[Arthur Atta]]|pos=MF|other=at [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=MAR|name=Othmane Chraibi|pos=MF|other=at [[LB Châteauroux|Châteauroux]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=GHA|name=[[Benjamin Tetteh]]|pos=FW|other=at [[NK Maribor|Maribor]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=SEN|name=Pape Moussa Fall|pos=FW|other=at [[R.F.C. Seraing (1922)|Seraing]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=SEN|name=[[Malick Mbaye (footballer, born 2004)|Malick Mbaye]]|pos=FW|other=at [[Amiens SC|Amiens]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=FRA|pos=FW|name=Édouard Soumah-Abbad|other=at [[PFC Botev Plovdiv II|Botev Plovdiv II]] until 30 June 2025}}
{{Fs end}}

===Notable players===
Below are the notable former players who have represented Metz in [[Ligue 1|league]] and international competition since the club's foundation in 1932. To appear in the section below, a player must have played at least a full season for the club.

{{for|a complete list of FC Metz players|Category:FC Metz players}}
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{flagicon|Togo}} [[Emmanuel Adebayor]]
*{{flagicon|Peru}} [[Wilmer Aguirre]]
*{{flagicon|Cameroon}} [[Sébastien Bassong]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Patrick Battiston]]
*{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Eric Black]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Jocelyn Blanchard]]
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Danny Boffin]]
*{{flagicon|Luxembourg}} [[Nico Braun]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Albert Cartier]]
*{{flagicon|Senegal}} [[Papiss Cissé]]
*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Hugo Curioni]]
*{{flagicon|Togo}} [[Mathieu Dossevi]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Michel Ettore]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Philippe Gaillot]]
*{{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Daniel Gygax]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Philippe Hinschberger]]
*{{flagicon|Hungary}} [[Szabolcs Huszti]]
*{{Flagicon|Yugoslavia}} [[Božo Janković]]
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Ahn Jung-hwan]]
*{{flagicon|Poland}} [[Henryk Kasperczak]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Sylvain Kastendeuch]]
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Eiji Kawashima]]
*{{flagicon|Senegal}} [[Kalidou Koulibaly]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Lionel Letizi]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Florent Malouda]]
*{{flagicon|Senegal}} [[Sadio Mané]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Frédéric Meyrieu]]
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Faryd Mondragón]]
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Tressor Moreno]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Marcel Muller (footballer)|Marcel Muller]]
*{{flagicon|Poland}} [[Ludovic Obraniak]]
*{{flagicon|United States}} [[Oguchi Onyewu]]
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Michele Padovano]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Pascal Pierre]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Robert Pires]]
*{{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} [[Miralem Pjanić]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Grégory Proment]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[André Rey (footballer)|André Rey]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Franck Ribéry]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Philippe Rohr]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Louis Saha]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Franck Signorino]]
*{{flagicon|Cameroon}} [[Rigobert Song]]
*{{flagicon|Cameroon}} [[Jacques Songo'o]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Luc Sonor]]
*{{flagicon|Luxembourg}} [[Jeff Strasser]]
*{{flagicon|Poland}} [[Marian Szeja]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Sylvain Wiltord]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Bernard Zénier]]
{{div col end}}

==Current technical staff==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
|Manager
|[[Stéphane Le Mignan]]
|-
|Assistant manager
|Cyril LeBeau
|-
|Goalkeeping coach
|Jean Claude Gourgelle
|-
|Physical trainer
|Gauthier Netgen
|-
|Head doctors
|Jules Gardenault<br>Claude Chandelle
|}

===Managerial history===
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em| 
* [[Willibald Stejskal]] (1932–33)
* [[Ted Maghner]] (1937–38)
* [[Sid Kimpton|George Kimpton]] (1938)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/players/trainers-fran-clubs.html|title=France - Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2 February 2023|archive-date=31 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531102336/http://www.rsssf.com/players/trainers-fran-clubs.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Paul Thomas (football)|Paul Thomas]] (1938–39)
* [[Peter Fabian]] (1940–41)
* [[Charles Fosset]] (1944–45)
* [[Bep Bakhuys]] (1945–46)
* [[François Odry]] (1946)
* [[Ted Maghner]] (1946–47)
* [[Nicolas Hibst]] (1947)
* [[Charles Fosset]] (1947–49)
* [[Oscar Saggiero]] (1949–50)
* [[Ignace Kowalczyk]] (1950)
* [[Emile Veinante]] (1950–51)
* [[Elie Rous]] (1951–52)
* [[Emile Rummelhardt]] (1952–55)
* [[André Watrin]] (1955)
* [[Jacques Favre]] (1955–58)
* [[Marcel Tomazover]] (1958)
* [[Désiré Koranyi]] (1958–59)
* [[Robert Lacoste (football)|Robert Lacoste]] (1959)
* [[Jules Nagy]] (1959–63)
* [[Jacques Favre]] (1963–66)
* [[Max Schirschin]] (1966–67)
* [[Max Schirschin]] and [[René Fuchs]] (1967–68)
* [[Pierre Flamion]] (1968–70)
* [[René Fuchs]] (1970–71)
* [[Jacques Favre]] and [[Georges Zvunka]] (1971–72)
* [[René Vernier]] (1972–75)
* [[Georges Huart]] (1975–78)
* [[Marc Rastoll]] (1978–79)
* [[Marc Rastoll]] and [[Jean Snella]] (1979–80)
* [[Henryk Kasperczak]] (1980–84)
* [[Marcel Husson]] (1984–89)
* [[Henri Depireux]] (1989–Dec 89)
* [[Joël Muller]] (Dec 1989–Dec 2000)
* [[Albert Cartier]] (Dec 2000–Jan 2002)
* [[Francis De Taddeo]] (Jan 2002)
* [[Gilbert Gress]] (Jan 2002–02)
* [[Jean Fernandez]] (2002–05)
* [[Joël Muller]] (2005–06)
* [[Francis De Taddeo]] (2006–07)
* [[Yvon Pouliquen]] (2007–10)
* [[Joël Muller]] (2010)
* [[Dominique Bijotat]] (2010–12)
* [[Albert Cartier]] (2012–15)
* [[José Riga]] (2015)
* [[Philippe Hinschberger]] (2015–17)
* [[Frederic Hantz]] (2017–18)
* [[Frédéric Antonetti]] (2018–19)
* [[Vincent Hognon]] (2019–2020)
* [[Frédéric Antonetti]] (2020–2022)
* [[László Bölöni]] (2022–2024)
* [[Stéphane Le Mignan]] (2024–)
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|fr}}

{{FC Metz}}
{{Ligue 2 teamlist}}
{{Championnat National 3 Group I}}
{{Original Ligue 1 Clubs}}
{{Lorraine topics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metz, Fc}}
[[Category:FC Metz| ]]
[[Category:Sport in Metz]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Grand Est]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1932]]
[[Category:1932 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 clubs]]
[[Category:Football clubs from former German territories]]