Football Club de Nantes (Breton: Naoned; Gallo: Naunnt), commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes (IPA: [nɑ̃t] ), is a women's football club based in Nantes, France. It has been the women's section of FC Nantes since 2012. Coached by Nicolas Chabot, the club competes in the Première Ligue.

Nantes
Full nameFootball Club de Nantes
Nickname(s)La Maison Jaune (The Yellow House)
Les Canaris (The Canaries)
Founded2012
StadiumStade Marcel-Saupin
Capacity1,880
PresidentsWaldemar Kita
Jacky Soulard
ManagerNicolas Chabot
LeaguePremière Ligue
2023–24Division 2 Féminine, 2nd (promoted)
Websitehttps://www.fcnantes.com/

History

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In the summer of 2012, the plan to create a women's section of FC Nantes took effect. Firstly, youth teams were put in place, with the objective being to become a competitive feminine football club at a national scale in the long run.[1] The senior team entered the league system in 2014, starting from the lowest tier, the third division of the District de Football de Loire-Atlantique.[2] The club had failed to secure a merger with another club in the Nantes region, notably with Nantes Saint-Herblain [fr].

The team rapidly progressed, successively finishing first in the third, second, and first district divisions, accessing the regional level of women's football in France ahead of the 2017–18 season. The team would shine once again during that season, finishing first in their Régional 2 group and reaching the final of the Coupe des Pays de la Loire.[3] In the 2018–19 season, Nantes finished second in the Régional 1 behind Le Mans. The club therefore qualified for the play-offs for promotion to the Division 2 Féminine, where the team would eventually eliminate CA Paris and Le Mans. Nantes therefore reached the national level of football for the first time in the club's history, five years after the first team's entrance into the league system.[2]

The first season in the Division 2 for Nantes was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although the team did place fourth before the suspension of the league.[4] The 2020–21 season was ended even earlier than the previous season; Nantes finished in second place in Group A. Despite a hope for promotion via play-offs, the French Football Federation finally decided that only Saint-Étienne would be promoted and that Nantes would stay in the Division 2.[5]

On 30 July 2021, Nantes announced the appointment of Mathieu Ricoul as head coach to replace Tanguy Fétiveau, who had been managing the team since June 2017.[6] At the beginning of the 2021–22 season, the club would have a budget of €1 million and twelve federal contracts, the maximum amount in the Division 2, with hopes of achieving promotion to the Division 1 Féminine.[7]

Managerial history

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Players

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Current squad

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As of 22 September 2024.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   CAN Emily Burns
2 FW   PUR Danielle Marcano
3 DF   USA Caitlin Cosme
4 DF   FRA Maureen Cosson
5 DF   FRA Julie Pasquereau
6 MF   FRA Manon Uffren
7 MF   FRA Lalia Storti
8 MF   FRA Juliette Mossard
9 FW   FRA Kelly Gago
10 FW   FRA Camille Robillard
11 MF   HAI Roseline Éloissaint
15 FW   NGA Chinaza Uchendu
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK   USA Emily Dolan
17 MF   FRA Julie Rabanne
19 FW   FRA Naomie Vagre
20 MF   ALG Amira Ould Braham
21 FW   FRA Louise Fleury
22 MF   ESP Andrea Recio
23 MF   FRA Thelma Eninger
27 DF   POR Nelly Rodrigues
28 DF   FRA Éva Fremaux
29 MF   FRA Éva Sumo
40 GK   FRA Lisa Lebrun

Notable former players

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References

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  1. ^ "Féminines : Le FC Nantes veut devenir professionnel" [Feminine team: FC Nantes wants to become professional]. Tribune Loire (in French). 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b "La section Féminine du FC Nantes" [The feminine section of FC Nantes] (in French). FC Nantes. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Coupes des Pays de la Loire : place aux finales 2017-2018 !" [Coupe des Pays de la Loire: make way for the 2017-2018 finals!] (in French). Ligue de Football des Pays de la Loire. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  4. ^ Dalmat, Syanie (5 July 2020). "D2 (F) : FC Nantes, objectif D1" [D2 (F): FC Nantes, goal D1]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  5. ^ "FC Nantes (féminines). Jacky Soulard : « On se met en place comme si on allait en D1... »". Ouest-France (in French). 6 May 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Mathieu Ricoul nommé entraîneur principal" [Mathieu Ricoul named first-team manager] (in French). FC Nantes. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  7. ^ "FC Nantes. Les féminines rêvent toujours d'accession" [FC Nantes. The feminine team still dreams of promotion]. Ouest-France (in French). 12 August 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
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