The Fans: Why do you like Lyon?
By: Inara | September 5th, 2007Since it’s international week, and since the only thing happening at the Gerland right now is the Rugby World Cup, I’m taking a break from covering football to covering the supporters. After all, part of what makes football so beautiful is the emotion it brings to millions of people around the world. So what kind of blogger would I be if I ignored such a big part of today’s game?
The following posts will be about the supporters – why they love Lyon and what makes them unique.
To start out, I thought I’d share how I became a Lyon fan.
That’s me on the left.
I suppose if any of you met me in person, I wouldn’t be what you’d expect a die hard OL fan to be like. I’m a scientist who reads fashion magazines in her spare time (I’m trying really hard to break the stereotypes out there about science nerds), and until I became an OL fan, I didn’t like sports that much.
So how did I end up an avid Lyon blogger?
Right before I went to college, I managed to catch a Lyon match live while traveling that summer, and though I had very little interest in soccer, I had a lot of fun watching the game. The atmosphere was superb, and watching Juninho, Sonny Anderson, and Sidney Govou play was amazing.
Later on, in college, I began contributing to an online student news group. I wrote science and financial news, but my friend who wrote the monthly soccer column graduated, and I took over. Once I started watching the sport on a weekly basis, I became more of a fan. But of all the clubs I liked, I’ve always held OL the most dearest – they were quite literally my first.
When I came across The Offside, I was dismayed to discover that there wasn’t a blog devoted to Lyon, so in March, I asked Bob if I could try my hand at blogging about Lyon. Interestingly, blogging enabled me to learn more about Lyon than when I had been a casual fan, and I’ve recently become one of those crazies who gets pissed off when other people don’t admit that Lyon is the best club in the world. I guess I’m rather one-dimensional – Lyon is the only team I make an effort to follow, though I may watch games of other clubs at times.
But I’ve discovered that being a Lyon fan outside of Europe is really hard because it’s quite difficult to watch the mathes. Once in a while they’ll show OL games on Setanta, and if I’m lucky, I’ll find a reliable live stream or a torrent. But most of the time I have to rely on OLWEB for highlights (which sucks because my French isn’t that great, and I don’t understand a lot of the what the commentators are saying).
It would be easier for me to be an EPL or MLS fan due to the language barrier, but I can’t bring myself to do it. The excitement I feel when Lyon are about the play, the emotions they inspire – happiness, anger, and everything in between – I can’t find that with any other team (though I have been attempting to watch DC United on occasion). And my family and friends are still quite baffled at my seemingly random interest in a random French team in a random league in Europe.
But ever since I started writing for the Offside (over six months now), I’ve been thrilled to discover that Lyon have fans all over the world, and not just in France like I had previously thought. Most of my friends don’t share my interest in soccer football, so it’s exciting for me, an American convert to French football, at being able to interact with other fans, not just of Lyon or of L1, but of the sport in general.
So here is my question to all of you: why do you love Lyon and how did you became a fan of this particular club? And for those non-OL fans out there, is there anything in particular you like or dislike about Lyon?
If you have an interesting Lyon story you want to share, please email me at inara47[at]yahoo[dot]com.
Category: Supporters
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Comments
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first a little something about myself; im originally from japan, im here in the US for the next four years of my college education and ive been a lyon fan for a number of years now.
mainly i was just tired of how all my friends obsessed over the EPL and ‘big four’ in english football. If it wasn’t a liverpool/man u/chelsea/arsenal jersey, it would be milan, real, or maybe barca.
wanting to find something new basically, i stumbled upon a mr. juninhon pernambucano and subsequently grew to love lyon. the passion of the fans, aulas’ diehard devotion to his city and the team, and the exciting style of play (most of the time) amongst other factors led me to love this team alot. Its hard to catch games sometimes, but i still find the time to look at highlights and read this blog so, keep up the good work inara.
Posted from
United States
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Well my story is similar, except it’s somewhat league-wide. My dad’s job allowed him to have a sabbatical year starting in the summer of 2005, and he decided to bring the whole family out to France for the year. I liked soccer at that point, but it was nothing special. The first match I saw was Marseille’s return-leg Intertoto Cup match against Deportivo La Coruna (in which they won 5-1 after losing 2-0 in the first leg and scoring four goals in the second half), and from there it just snowballed, before long I was scrambling from my living room to my friends’, to cafés, to stadiums to get the slightest glimpse at anything soccer.
So yeah.
France mofuggin’ rocks.
Posted from
Canada -
hi, i’m french and of lyon. Only to say that if you want to see match of OL, look in at streaming. I have good addresses for this, therefore if this interests you, asks me (for my msn: J8hnny@hotmail.fr) bye…
Posted from
France -
I have never been a Lyon fan since ever. I am just since 2005
I always loved football (soccer !
) but I was living in the North of France. All my family’s still there, and for 3 or 4 generations, we have been Lens’s fan. I’m still. I love this little team which play very offensive, with no much money, a real solidarity spirit, and with incredible supporters in “Bollaert”. First time I went to a match, that was Lens – PSG, with Bernard Lama as Lens’s goalkeeper ! So that was before he came to PSG and before he became NT goalkeeper. I loved thatn and so had football in my blood.Then, for some professionnal reasons, I had to come here. In Lyon, in 2005. I DID know OL, obviously, but I wasn’t a really supporter. You know what it is : when you support another club in Ligue 1, you cannot like Lyon, mostly because of Aulas, and because of their first ligue one trophy too. I remember you ?
2002. Lyon – Lens. Last match of the season. A “final” in the championship. The winner of the match was the French Champion. To me that was like a CL final ! Lens did ALL THE SEASON number one. But Govou was this day Lensois devils. Lyon wan. Pretty difficult to me, this day.
And I don’t speak about the Corean world cup few months after this…And with my job, I became an important partner of OL, so I had to work a lot with the clubs. I discovered something really different of what we can think outside of Lyon. A president who is really doing what he can for the players and the club, a public quite hot at Gerland and a so beautiful football… What a way of playing… !
Juninho freekicks and vision of game, Coupet’s stops, Cris autority, Govou madness sometimes on his right wing… I was there against REAL madrid in 2005, legendary, I was there against PSG in french cup with 2 goals in the 5 last minutes… LEGENDARY… I was there when Lyon wan 8-1 against Le Mans to celebrate the 5th ligue one trophy… And I can tell so much legendary moments that I stop now, for not being too long.When Lyon is confident, Lyon can beat everybody. That’s so spectacular to see, to FEEL it, when you are at Gerland.
So I became a supporter
Posted from
France -
I was born in Lyon and, being a soccer fan, I guess it made sense that I was drawn to OL. I became a real fan in 85 when Topalovic was our GK! I had a ball going to Gerland watching Orts, Priou and Kabongo playing juggernauts Cuiseaux-Louhans and Montceau-les-Mines in Division 2.
What sets Lyon apart from other teams is that they made it all happen by themselves and gradually, they went through the ranks and made the right decisions pretty much all the time. That means that all the players that played for OL are part of what it has become today. Our football is brilliant, and despite a general trend in modern football, most players are proud of wearing the Lyon jersey. And it’s a joy to see ex-players still involved in the day-to-day life of the club (Garde, Genesio, Anderson…).
Marseille was playing very well (OK, I’ll admit to that) in the late 80s and early 90s, but they didn’t build anything in the long-term and Tapie had no respect whatsoever for the game (match-fixing scandal, doping rumours…).
Paris had a great spell in the mid-90s but there is too much pressure and never enough time to have a long term approach – I hope Cayzac and Le Guen can change that. And a minority of their supporters is really insane.It is also great to see a well-run club, that doesn’t rely on the deep pockets of some shady investor (Chelsea, Man City) to assemble a team of overpaid players. I have to say it was almost as pleasurable letting Essien go to Chelsea for 38.5M euros than to see him stay at Lyon.
So, what’s not to like? I just wish the rest of the Ligue 1 would get their act together so the gap with richer leagues doesn’t become too wide.
It’s great to see so many fans from all over the world cheering for OL. Spread the good word…Posted from
United Kingdom -
Hi there,
I have family that stay in France and the first time i went over there for a visit they took me to see the local team play and i have been hooked on Lyon ever since!!
I dont watch as much of there games as i would like but i always check the official website for updates and now i check on here. And thank to you Inara i know have my own Rangers blog!!
You are gorgeous btw! lol
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I like Lyon because it’s still an accessible club for us fans. There is a sense of family at the Gerland, a feeling that the players are just like ordinary people, with families to take care of, bills to pay, trips to the grocery store…speaking of grocery store, I will always remember running into Coupet at the market two years ago, and when I stopped him to say hi, he stayed there and talked to me for five minutes on just average things, like the weather and the price of the onions!
The players aren’t divas, and the minute they try to be they are sent off or punished. I like that. Maybe Lyon will never have the superstar of their dreams but that is okay by me.
Posted from
United States -
My love for OL is summed up in two words: Juninho Pernambucano.
I feel sorry for all the other clubs out there because Juni chose Lyon, not them.
Posted from
United States -
Lyon give hope to all underdogs out there. Their proof that you don’t have to have superstars to beat superstars.
Posted from
United States -
Hi,
I am OL fan after seeing them play Metz at the Gerland while in Lyon for work. I really liked their style, Juninho was so impressive at midfield, and the fans were great.
I also follow Brazilian football, so one of the things I like about OL is their strong contingent of Brazilian players. The Brazilian-French-African mix works well for Lyon.Posted from
United States -
Well first and foremost I’ll admit Fulham are my first team and always will be. But since last season’s champions league I took Lyon to my heart really. It just pleased me so much to see a team without any superstars completely humiliate Real Madrid on numerous occasions with such flair and passion! Even how Coupet managed to save a last minute penalty against Madrid is spectacular. And From there onwards I’ve been tracking the progress, and I can empathise completely with the supporters as supporting Fulham – many a time I’ve seen us produce great players only to have them taken away by big clubs for big sums. And I hate the approach of these big teams thinking they can just take any player they choose with a lack of respect and regard for other clubs. And it seems like Lyon are constantly producing these excellent players. A quick question though – do the other French clubs despise Lyon for buying the league’s best talent and completely dominating French football without giving other teams a look in?
Posted from
United Kingdom -
See, everyone here has a connection to France or Lyon itself. I dont, I dont even have a connection to soccer. I played my whole life, was on a couple of good travel teams and an ODP team, and tried out for a D1 school but felt that I should focus on my studies and not go to school in Rochester NY. Sometimes I wish I stuck with soccer, but its the past. How I became a fan is funny, I bought FIFA 2002 World Cup edition when I was 14, and played it constantly. From then on I have bought FIFA’s and WE’s and from FIFA 2002 I became enamored with Real Madrid because of Zidane. From there was my duel love of all things Real/ Spain related, then all things French, which led to Lyon. I idolize Paul Le Guen also. Ive watched soccer since I was 14, the limited Cl coverage on ESPN and the crappy EPL they have on FSC. But for two years, my junior and senior year of highschool the had ligue 1 and it was glorious, the 4pm Sunday kickoff. And I started streaming games in college since you cable and thats it.
Posted from
United States -
I was watching the champions league between Lyon and Werder Bremen with my roommate, a Bundesliga fan. But that night, when the score was 7-2 (10-2 over both legs), I walked out a Lyon fan. They were classy and cool under pressure, and I’ll never forget Sylvain Wiltord’s hat trick that night. A great player, I’m sad that he’s left.
Posted from
United States -
Irrelevant to the discussion but just realised that it was Lyon you royally ripped us (Fulham) off for the catastrophe that was Steve Marlet
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I’ve been playing and watching soccer since I was a child, but sporadically, due to the fact that I was raised in the US. I started out as a fullback, but when our goalkeeper had obligations for his baseball team, I filled in his shoes. He is now in the San Diego Padres farm system. I am currently studying for my master’s in urban planning at the University of Hawaii, and I am quite sure that I’m the only Lyon fan in the whole state. How did I choose this team? It was not until very recently, while abroad in Hong Kong, when I was watching the World Cup match between Brazil and Australia. I had quite a bit of money on Brazil, the team I had always rooted for, to win by 1.5 goals. When Fred came on in the 88th minute and scored the second goal almost right after he stepped on the field, it was one of the happiest moments for me that summer. Therefore, I felt that I should repay my debts to this man and discover which club team he played for.
I had never rooted for a particular club before that, although I collected shirts from Barcelona, Juventus, and the like. Olympique Lyonnais, what an aesthetically pleasing sound to the ear and a beautiful classic jersey design to match. I’ve always enjoyed finding that hidden gem, wandering off the beaten path, sifting through used record stores to find that rare LP, so in a way, Lyon symbolized this way of life to me in sporting terms. So I decided to have a Fred shirt printed, and followed the team ever since.
His injuries and his antics have been hard to stomach recently, but he has rewarded me and other fans with some spectacular goals. I feel that when he will inevitably leave Lyon, which is quite a sad thought, a part of me will be thrown down a well and never to be seen again. When this road comes, I’ll deal with it. But there are other reasons to love and bleed Lyonnais, mainly for me, the Brazilian spine (Cris, Juni, Fred) and their never-say-die spirit, not to mention Coupet’s brilliance.
Thanks for your endless support, Inara. It’s been fun since I first googled “lyon blog” and finally found something written in a) English, b) an American, and c) a biased, yet passionate voice.
Posted from
United States -
Essien used to be my favorite Lyon player, and I used to wonder what would happen when he left and if I’d become a chelsea fan. It turned out that I cared for Lyon more than any single player, and still support Lyon while not caring about chelsea at all.
Posted from
United States -
I can’t lie…. I’ve only been a football fan since last year’s world cup. Of course I watched the 1998 and 2002 World Cup’s and seen some international friendlies, but I was never a “true fan” of the sport.
When I saw the World Cup last year, I was one of the stereotypical watchers of the sport that were all “yeah Brazil is the best in the world and are unbeatable” so the only matches I would watch were Brazil and Mexico matches. I was watching the Brazil vs. Japan match and the game was tied 1-1, then I witnessed Juninho’s goal. As a casual football fan, I was blown AWAY by it completely, because it looked so flawless. After the match I of course Wikipedia’d the hell out of him, then looked on Youtube for videos and the “free kick god” was officially my hero. I was also converted into a diehard fan of football. I watched OL games throughout the last year (CL and Ligue) and after that I fell in love with the whole team and club. If Juninho leaves in a few years or whatever, I’m still going to remain a fan of the club.
And yes, it IS hard being a fan here in the U.S. because the fans of the sport here don’t really know Lyon’s existence, and the fact that eBay is low on Lyon merch doesn’t help either (and shelling out 60-80 bucks on a Juninho jersey doesn’t help my money situation in college either).
Juninho and Lyon were pretty much responsible for my love of club football. I watch the EPL, La Lige, Serie A, etc like a madman as well, but I like so many teams from each league that I just watch the league as a whole with a few picks for the title, but my true “support” goes to Lyon.
I also think that I might be the only one that thinks that Lyon has a good shot of winning their CL group…Posted from
United States -
I’m french and i live in LYon. I am in this blog cause i improve my English (who is very bad :p) and I love Lyon
Few years ago…….
In primary school, a teacher knew some player of lyon ( it is old : Edmilson, Laigle, Sonny Anderson,Delmotte, Dhorasso..)And my class is go to a match….Against Nante. I was very little :p
Recently, i was back cause my brother love the football and he give me the “virus” ^^
Posted from
United States -
For these years Lyon changed coaches but still won the trophy,sold nice players in nice price,but never weakend
their ability. Juninho’s getting older but still the best
freekicktaker in the world,and some average players did
very well.The others cant do this brcuz thousand reasons, Lyon won
6 in a row just out of virtuous circle, they sell players at good price, then buy cheaper one (highly rated potetial)to replace and did well. Oceans apart,day after day, Lyon is always stronger than anybody.That’s the way I Like Lyon, especially their owner Aulas,He is the key to these glory stories.
Posted from
Taiwan -
Hi! I am a Macedonian living in Lyon since 5 years.
First, great blog Inara, love your stuff.
My story starts, yes you guessed it, 5 years ago when I was struck by the fact that everyone in Lyon was talking about other “big” clubs instead of the local French champion. I am a sports fan in general but I started getting more curious about OL and immediately went to see a game at Gerland. Yes, you guessed it again, loved it and have been an “abonné” since. Today the OL’s image has completely changed localy in France and, as this blog testifies, internationaly. Why do I love this team? I don’t know, they are not the best in Europe but not bad either. I think it is more because I followed their rise to fame and experienced every piece of joy and pain that came with it. Today, the few of your stories I read each brought tears to my eyes. ALLEZ l’OL…Posted from
France -
Hi,I am also a Lyon fan italian-french living in Prague and I am a Lyon fan since 1976 when I went for the first time to see Lyon-Lens 4-1 with Tigana playing in Lyon
)If you’re fan of Lyon living in Czech rep dont hesitate to post a message and we can exchange addresses.Posted from
Czech Republic -
I’m not a Lyon fan, but if Inara keeps posting these beautiful pictures of her, I promise to think about it….
Posted from
United States -
For me, everything began in 1989. I was 9. Before, i had been playing football in a team for more than 2 year, but I was not a fan yet. I attended Lyon-Ales, the day OL officially came back in Division 1 (previous name of L1). Since then, I supported OL against the tide (I remember incredible losses aginst Pont Saint Esprit, Istres…in the Frech Cup, against Trabzonspor in the UEFA Cup or Maribor in CL). I played several times against OL…and never won. I guess that playing against OL, losing and being bound to accknowledge the incredible difference, in terms of technical skills and team organization, between them and my team had also an important impact on my admiration for OL.
Today, i still love OL. Forever. As Eric “The King” Cantona would say: I don’t know why, but I love you”.
…And I am sick and tired of these French people stuck in the past, who can’t bear OL achievements. We should offer them tickets for Gerland. Then ,they would change their mind. Definitely.Posted from
Netherlands
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