The History of Le Classique: Paris Saint-Germain versus Marseille

21.09.23 1118

Le Classique is an electrifying French derby between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille.

You must witness a match between the French rivals first-hand to truly get a sense of the hate between the clubs and their fanbases.

Le Classique has a rich history, packed with drama, passion, and goals.

The roots of Le Classique can be traced back to the 1970s when Paris Saint-Germain were founded in 1970. Marseille were already established as a top football club in France before the arrival of Paris Saint-Germain.

The regional and cultural differences between the two cities – Paris, the sophisticated and elegant capital, and Marseille, the gritty and vibrant port city – added fuel to the fire. The differences in the fans that supported both clubs were seen on the terraces.

Le Classique's first official meeting occurred on December 17, 1971, in a Ligue 1 match. Paris, still in their infancy, fell 4-2 to Marseille at the Parc des Princes.

The rivalry between the clubs reached new heights in the late 1980s and early 1990s during the reign of Marseille's controversial president, Bernard Tapie.

His club's success, including a UEFA Champions League win in 1993, further intensified the rivalry.

During the same period, Paris Saint-Germain were owned by Canal+. The owners attempted to match Marseille's success but failed for the most part.

Paris’s attempts to match Marseille added to the tension between the two clubs.

One of the most iconic Le Classique incidents took place in 1993 when Paris’s Paul Le Guen and Marseille's Basile Boli clashed on the pitch.

Boli famously headbutted Le Guen, leading to a red card and a memorable image that still defines the rivalry.

The tide shifted in the 2010s as Paris Saint-Germain emerged as the dominant force in French football thanks to their Qatari owners.

PSG's string of victories over Marseille during this period increased the intensity of the rivalry.

Neymar's record-breaking transfer to PSG in 2017 took Le Classique to a global stage. Mbappe and Lionel Messi added to the star power at Paris Saint-Germain.

They also added to the gulf in superstar talent between PSG and Marseille.

Le Classique is consistently one of the most thrilling fixtures in French football. Indeed, it is one of the best derby fixtures in the world today. In 105 previous meetings, Paris Saint-Germain won 49 games, drew 21, and lost 35 matches to OM.

Mbappe goes into the latest edition of the derby with eight goals in the rivalry. He could become the all-time leading scorer in the rivalry on Sunday, as a new chapter of Le Classique is written.