Lille were founded as a result of a merger betweenOlympique Lillois andSC Fives in 1944. Both clubs were founding members of theFrench Division 1 and Olympique Lillois were theleague's inaugural champions. The club's most successful period was the decade from 1946 to 1956, in the post-war period, when the first-team won seven major trophies, including aleague/cup double in 1946, and was known asLa Machine de Guerre (French for "The War Machine"). Having won another double in2011, their fourth league title in2021 as well as their firstTrophée des Champions[I] the same year, Lille are the fourth best French club in the 21st century.
In domestic football, the club has won a total of fourleague titles, sixCoupes de France and one Trophée des Champions since its foundation. In European football, Lille have participated in theUEFA Champions League nine times, reaching the knockout phase three times, competed in theUEFA Europa League on nine occasions and got to theUEFA Conference League quarter-finals once. They also won theUEFA Intertoto Cup in2004 after finishing as runners-up in2002. Lille are also one of the few clubs, still in the first division, to have at least 15 final top-three appearances[II] in the history of the French championship.[1]
NicknamedLes Dogues (French for "TheMastiffs"), Lille are known for their academy which has produced and trained notable graduates. Throughout their history, they have cultivated a reputation for scouting and developing young players. Lille is the best club in the world regarding the financial balance of transfers concerning non-academy players signed since 2015, according to theCIES Football Observatory.[2] They have along-standing rivalry with nearby sideLens, in which Lille lead in the head-to-head record and in terms of total trophies won. Chaired byOlivier Létang, they are the fifth-most followed French sports club on social media.[3]
Before theSecond World War, the city of Lille had two clubs at the top level;Olympique Lillois andSC Fives. Olympique Lillois were crowned domestic champions in1932–33, the first in the history of the championship that was created in 1932, and were runners-up in1935–36.[4] They also earned aUSFSA Football Championship title in1914, the French football top division before the creation of the French Division 1, and went to theCoupe de France final in1939. Their neighbours, SC Fives, ranked second in1933–34.[5] They also went to the Coupe de France final, being defeated byGirondins AS Port in1941.[6] Weakened by the war, the two clubs decided to merge in the autumn of 1944, on 23 September, giving birth to Stade Lillois, renamed Lille Olympique Sporting Club a few weeks later.[7] On 25 November 1944, the club is officially registered under its new name.
For its first season, the newborn club reached the1945 Coupe de France final, with a squad composed of the best players of both merging teams, who are mostly natives of theNord department.[7] Next season, Lille won thedouble, beatingRed Star in the1946 Coupe de France Final and finishing at the first place ofFrench Division 1 ahead ofSaint-Étienne andRoubaix-Tourcoing. In 1947, Lille finished in the fourth place but came back to the Coupe de Francefinal and retained the trophy, defeatingStrasbourg. The club won the cup again in1948 beating main rivalsLens, its third in a row, and were runners-up of the league the same year, behindMarseille that became the champions after a strong1947–48 season finishing. They were also runners-up in1948–49,1949–50 and1950–51.[7] On 24 June 1951, an exhausted Lille reached theLatin Cup final and lost againstGre-No-Li'sAC Milan after having played 250 minutes in the span of two days.[8]
On 31 May 1953, they got back to winning and earned their fourth Coupe de France trophy in a 2–1final win againstFC Nancy, before 60,000 spectators. The club then won its second domestic title in1953–54, having only conceded 22 goals within 34 games. After this season, Lille is praised for its defensive proficiency and acquired a reputation as a rock-solid defense.[7] A year later,Les Dogues earned their fifth Coupe de France in a 5–2 win againstBordeaux in thefinal.[6] This period of glory and hegemony, occurring after the war and theGerman occupation of France, has led to one of the club's nicknames:La Machine de Guerre (French for "The War Machine").[9] Within its first decade of existence, the club gathered the vast majority of its major trophies, winning two league titles and reaching the second place for four consecutive seasons. Lille, known as the best French club in the post-war period, accumulated five Coupe de France wins in seven finals, including five successive finals and winning the trophy three times in a row, one of the best performances in the history of the tournament.[10]
Decline and several spells in lower levels (1955–1978)
The1955–56 season happened to be highly complicated. The club suffered from internal conflicts,Louis Henno [fr] was contested and certain players refused to play some matches. In the field, the Northmen were way too irregular and crumbly in defense, and finished in 16th place.[7] Lille were relegated for the first time in their history in 1956. This relegation is accompanied by aggravating financial consequences. Best players' departure is necessary to cover debts which are becoming substantial. Failing to rebuild a top team due to the increasingly poor financial situation, the club began a series of promotions and relegations. Promoted in1957 by beatingRennes, Lille initially ended up to an unexpected 6th place. The club then finished in eighteenth place the following season; being relegated a second time. After a few years spent in Division 2, the club became a mid-table side in the late 1960s. From 1964 to 1968, the club managed somehow to avoid relegation to the lower level. After a long drought, the worst occurred when Lille abandoned its professional status on 23 June 1969, lacking facilities and resources.[7]
A few seasons spent in amateur leagues later, Lille recreated its professional team by entering the second division in1970, finished at the top of the division at the end of the season. The club began a new series of promotions and relegations in the 1970s. During this decade, the club's accounts were largely in deficit. In order to cover debts, a support committee was founded and friendly matches were organized to raise funds.[7] Famous clubs likeMarseille orFeyenoord as well as nearby Belgian teams likeAnderlecht andStandard Liège agreed to play against Lille to help the northern team. However, these ticket revenues only temporarily improve the club's financial situation but the Lille city council was again forced to help and intervene.[11] At the lower level, Lille missed out on promotion in 1973 by one point but were crowned Division 2 champions the following year. After finishing twice in 13th place, during the1974–75 and1975–76 seasons, the club was once again relegated in 1977.[12][11]
After years of back and forth, Lille finally returned to the top tier of French football at the end of the1977–78 season. Until 1997, the club remained in the first division, becoming a perennial member of the Division 1. In the1978–79, the Mastiffs had a good run and ended at 6th place, nearly qualifying for European competitions while being promoted. The following year, in July 1980, Lille was the first French club to opt for the status of amixed economy company (SAEMS), of which the city of Lille became the majority shareholder and turned the club into a public-controlled enterprise.[13] The new financial sustainability allows the club's sporting stabilization in the elite division. LOSC then achieved some success stories in the decade, reaching the Coupe de France semi-finals in 1983 and 1985.[7]
However, presidents Jacques Amyot, Roger Deschodt and Jacques Dewailly all struggled to compete with the top teams in the country and saw Lille staying in the familiar surroundings of mid-table. In 1991, Lille then-coached by Jacques Santini finished in sixth place, just two points from the European places; this is the club's only appearance in the league table top half in the 1990s. After financial problems, Bernard Lecomte took over as president of the club in 1994 and saved it from administrative relegation the following year by negotiating with the governing bodies. During this period of austerity where the National Football League prohibited the club from recruiting, LOSC had to part ways with its star players, such asAntoine Sibierski orMiladin Bečanović, and chose to develop its youth academy. Yet another economic crisis brought the club to the brink of bankruptcy and led to relegation to the second division in 1997.[7][11]
While being in Division 2, the club was privatised and purchased in 1999 byLuc Dayan [fr] andFrancis Graille. The team then trained by Bosnian coachVahid Halilhodžić reconnected with success. Lille quickly recovered as Lille were head and shoulders over the other clubs during the1999–2000 Division 2 season, the club dominated the championship thanks to excellent defense and finished champion with sixteen points ahead of its runner-up, being promoted back to the top.[7][11]
In the 2010s, Lille knew a steady development on and off the pitch, and has established itself as one of the most important clubs in French Ligue 1. First, the inauguration of the vast and modern Domaine de Luchin training complex in 2007 brings the club to a new era, the center being one of the largest in France. Roughly at the same time, the construction of the 50,000-capacityGrand Stade Lille Métropole (renamed later Stade Pierre-Mauroy), which opened in 2012, began on 29 March 2010 and will give the club the fourth-largestfootball stadium in France. Successive strong results and a sporting progression under head coachRudi Garcia took the club back to the top of the French league. Fifty-six years after the club's last trophy,2010–11 first-team, led by home-grown playersYohan Cabaye,Mathieu Debuchy andEden Hazard, won the club's second double after finishing at the2010–11 Ligue 1 top spot and defeatingParis Saint-Germain in the2011 Coupe de France final.[14][15]
In the2011–12 and2012–13 Ligue 1 seasons, Lille confirmed its place belong top French football teams, finishing successively at the second and sixth places and qualifying for the2012–13 Champions League. In 2013, Garcia left to joinRoma, while formerMontpellier coachRené Girard was appointed as new manager.[16] Under Girard, Lille finished at the third place in2013–14, behindZlatan Ibrahimović's Paris Saint-Germain andJames Rodríguez'sMonaco. After two years in charge of the club and a deceiving eight seed at the end of the2014–15 Ligue 1 season, Girard left the club by mutual consent.
In May 2015, theIvory Coast national team head coachHervé Renard was appointed as the new manager. On 11 November 2015, Renard was terminated as manager and was replaced byFrederic Antonetti.[17][18] On 23 November 2016, a year after being appointed, Lille terminated Antonetti's contract with the club lying second last in the table.[19]
Campos and Galtier era: sustained success (2017–2021)
In early 2017, Lille appointedLuís Campos assporting director and head of recruitment. A short time afterwards, the club announced the arrival of Argentine famous managerMarcelo Bielsa. In November 2017, Bielsa was suspended by Lille following an unauthorized trip toChile with the club lying second from bottom on the table again and only managing 3 wins from the first 14 games of the season.[20] On 23 December 2017, Bielsa was terminated by Lille and replaced with former Saint-Etienne managerChristophe Galtier.[21] In a difficult2017–18 season, Lille managed to avoid relegation to Ligue 2 by defeatingToulouse 3–2 in the second last game of the campaign.[22]
Lille's following season is completely different. After the arrivals of veteransJosé Fonte andLoïc Rémy, Turkish right-backZeki Çelik and forwardsJonathan Bamba,Jonathan Ikoné andRafael Leão, the team proceeded to reel off a string of victories, losing only five games in the first part of the2018–19 Ligue 1 season. On 14 April 2019, before a record attendance of 49,712 spectators, they defeated Paris Saint-Germain in a historic and storming 5–1 home win with goals fromNicolas Pépé, Jonathan Bamba,Gabriel and team captain José Fonte.[23] At the end of the season, Lille secured the second place to qualify for the2019–20 UEFA Champions League group stage; they returned to the competition after a seven-year absence.[24] On 1 August 2019, club's season-top scorer Nicolas Pépé is sold to Premier League sideArsenal in a club-record fee of €80 million (£72 million).[25] Lille announced the recruitment ofVictor Osimhen andTiago Djaló on the same day, after the signings ofTimothy Weah,Reinildo Mandava andBenjamin André a few weeks earlier. The club then announced the arrivals ofYusuf Yazıcı andRenato Sanches to strengthen the midfield.[26] In early March 2020, the Northmen were in 4th place with 49 points after 28 rounds. However, theLigue 1 season ended abruptly as theLFP first suspended domestic leagues indefinitely following the outbreak ofCOVID-19 in France on 13 March, and then definitely cancelled French football competitions a month and a half later.[27]
In the 2020 summer transfer window, Lille chose to sign young talentsSven Botman andJonathan David as well as veteranBurak Yılmaz.[28] At the end of the2020–21 season first half, Lille had only lost two games and was well installed in the top league rankings, having defeatedDerby du Nord rivalsLens in a 4–0 home win on 18 October 2020.[29] The Mastiffs started the second part of the season with a six-game winning streak and lost only once until the end. On 3 April 2021, Lille won at Paris with a Jonathan David goal and took over sole possession of first place in the league.[30] Three weeks later, Lille came back from two goals down to beatLyon atGroupama Stadium as Burak Yılmaz scored twice including a 27-yard free kick in a breathtaking 3–2 away win.[31] Lille then defeated local rivals once again, scoring three goals at Lens and prevailing in the season with an aggregate score of 7–0.[32] On 23 May, Lille sealed the Ligue 1 title with a 2–1 victory atAngers after a dramatic Ligue 1 final round and won its fourth Ligue 1 title under the guidance of manager Christophe Galtier. At the end of the season, goalkeeperMike Maignan finished the season with 21 clean sheets, one short of the league season all-time record.[33] Competing also in the2020–21 UEFA Europa League, they defeated AC Milan at San Siro, on 5 November 2020, in a big 3–0 away win with a hat-trick from Yusuf Yazıcı, but lost toAjax inround of 32.[34]
Further stages and European maturity (2021–present)
On 29 June 2022, the club appointedPaulo Fonseca as new head coach of the first-team.[37] The2022–23 season started very well for the Northmen as they defeatedAuxerre, on 7 August, in a 4–1 home win.[38] On 9 October, they defeated close rivals Lens in a 1–0 home win.[39] Being one of the best offensive teams in the league, Fonseca's Lille is praised for its stylish, slick passing game and its attacking system. Since the beginning of the season, Lille have played in an open, offensive4–2–3–1 formation with Benjamin André,André Gomes orAngel Gomes playing ascentral midfielders behind playmakerRémy Cabella and lone striker Jonathan David. Following 4–3 home win over Monaco on 23 October, only Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain have had more possession in France in the2022–23 Ligue 1 season.[40][41]
Lille's crest has changed many times. The first crest of the newborn club was simply theescutcheon of the city of Lille dating from1235 that shows anargent-on-gulesfleur-de-lys.[42] The fleur-de-lys refers to the name and the insularity of the city. "Lille", or "Lile" and "Lysle" depending on the past forms, is phonetically close to "Lisle", an old spelling of "Lys". The lys also makes reference to thewater flag, which were rife through themarshes surrounding the city. The colours of the heraldry, argent (white) and gules (red), embody wisdom and wealth for the first one, and passion and faithfulness for the second.[43]
White and red were the colours ofOlympique Lillois while blue, traditional colour of the team shorts, refers toSC Fives and is also present in the first-ever club crest from 1946. Red remains the main colour used by the club in its imagery, on its website or its social media.
The club adopted the colours of his founding and merging parents, and the fleur-de-lys symbol that can be seen in the first badges. In 1981, themastiff appeared for the first time in the club crest and has never left it. The nickname,Les Dogues (French for "The Mastiffs"), evokes and emphasizes the team's aggressiveness and dedication, and was first used in the 1920s for Olympique Lillois players.[44][45] This nickname seems to have appeared for the first time in the now-defunct newspaperLe Télégramme du Nord (French for "The North Telegram") on 10 November 1919. Olympique Lillois started to officially use it in the club's press releases a few weeks later.[46] Other nicknames or designations are frequently used, likeLes Nordistes (French for "The Northmen") orLes Lillois (French pronunciation:[lilwa]), thedemonym corresponding to Lille.
In 1989, a new crest was unveiled which combines the fleur-de-lys and a mastiff that seems jumping out of the flower. The acronym "LOSC" is supplemented by the term "Lille Métropole" to enhance theMétropole Européenne de Lille size and importance in Western Europe. The club officials at that time wanted to entrench the club in its region, not only in the city but in a 1,000,000-inhabitants area where the club moved some facilities. This badge was marginally revised in 1997 but was replaced in 2002 with a more stylish one where the dog and the acronym are prominent. In 2012, the fleur-de-lys once again became a central element in the logo. The badge shape recalls the previous heraldry, and only the city and club name appear at the top of the logo like a crown.[47]
The latest crest, which was unveiled in 2018, uses every club symbol (the club initials, the mastiff, the fleur-de-lys and the three colours) inside aregular pentagon shape, form of theCitadel of Lille's heart.[48][49]
^Initial capacity decreasing for club football matches/international fixtures due to home and away supporter segregation, and/or broadcast commentary position layout
Born from the union of two teams, Lille OSC embraced different shirts elements and symbols of both founding clubs. The first club's home kit was white and blue. The white jersey, with a large red "V" orchevron form around the neck and red sleeve ends, is inspired by theOlympique Lillois home jersey while the "V" shape comes fromSC Fives kits as well as the blue shorts and socks. White was the jersey primary color with little shades of red.[50] The red chevron was part of each jersey until 1964 when it disappeared to give place to an immaculate white jersey that only kept red collar and sleeve ends.[51] This jersey version, white with only few red shades around collar and sleeves, remains substantially the same for decades.
In the 1990s, the different kit manufacturers successively added different red shapes around shoulders like a redcheck pattern, a largeReebok logo that lines the top of the shirt or a plain red pattern enabling the presence of a white chevron with red borders. The1992-93 season marked the quick return of the red chevron. 1999 marked a significant moment in LOSC kits history. At the beginning of this season, the club chose to switch the principal colour of the kits. Home jerseys are now dominated by red, while away ones are white overall.[52] The club exceptionally returns to a white home kit for the2016–17 Ligue 1 season in order to celebrate theleague andcup double 70-year anniversary.[53]
Third kits are traditionally used for European games. Being initially blue in the early 2000s, third kits then used and incorporatedflag of Flanders colours: black and yellow.[54] Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the club released more than a dozen black or yellow third kits.[55]
Lille have known manysporting goods manufacturers in its history. From its creation until the 1970s, Lille didn't have a proper kit supplier.[56] The first club's kit manufacturer wasLe Coq Sportif which made Lille's first branded jerseys until 1975. In the 1980s, the club's supplier wasPuma, one of the famous Lille's kit maker. Puma's sponsorship lasted for nine years, and the German brand shirts remain engraved in people's memories. After this period, many suppliers have come and gone includingLotto andAdidas for brief contracts.Reebok received the contract in 1996, stayed three seasons, beforeNike started a first spell in 1999.Decathlon's football brand Kipsta, which is based in Lille region,Airness andCanterbury, the rugby-specialized company, followed. In 2013,Umbro took over until Nike started a second spell in 2013 that lasted three years.[57]
Benjamin André wearing 2020–21 third kit, sponsored by Boulanger
On 22 June 2016, Lille announced a five-year partnership withNew Balance, becoming one of the biggest football teams that have signed with theBoston-based sportswear manufacturer.[58] Partnership is renewed in 2021 on a new five-season contract until June 2026.[59]
The first main sponsors of the club wereJean Caby butchery [fr] that appeared two seasons in the front of the jersey, andLille-made Pel d'Orlemonade, produced by the very famousPelforth brewery. One of the most iconic Lille sponsors is French nappy and baby products manufacturerPeaudouce [fr] that lasted more than ten years. Production factories were located inLinselles, in the Lille region and the nine red letters are now part of the identity of the club.[52][60] However, Peaudouce was acquired by Sweden consumer products companySCA which decided to end the sponsorship. Foodservice company Eurest, banksCrédit Agricole andING Direct are famous main sponsors too, that lasted at least two seasons.
Subsequently, the famous "P" of Frenchcasino andresort companyPartouche [fr] appeared on Lille's jersey in 2003 for the first time. Based in the north of France, Partouche is Lille's most loyal sponsor: the brand logo was on the club's shirt during fourteen seasons.[61] The most recent main sponsors are French consumer electronics retailerBoulanger [fr] and British online car retailerCazoo.[62]
After its foundation following the merging ofOlympique Lillois andSC Fives, Lille alternately played its home games at the stadiums of both clubs:Stade Henri-Jooris of Olympique Lillois and Stade Jules-Lemaire of SC Fives.[63] However, in 1949, the club chose to keep the first as his home ground and to use the second as atraining ground.[64] Becoming more and more obsolete, Stade Jules-Lemaire was destroyed ten years later, in 1959. Named after Henri Jooris, the iconic president of Olympique Lillois, the 15,000-seat stadium, located by theDeûle river, near theCitadel of Lille, was the home of Les Dogues until 1975 when Lille moved atStade Grimonprez-Jooris.[65][66]
Located inside the citadel park, not far from the former venue, the stadium's original capacity was 25,000 at the time it was opened, but this was reduced to around 17,000 by 2000 due to the evolution of safety standards. In 2000, the stadium was renovated and its capacity was increased to 21,000.[67] However, it still failed to meetFIFA licensing regulations and plans to build a new stadium compliant withUEFA's standards were made in 2002, when the club was privatized.[68]
In June 2003, the club's board agreed to a new proposal put forward by the city mayor to build a new 33,000-seat stadium on the site of the Stade Grimonprez-Jooris.[68] Preliminary works which included dismantling of training grounds were undertaken, and the delivery was scheduled for 31 December 2004 but was postponed. Construction work was then planned to begin in early 2005, but the project faced opposition frompreservationists who successfully prevented the project to obtain necessary permits as the site of the stadium was close to the 17th-century citadel.[69]
In May 2004, the stadium closed its doors and the delays forced Lille to play its league matches atStadium Nord Lille Métropole, a 18,000-seat stadium inVilleneuve-d'Ascq,[70] and their2005–06 UEFA Champions League games atStade de France in theParis region.[71] After two years of court battles, local courts had declared issued building permits void in July and December 2005, which meant thatGrimonprez-Jooris II would never come into existence. Grimonprez-Jooris was demolished in 2010, six years after Lille OSC's departure.[72] The club stayed at Stadium Lille Métropole until the end of the2011-12 Ligue 1 season. While LOSC was struggling with its venue problems, the administrative landscape of the Lille area changed. The new administration, now in charge of the whole area, decided to launch a new stadium project.
On 1 February 2008,Eiffage was selected during a general meeting to build a 50,000-seat capacity multi-purpose stadium with aretractable roof.[73] The stadium has also a particularity: it can become a fully functional arena of 30,000 seats that can hostbasketball,tennis orhandball games as well asconcerts.[74]Stade Pierre-Mauroy, known for sponsorship reasons as Decathlon Arena – Stade Pierre-Mauroy since 2022, was inaugurated on 17 August 2012.[75] Originally named theGrand Stade Lille Métropole, the stadium was renamed in 2013 in honor of the former Mayor of Lille and formerPrime Minister of FrancePierre Mauroy.[76] The stadium venue is located in Villeneuve-d'Ascq and has a seating capacity of 50,186 people, becoming France's fourth largest stadium.
Located inCamphin-en-Pévèle, 15 minutes away from central Lille, the Domaine de Luchin has been the club'straining ground since 2007.[85] A 43-hectare estate, it houses nine full-size pitches (including oneartificial turf pitch), one goalkeepers training field, the club headquarters, the academy facility, classrooms and bedrooms as well as a medical pole, a fitness centre, press areas and the famous "Dogue de Bronze" (French for "The Bronze Mastiff"), abronze statue of a mastiff which has been installed in 2011 and appeared in many pictures and videos of the club.[86][87][88] The main pitch is a stadium of 1,000 spectators, including 500 seats, that can host matches for the academy and women's teams.[86][89] In March 2024, Lille OSC chose to rename this pitch after club legendEden Hazard.[90] The "Terrain Eden Hazard" (French for "Eden Hazard pitch") was inaugurated by the formerBelgium captain in the company of his loved ones, ex-teammates, academy players and supporters groups.[91]
A segment of theBerlin Wall, with agraffiti of Hazard by French artistC215 painted on it, has been unveiled in 2016 and is on display inside the centre.[92][93][94][95]
TheDerby du Nord (French for "The North Derby") is contested between Lille andRC Lens. The derby name refers only to their geographical location in France; both clubs and cities only being located in the northern part of France, within theHauts-de-France region but not the samedepartment. Being the fourth-largest city of thePas-de-Calais department,Lens is located 30 kilometres south of regional prefecture and nerve centreLille,Nord department main city. The name can also refer to matches involving Lille andValenciennes as both clubs are located within Nord, however, the match historically refers to matches involving Lille and Lens. As a result, the Lille–Valenciennes match is sometimes referred to asLe Petit Derby du Nord (French for "The Little North Derby").
The two clubs first met in 1937 when Lille were playing under theOlympique Lillois emblem. Due to each club's close proximity towards each other being separated by only 30 kilometres (19 mi) and sociological differences between each club's supporters, a fierce rivalry developed. The North Derby is underpinned by social and economic differences, since the city of Lens is known as a working-class and industrial mining city whereas Lille as a middle-class, modern, internationally oriented cultural metropolis.[96] This social class opposition is no longer relevant: both fanbases now come from lower and middle classes.[97]
As of 2024, the teams have played more than 115 matches in all competitions, Lille winning 46, Lens 37, and the remaining 36 having been drawn. Lille have won the mosttop division titles, the mostCoupe de France trophies andTrophée des Champions titles. The Mastiffs have also played more games in domestic and European top competitions and have more game wins in French top division than their nearby rivals.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
The following players have previously made appearances or have appeared on the substitutes bench for the first-team.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Dorvillé, Christian (2010).Grandes figures sportives du Nord-Pas-de-Calais (in French). Villeneuve-d'Ascq: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion.ISBN978-2-7574-0152-1.
^"SC Fives + OL".ZoomSurLille.fr (in French). 6 August 2014.Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved19 September 2022.
^abcdefghijHurseau, Paul; Verhaeghe, Jacques (1997).Olympique lillois. Sporting Club fivois. Lille O.S.C. : mémoire du football (in French). Joué-lès-Tours: Alan Sutton.ISBN2-84253-080-2.
^Cohen, Stéphane (15 February 2018).Les fous du stade (in French). Paris: Solar Éditions.ISBN9782263156502.Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved21 March 2023. [LOSC, known as The War Machine, earned its nickname at the end of the Military Administration in France and became the best French football team in subsequent years.]
^abcdHurseau, Paul; Verhaeghe, Jacques (2004).Lille Olympique Sporting Club : 1944-2004, le soixantenaire (in French). Joué-lès-Tours: Alan Sutton.ISBN9782849101124.
^Boone, Damien; Pousset, Maxime (28 February 2025)."Les « Dogues » ont 105 ans" (in French). LOSC.Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved28 February 2025.
^LOSC (9 November 2019).De Berlin à Luchin.Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved18 August 2022 – via Facebook.A piece of the wall is located at our Domaine de Luchin HQ and is decorated with the portrait of one Eden Hazard.
^Nuytens, Williams (2020).La popularité du football : sociologie des supporters à Lens et à Lille [The Populairty of Football: Sociology of Lens and Lille supporters] (in French). Arras: Artois Presses Université.ISBN978-2848324067.
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