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Thanks to the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have become a household name in Europe. The team currently epitomizes finesse and flamboyance, making it almost impossible not to enquire about them.
Irrespective of whether you truly enjoy watching PSG or are simply migrating because of your favorite superstar, knowing about the club’s history will not hurt.
Here are the top five interesting and uncommon facts about PSG that you probably did not know:
#5 PSG took inspiration from Ajax for their home jersey
Famous designer and former club president Daniel Hechter designed PSG’s classic home kit back in 1974. Hetcher, who was supposedly enamored by Johan Cruyff’s all-conquering Ajax side, placed a large red stripe down the middle of the jersey. Combined with blue, the vertical red stripe represented Paris’ traditional colors.
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Hetcher also used white to show PSG’s connection with Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the birthplace of French king Louis XIV. PSG's training center and youth academy are currently situated in the quaint city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. PSG have used many variations of the jersey in its history, but the home kit has always sported the three colors.
Hetcher’s spell as PSG president did not end so well thanks to his corruption scheme involving ticket sales. However, the jersey he designed and the color scheme he used have gone down in history.
#5 PSG have only had one Ballon d’Or winner in history
Ligue 1 side PSG are currently one of the most well-equipped teams on the continent. They have the fearsome trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe and look destined to win their first Champions League trophy sooner rather than later.
However, before Qatar Sports Investments took hold of the club in 2011, PSG had a hard time signing the biggest names on the planet. As a matter of fact, they have had only one player who won the Ballon d’Or during his spell with PSG.
George Weah was signed from Monaco in 1992, a year after the takeover by TV giants Canal+. His charismatic personality and dazzling feet impressed fans both on and off the pitch and he quickly became a fan favorite.
Weah led the club to the Ligue 1 title in 1993-94, the Coupe de France in 1992-93, 1994-95 and the Coupe de la Ligue in 1994-95.
Weah also guided PSG to the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 1994-95, pitching in with seven goals. After finishing as the top scorer in the Champions League that season and winning two trophies with PSG, Weah was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1995.
#3 PSG went 19 years without a Ligue 1 title
PSG have bagged seven Ligue 1 titles in their last nine seasons. Only Monaco (2016-17) and last season’s champions Lille have bested them in the said period, convincingly proving the Parisians' dominance in the league.
But do not be fooled by their recent exploits, as the story used to be a lot different before Qatar Sports Investments took over.
PSG had only won two Ligue 1 titles before Nasser Al-Khelaifi became president in 2011. PSG’s last win was in 1993-94 under Artur Jorge, before Carlo Ancelotti brought the trophy back to Paris in 2012-13, ending a 19-year drought.
#2 PSG refused to win the title in 1992-93
After TV giants Canal+ took over the club in 1991, they armed PSG to the teeth to fight for the Ligue 1 title. Thanks to their impressive roster and Artur Jorge’s tactics, PSG took the fight to the reigning champions Marseille.
Unfortunately, the club from the capital came up a little short in the end and were left ruing as Marseille won their fifth consecutive title.
Surprisingly, Marseille were found guilty of match-fixing at the end of the season and saw their Ligue 1 title stripped of by the French Football Federation. PSG, who came second in Ligue 1 in the 1992-93 campaign, were offered the chance to be crowned instead.
Despite not winning the title in seven years, PSG refused the honor, as Canal+ did not want to risk angering their subscribers in Marseille.
PSG also refused to take Marseille’s place in the Champions League next season. Third-placed Monaco ultimately stepped in to represent France in Europe for the 1993-94 season.
#1 Real Madrid contributed to PSG’s formation in 1970
Currently, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are two fierce European rivals. However, about 50 years back, Los Blancos contributed heavily to the formation of the club from the French capital.
Surprisingly, France’s capital city Paris did not have a high-profile football club until 1970. So, in the summer of 1970, Guy Crescent and Pierre-Etienne Guyot decided to merge their newly-formed club Paris FC with Henri Patrelle’s Stade Saint-Germain.
The trio created Paris Saint-Germain but were having trouble expanding their operations due to limited funding.
Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu was excited by the idea of the new club and offered financial advice to Crescent, Guyot, and Patrelle. He advised them to start a crowdfunding campaign to ensure the feasibility of the project and that is exactly what they did.
Over 20000 people contributed to the project and Paris Saint-Germain was officially formed on August 12th, 1970.
