Who doesn't jump is not from Marseille !

OM Marseille football team

In Marseille, football is lived intensely. And the Olympique de Marseille is a religion, a passionate and tumultuous love story that the people of Marseille have been living with the club for years, from generation to generation, whether it is in the corner, in the grandstand, in the dressing room, or in front of a screen in a neighbourhood bar.

The day OM went down in history

May 26th, 1993 in Munich, it is a little after 10:10 pm, Olympique de Marseille (OM) has just won the Champions League against the great AC Milan thanks to a goal by Basile Boli. All of Marseille is overwhelmed with happiness, the city is in jubilation, thousands of Marseille residents rush to the Old port to celebrate this victory which is not only about pride but also a symbol. Olympique de Marseille becomes the first French club to win a European football cup. From this victory, a non-verbal expression so dear to the people of Marseille would follow: “A jamais les premiers” (Forever the first)!

Who would have believed on the 31st of August 1899, the date of the birth of the Olympique de Marseille by a young 23-year-old Ardennes man, that OM was going to become one of the jewels of the city of Marseille? Who could have thought that René Dufaure de Montmirail would forever belong to the history of the city? This beautiful history which has just celebrated its 120 years is in the image of Marseille. Indeed, OM has known great and glorious years but also some complicated seasons. With its 10 French championship titles (11 if you count the amateur title of 1929), 10 French cups, three League cups, three Champions trophies and the famous Champions League won in 1993, OM has the most extensive French trophy list and has left its mark on French football forever.

Today, what does Olympique de Marseille represent? Although it has had some ups and downs, OM has an incomparable aura in the city, but also in the whole of France. The famous phrase “L’OM c’est nous” (OM is us), often proclaimed by Marseille fans, shows that OM is much more than a football club. OM is a friend, a relative, a boyfriend, we love it for what it is, it can make us completely “fadas” (crazy) as well as make us extremely proud. OM plays an important role in Marseille because in addition to uniting a whole population around the same passion, it regulates the general atmosphere of the city. Just like Marseille, OM does not allow any indifference. Many foreign players who have played for the biggest clubs and who are proud to have worn the white jersey, continue to follow the journey of our favorite club.

OM has this ability to bring people together around a common interest. During matches at the Velodrome stadium called “le temple” (the temple), people forget everything and get carried away for 90 minutes by their team. It is a celebration that the people of Marseille enjoy together, a celebration during which the different groups of supporters are particularly innovative with new “tifos “* and new songs, a celebration that shows that the attachment to the club is passed on from one generation to the next.

OM is totally part of the vernacular heritage of Marseille : this beautiful love story that has lasted for 120 years is definitely one of its many treasures.

*Tifo: visual and vocal animation in the stands organized by the supporters of the team.