Metz

Football Club de Metz, commonly referred to as FC Metz or simply Metz (French pronunciation: [mɛs] (listen)), is a French association football club based in Metz, Lorraine. The club was formed in 1932 and plays in Ligue 1, the top division in the French football league system. Metz plays its home matches at Stade Saint-Symphorien located within the city. The team is currently managed by Frederic Antonetti. In their 88-year history, Metz have spent 61 seasons in Ligue 1 and 17 seasons in Ligue 2. Despite never winning the top flight, they have won the Coupe de France twice and the Coupe de la Ligue twice.

History

FC Metz was founded in 1932 by the amalgamation of two amateur athletic clubs, and shortly thereafter became a professional team; it is one of the oldest professional football teams in France. Its roots trace back further, to the SpVgg Metz club, formed in 1905 when the city of Metz was part of the German Empire. SpVgg played in the tier-one Westkreis-Liga for a season in 1913–14, before the outbreak of the First World War stopped all play. Some players of this club were part of the Cercle Athletique Messin in 1919, which went on to become FC Metz in 1932. Messin was a leading club in the Division d'Honneur – Lorraine, taking out league titles in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929 and 1931.

The club played in the French second division north from 1933, winning the league in 1935 and earning promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time. The team became a mid-table side in the first division until the outbreak of the war interfered with play once more. FCM did not take part in the top-tier regional competitions in 1939–40.

During World War II, the Moselle departement being annexed by Germany, the club had to play under the Germanised name of FV Metz in the Gauliga Westmark. In the three completed seasons of this league from 1941 to 1944, the club finished runners-up each year.

Despite the city of Metz being ret

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