How Paris Became The World's Football Capital

Since 1998, the French national team has been one of the most successful on the international stage, winning the World Cup and Euros, as well as making it to the finals of 2016 and 2022.

There is one city at the heart of this success: Paris. Last season, Paris Saint-Germain became the second team in the history of the Champions League to retain the trophy, and at the 2022 World Cup, a total of thirty players were born in the vicinity of France's capital (note: there were 11 Parisians in the French squad that made it to the final).

The success of this generation has come from fairly recent shifts in Parisian football culture - a notable turning point was France's first World Cup win in 1998, which took place on home ground in Paris. Over a million people streamed onto the Champs-Elysees to celebrate their victory to watch a parade of legendary players that included Zidane, Vieira, Henry and Deschamps.

"The way Parisians play football is very technical, strong and in the streets. That's how we grew up."

The World Cup victory catalysed a change in Parisian football culture, where support for local and grassroots teams grew to influence industries far beyond sporting arenas - now football seamlessly blends into the Parisian worlds of fashion, art and music. It is no longer a niche of the banlieues, but a way of life palpable across the city, from the periphery working-class neighbourhoods to the high-end designer districts of the centre. In this sense, there is nowhere football is lived so many ways at once as in Paris.

To assess Paris' claim to the title of the world's football capital, we spoke to former Manchester United player David Bellion, a Parisian who previously served as the creative director of storied Parisian community club, Red Star FC.

How would you describe Paris’ grassroots football culture?

Right now grassroots football in France, and especially in Paris, is top. The way Parisians play football is very technical, strong and in the streets. That's how we grew up. I grew up playing football on the concrete and we had no mercy for each other. I have scars everywhere.

Why do you think Paris has produced some of the world's best footballers?

You have other cultures of people that come here and when they play together, well, it creates a very nice vibe. The national team is full of [players] from old colonies that used to belong to France. Many people who came after the Second World War [bringing] a love of football, [together with] culture of music, African values, family.

This is the same in the UK. but where people came from are not football-oriented cultures. For example, in Paris you have people from Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Morocco who bought a love of football.

How important are the city's grassroots clubs to the success of PSG and the national team?

The way we [Parisians] play football, it's a culture that Paris brought to France. There's a French expression that says 'The Parisian suburbs inspire Paris, and Paris inspires the world'. Greater Paris is the inspiration for many things.

The grassroots clubs of Paris are some of the world's best. Teams from all around the world are looking at players from the city's smaller clubs because they know that there's so much talent.

For example, Kylian Mbappe came from [grassroots club] AS Bondy. It's very important for all the clubs around Paris to shape those kids before they go to Paris Saint Germain.

Of course, the difference between Paris and London is in London there are maybe eight or nine professional clubs. Until last year, we only had one team at the top, so all the kids want to play for Paris Saint Germain and they identify strongly with the club.

"Parisian suburbs inspire Paris, and Paris inspires the world."

How does Parisian football culture differ from other cities?

It's strange in France with football. We love to support when the team is winning. but French people are not like the English or Brazilians, not all fans support through thick and thin.

France is a country of revolution, of cutting the head of the king, you know. So all of a sudden, that identity comes into football, especially in Paris, whether you win or you lose. We knew that if Paris Saint Germain won or lost the champions league final, the city was going to be turned upside down. Parisian passion brings another flavour to other cities.