A few days before this Coupe de France final that all the people of Nice are waiting for, France Bleu Azur met these enthusiasts who will fill the south bend of the Stade de France on Saturday. Souvenirs and objects full luggage. Portraits.
Stéphane the collector
To talk about his passion for the Gym, Stéphane never goes empty-handed. Flags, jerseys, scarves… this supporter collects all the objects related to OGC Nice. “I have a trophy for best Aiglon of the month, I even have a reception menu that dates back to the 1950s when the Gym hosted the big clubs in the European Cup. In fact, I’ve collected everything in my life, pins, minerals… and OGC Nice came about little by little. I had the opportunity to recover a jersey, a second and then it went like that.” Stéphane will be at the Stade de France on Saturday and hopes to take advantage of this historic final to enrich his collection. “The program of the match for example, the place, everything that can… and then I hope to recover a training shirt or a sweatshirt from one of the players, that would be really great!“
– Maxime Bacquie
Anthony filial passion
In 1997 Anthony was 20 years old when he was in the stands of the Parc des Princes to watch the victory against Guingamp. 25 years later, Anthony will be at the Stade de France on Saturday with his son Vicenzo who will celebrate his… 20th birthday this year! “I am very Cartesian but I believe in destiny and I see a strong sign in it!“Baked at OGC Nice, Vicenzo didn’t really have a choice of colors!”Ah sure he only knew two stadiums in France, the Ray and the Allianz Riviera! He was mentalized very young like me, I was taken to the stadium by my grandfather. Even if he didn’t need to push me much to fall in love with this club!” The man who runs the restaurant L’Escalinada in Old Nice displays his passion on his walls, and on his skin. On his arm, a tattoo that includes all the symbols of Nice and OGC Nice. On the walls of his restaurant, posters designed by Coun. “I was born here, it’s my city, it’s my club, I’m consistent!“
– Maxime Bacquie
Jean-Marc and Lucien take out the banner
In Jean-Marc’s cellar, the banner has not aged a bit. Made 25 years ago for the 1997 Coupe de France final, it looks like new. “Ah, of course we take care of it! I clean it regularly“explains Jean-Marc, who lives in the Magnan district. Lucien’s eye shines when he sees her coming out of the cellar.”Ah yes it does something to me, look I have chills! She means so much to us.” The Nissart spirit, the passion for a club, and the camaraderie between these twenty Gym supporters who had attended the 97 final.
“We were always sitting in the same place at the Ray so we said to ourselves at the time that we wanted to stand out at the Stade de France. We see it on TV and especially the next day we managed to hang it on the bus which crossed Nice with the players!” 25 years later Jean-Marc and Lucien imagine the same scenario. “We would like to display it in front of us at the stadium to give a nod to friends who didn’t manage to get tickets. And on Sunday we hope she will accompany the players!“
Bruno the fan…zine
On posters, t-shirts, on the tram… You see them everywhere these three visuals that accompany the major communication campaign launched by OGC Nice and the city of Nice. Three visuals imagined by Coun, a graphic designer from Nice spotted by Bruno, passionate about the Gym and the whole culture of supporterism. Creator of Quoura Ven Lou Dissata a few months ago, Bruno is delighted to see the spirit of QVLD surrounding this event. “We wanted to mark the occasion for the final and it’s cool that it took on this magnitude! It’s typical of what we do in the fanzine, it’s a bit quirky, it looks like us and it looks like the stands. We are really happy to see this enthusiasm in Nice.“
– Maxime Bacquie