Paris Saint-Germain F.C 2012 Away Kit
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (French pronunciation: [paʁi sɛ̃ ʒɛʁmɛ̃]), also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG (IPA: [peɛsʒe]), is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain. PSG has been playing in the Ligue 1 since 1974, the current championship record, and is one of the most prestigious outfits in French football having won two League titles, eight French Cups, three League Cups and two Champions Trophies. Paris Saint-Germain, along with Olympique de Marseille, is the only French club to have won a major European trophy, claiming the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996. Paris Saint-Germain was named IFFHS World’s Club Team of the Year in 1994 and ranked 1st in the UEFA Team Ranking in 1998. The capital club is the only French club to ever achieve these honours. Paris Saint-Germain is currently ranked 12th in the IFFHS and 38th in the UEFA Team Ranking.
The Parc des Princes, with a capacity of 48,713 seats, has been Paris Saint-Germain’s home since 1974.The Camp des Loges has been operating as a training center for the club since 1974.The Tournoi de Paris has been hosted by PSG at the Parc des Princes since 1975. PSG’s crest features a red silhouette of the Eiffel Tower with the white royal cradle of Louis XIV between its legs on a blue background with white edging.The crest inspired Daniel Hechter to design an iconic shirt which became a strong symbol of the club. It was blue with a red central vertical bar framed by white edgings.PSG’s motto is “Paris Est Magique” and the club’s official anthem is Allez Paris Saint-Germain by Les Parisiens. Since 1971, PSG Ladies has been the female section of the club.The capital club even founded a professional rugby league club in 1995, PSG Rugby League, which was dissolved in 1997.
Paris Saint-Germain enjoys a considerable amount of popularity; about 11% of the French population support the club, being the second most popular football club in France after Olympique de Marseille. PSG is the third richest club in France behind Olympique Lyonnais and Marseille.The capital club shares an intense rivalry with Olympique de Marseille and contest the most notorious football match in France, known as Le Classique.PSG’s average home gate for the 2009–10 season was 33,266, the fourth highest in the Ligue 1. The club was a founding member of the G-14 and is member of its modern replacement, the European Club Association. On 31 May 2011, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling 70% stake in the club.Colony Capital and Butler Capital Partners remained as minority shareholders with 30% and 4,2% of the stakes.
