Jocelyn Gourvennec

Jocelyn Gourvennec was one of the iconic players of Stade Rennais during the 1990's. He began his career with Lorient and played his first game in Division 2 aged only 16 in 1988. During three years he experienced the chaotic life of a club still having a half-professional status and doing ups and downs between D2 and D3. In 1991, Stade Rennais recruited him as a trainee professional. In the same time, Gourvennec was following Sport Science studies at the university, but soon expectations (…)

Vahid Halilhodžić

A Forward during his playing career, Vahid Halilhodžić made Velež Mostar and Yugoslavia selection happy in the 1970’s. Transferred in France in 1981, he first played with Nantes, then with Paris Saint-Germain and was crowned the best goal scorer in D1 in two occasions. In 1990, Halilhodžić began his reconversion as a coach. His first great achievements were obtained in Morocco with Raja Casablanca, but he really broke through when managing Lille. He led the club from the depths of D2 to the (…)

Paul Le Guen

Born in the Finistère, Paul Le Guen started his professional career with Brest. After several seasons there, he moved to Nantes, and then two years later to Paris Saint-Germain, where he stayed for the rest of his playing career, and where he built up nice achievements. In 1998, the midfielder retired and immediately became coach of the ambitious Stade Rennais, freshly bought by François Pinault. His first season was very good and the club qualified to the Intertoto Cup, in which Rennes (…)

Jocelyn Angloma

In November 1985, a young unknown player from Guadeloupe made a trial at Stade Rennais, recommended by the forward Mario Relmy who saw him playing for l'Étoile de Morne-à-l'Eau. After a successful trial, Jocelyn Angloma received an amateur contract, and started playing with the third team, before quickly joining the reserve team... then the professional squad. Just over 2 months after he arrived, he made his debut with the first team, in the Coupe de France. Not qualified to play in the (…)

Sébastien Le Toux

Trained at the Stade Rennais, Sébastien Le Toux won the Gambardella Cup in 2003. Not retained by Stade Rennais a year later, he becomes professional at FC Lorient. In the Morbihan, he only plays about ten Ligue 2 matches in two years, and was eventually, once again, let go by his club. Unemployed during several months, he decided to exile to the United States and signed a contract to play in the USL (The American second division) with the Seattle Sounders. Trained as a defender, he was (…)

Jean-Claude Darcheville

Born in Guyana, Jean Claude Darcheville arrived in mainland France in 1995 to sign for Stade Rennais. After two initial seasons in which he barely played (four games in D1 in two years), he gained more play time in 1997-1998, before moving on loan to Nottingham Forrest. After the English club didn’t keep him, he joined the FC Lorient where he finally broke through. After two seasons with over ten goals scored, he blossomed in D1 and scored nineteen goals. Better, Darcheville played a (…)

Grégory Paisley

Born in Paris and trained at PSG, Grégory Paisley never really made it at the capital’s club. In January 2001, Stade Rennais recruited him to add a little more competition to the left-back position, but there too he struggled to break through. In a season and a half, he only started twenty-five games. After a season-long loan at Le Havre, the club sold him to FC Sochaux. Since then, Paisley played for a few Ligue 1 clubs. In June 2011, he joined Guingamp on a one-season contract.

Kim Källström

Arrived during the winter transfer window of the 2003-2004 season, the Swedish international soon conquered the heart of Rennes’ public with his class and by his repeated decisiveness. A real pacemaker, responsible of the attacking phases, Kim became one of the centrepieces of Laszlo Bölöni’s team. After having delighted the Rennes supporters with many goals and assists, the Swedish finally decided to join the Olympique Lyonnais in June 2006. Regularly called in Swedish national team, he (…)

Stéphane Guivarc’h

Trained in Brest Armorique, Stéphane Guivarc'h started in D1 with the Finistere club. When the club had to bid farewell to professionalism after its bankruptcy, Guivarc'h packed up and arrived close to Brest, at Guingamp. In this club, engaged in D2, he became a promising scorer. His 23 goals scored during the 1994-1995 season seduced AJ Auxerre, who enrolled him in July 1995. His adaptation to D1 was difficult and Guivarc'h only took a minor part in the cup-championship double achieved by (…)

Patrice Carteron

While he played for Saint-Brieuc, Patrice Carteron drew the attention of the Stade Rennais. By a combination of circumstances, both parts failed to agree and Carteron started his professional career with Laval, then in Division 2. Recruited two years later by Stade Rennais, he became the team’s immovable left defender. Defender with a sense of duty, he played about a hundred matches with the red and black jersey, before he was recruited by the Olympique lyonnais. He continued is progression (…)

Petr Čech

After his debut in the Czech championship aged only 17, Petr Čech was revealed during the U-23 European Championship in 2002. As the final went to penalty shoot outs, the tall goalkeeper destroyed all the French hopes to offer the victory to his country. Čech obviously received the attention of many scouts, and decided to continue his career in France, where Stade Rennais was the ideal step. Transferred for 5 million, the goalkeeper would bring in much more to Stade Rennais two years later (…)

Anthony Réveillère

Playing at SCO Angers, he was noticed by Stade Rennais who would recruit him before he turned 17 and invite him to join the club’s Academy. After a year and a half with the academy squad he started in Division 1 in February 1998. This would be the beginning of a substantial professional career. Réveillère played 5 full years in the Stade Rennais colours, and became one of its key defensive elements. Eager to evolve, he was loaned to Valencia for 6 months in 2003, but failed to convince the (…)

Saliou Lassissi

Arrived very young at Stade Rennes, Saliou Lassissi is trained in Rennes’ academy before playing with A team in 1996. This young Ivorian becomes then the club’s revelation during 1996-1997 season, thanks to big performances. Unfortunately, he confirms feebly his level during 1997-1998 season and is transferred to Parma. The Italian club, which imagines him as a “new Thuram”, doesn’t trust him immediately and loans him to Sampdoria and then to Fiorentina. There, Lassissi confirms his (…)

Yoann Gourcuff

Arrived in Rennes with his father Christian, Yoann Gourcuff become quickly one of the most promising player of the rennes squad, and participate activily to the successful way during Gambardella 2003 Courted by many big european clubs he decides to stay in brittany, signing his first professional contract at only 17. After a quick integration in the professional group and with 80 games started with the first team, he chooses at 20 years old not to extend his contract to join one of the (…)

Olivier Sorlin

Loyal between the loyals, Olivier Sorlin stayed during eight years in the Rennes team, playing over 200 games under the black & red colours. He is a versatile midfielder and able to play with both foots, the native of Saint-Etienne has the ability to handle the strong and weak periods of his team with a very good conversation of the ball and a quality of pass just as good. Left off by Guy Lacombe in the begining of season 2008-2009 he is loaned in january 2009 to PAOK Salonique then (…)

Jimmy Nirlo

As a physical defensive midfielder, Jimmy Nirlo signed his first professional contract with Stade Rennais. Arrived in July 2006 from his native Franche-Comte, Nirlo has progressively and seriously improved his skills with the reserve team. After winning the French championship of reserve teams with Rennes in May 2007, he signed a professional contract in 2008. After 6 months and no appearances with the first team, he is released by Stade Rennais and signed up with a Greek second-division club.

Cédric Barbosa

Regularly used during the 2003-2004 season, Cedric Barbosa suffered a serious injury during a friendly game in August 2004. After months without playing, the former Montpellier player struggled after his injury and spent most of the 2005-2006 season on the bench or with the reserve team. At the end of his contract last June, Cedric had difficulties to find a club. Finally the player aroused the interest of Troyes managers and signed a one-year deal with them.

Arthur Sorin

A 2003 Gambardella Cup winner along the likes of Gourcuff, Faty or Briand, Arthur Sorin was awarded a first one-year professional contract in 2005. Loaned to Vannes OC, then in the French 3rd division, Arthur earns playtime but fails to gain the staff’s confidence. Back from his loan, Sorin joins the Reserve and plays a few games only, while searching for a new club. In Januray 2007, he signed a two year contract for Swedish club Kalmar FF, before being recruited by Danish side Aarhus.

Djimi Traoré

Trained in Laval, Djimi Traoré was soon recruited in Liverpool by Gerard Houiller, who placed high expectations on the left back. Despite the several trophies earned in England, especially the 2005 Champions League, Traoré never really managed to find his place in the team, and had to look for new horizons, in Charlton first, then Portsmouth. Looking for a substitute to departing Erik Edman, Rennes recruited him during the 2008 winter transfer window to cover the left back position. Arrived (…)

Yoan Pivaty

Alain Rochat

Alain Rochat arrived in Brittany in June 2005. Despite promising performances with the U21 Switzerland team, of which he was the captain, the young Swiss-Canadian player started his “Rouge et Noir” career in the most catastrophic manner, notoriously blaming himself for the rout against Nancy (6-0) early that season. Afterwards, he mainly played with the Reserve Team. Failing to get into Pierre Dréossi’s tactics too, he was loaned and eventually transferred to FC Zurich, back in Swiss first (…)

Laszlo Sepsi

Loaned to Rennes during the 2005 summer, Laszlo Sepsi, a U21 Romanian international, joined his fellow national Laszlo Bölöni at the club. Mostly playing with the Reserve, despite a few appearances with the professional squad, he displayed good technical skills and a resolutely offensive spirit, but also a sometimes hazardous positioning on the pitch. After Bölöni’s departure to AS Monaco, Sepsi wasn’t kept by the club, and went back to his country to play with Gloria Bistriţa, a Romanian (…)

Jean-Joël Perrier-Doumbé

Lacking competition in Auxerre, the Cameroon international decided to look for a news challenge with the “Rouge et Noir”. Often criticized by the fans, Perrier-Doumbé struggled to offer regular high level performances. Unfortunately for him, he got injured just as his performances started to improve, and he even lost his place in the starting eleven to the benefit of another Cameroon player: Stéphane M’Bia. However, he came back well to be one of the best men in the team in 2006. At Mario (…)

Nicolas Douchez

Trained at the Le Havre Academy after a spell at Paris FC, the Paris-born goalkeeper spends four seasons in Normandy, in the shadows of Alexander Vencel, the Slovakian international, without playing a single game with the first team. _Finally loaned to Chateauroux, Douchez seizes the opportunity to accumulate games and experience in Ligue 2. Scouted by Toulouse, he then joins the “Pink City” for a first season as a substitute to Christophe Revault. On his second season, he reveals himself (…)

Patrice Luzi

Trained at the AS Monaco academy, Patrice Luzi had a rather original career. He signed for Liverpool, aged 22, having played only one League 1 game, but would not know a better fortune than with England, with one Premier League game in three years. He then tried his luck in Belgium and had two good seasons under the colours of Mouscron and Charleroi. In June 2007, he was recruited by the Stade Rennais to act as substitute to Simon Pouplin. Soon, he profited of Pouplin’s poor form and (…)

Florent Petit

Young goalkeeper from the Rennes Academy, Florent Petit signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2009. First choice keeper of the brilliant generation that won the 2008 Gambardella Cup, Florent Petit had managed not to go through the whole competition without conceding a single goal. Remaining in the shadow of Nicolas Douchez, and pushed out by the competition of Carasso and Diallo, he left the club in June 2010.

Carlos Bocanegra

United States’ Bocanegra is a polyvalent defender, capable to play as a left or centre back, arrived in Brittany to bring his experience to the Rennes squad. Born in Upland, California, he rapidly caught the public eye with his performances in Major League Soccer, from his first season with Chicago. Recruited by Fulham, he spent the following five years in thePremier League, playing over a hundred games. Released by the London club, he then decided to move to Brittany. Captain of the USA (…)

Elderson Uwa Echiejile

Recruited after a trial in August 2007, Elderson Echiejiele had already been spotted by the Rennes scouts during the Junior World Cup, a couple of months earlier. Originally a forward and having progressively evolved to become a left full back, Echiejiele kept his attacking abilities but he had to get used to the European style of playing. Therefore, he had to spend time with the reserves team before having a chance to star in Ligue 1. His first professional appearance eventually came in (…)

Petter Hansson

Continuing the recent tradition of Swedish internationals in Rennes, Petter Hansson arrived in Brittany in June 2007, at the end of his contract with Heerenveen. Powerful, dominant in the air and gifted with a strong shooting ability, he often encountered critics for his lack of speed. However, he soon became a cornerstone of the Stade Rennais, becoming the team's captain in 2008. In June 2010, at the end of his contract with Rennes, he joined Monaco and former manager Guy Lacombe.

Jérôme Leroy

A very physical and technically skilled attacking midfielder, Jérôme Leroy had a travel-rich football career. From Paris to Sochaux, calling at Guingamp, Lens or Jerusalem, he had a strong career, marked by a few gut reactions which gave him the image of a temperamental player, sometimes criticized for his instability. After having terminated his contract with Sochaux, despite having realised a very good season crowned with a Coupe de France success, Jérôme Leroy signed in Rennes for the (…)