Michel Le Milinaire

A simple amateur player, Michel Le Milinaire made a name for himself as a coach. At the head of Stade Lavallois during almost 25 years, he led the club from Division 2 to the UEFA Cup. With him, the “Tangos” had their best years, even if the last ones were played back in D2. In October 1992, he was finally pushed towards the exit and briefly held a position of technical director. A few months later, Stade Rennes invited him to replace Didier Nothaux. Le Milinaire brought his science of (…)

Julien Escudé

The Brother of professional tennis player Nicolas Escudé, Julien Escudé followed the way taken by his father Paul, a former professional player of Girondins de Bordeaux. After his beginnings with the teams of Olympique Lyonnais's academy, he finished his training with AS Cannes, where he started his career in D2 during the 1998-1999 season. A year later, while Bordeaux was looking to recruit him it's finally Stade Rennais who managed to sign him. After a time of adjustement, Escudé quickly (…)

Houssaine Anafal

A Moroccan International, Houssaine Anafal arrived at Stade rennais in 1974. In attack, he played alongside players such as Laurent Pokou or Philippe Redon, but his first season in Brittany ended with a relegation to D2, and only three goals scored. Moving back to the midfield in 1975-1976, he realised a much better season, and contributed widely to the immediate return to the top flight. But Anafal suffers from homesickness, and wants to return to Morocco. In October, 1976, his contract (…)

Severino Lucas

Summer 2000. Blinded by its dreams of glory, Stade Rennes gambled over 20 million euros on a young Brazilian forward, portrayed as the new Ronaldo, and blew up its own record for recruitment. This player was Severino Lucas, who then played for Atletico Paranaense and theU21 Brazil selection. Just arrived, Lucas quickly appeared as a disappointment and had a lot of difficulties to assume his heavy price tag. He had the level of a decent Division 1 player, but certainly not the ability to be (…)

Philippe Delaye

Player of duty, Philippe Delaye was trained in Montpellier, where he began his career in Division 1; After seven seasons at La Pallaide, Stade Rennais recruited him in 2000. In Brittany, his career was made of ups and downs. He was effective during the first season but the second was punctuated by several injuries. A popular figure with the Rennes fans, he was finally transferred to Bastia after three and a half seasons in Rennes, after failing to convince Laszlo Bölöni to rely on him. He (…)

Marco Grassi

A striker with an angelic face but “tough” against the defences, Marco Grassi arrived at Stade Rennes in August 1994. From his first match, his love story with the red and black club started with a first goal and a victory against Bordeaux. Skilful in front of the goals, he scored 15 goals in the league for his first season and mainly contributed to the club’s success in avoiding relegation to Division 2. Handicapped by few physical problems, his second season was not as good, even though (…)

Gaël Danic

Born in Vannes and trained at Stade Rennais, Gaël Danic started with the first squad during the 2000-2001 season. Launched by Paul Le Guen, he failed to confirm in the following year under Christian Gourcuff's management. Loaned to En Avant de Guingamp, in Ligue 2, he still didn’t manage to make his way in the first team. Therefore, Stade Rennais didn't extend his contract and let him go at the term of his contract. ItDanic would finally show his ability with Grenoble, in Ligue 2. Since (…)

Yoann Bigné

A Midfielder born in Saint-Sulpice-la-Forêt and trained at the club, Yoann Bigné started his career with the professional squad during the 1996-1997 season. Touted the “new Didier Deschamps”, Bigné quickly made his way within the squad under Guy David's management, and then under Paul Le Guen. But the great prospect would never fully confirm his ability, and he would progressively lose playing time with increased competition on his position. After being left out during a last season with (…)

Dominique Arribagé

Arrived in June 1998, Dominique Arribagé was forced to wait for a few weeks before making his debuts with Rennes. Controlled positive for nandrolone when he still played for Toulouse FC, he was suspended of all competitions for six months. Rehabilitated afterward, Arribagé would spend six seasons at Stade rennais FC. Previously, he had played for various clubs in Toulouse, before joining the TFC directly as a professional in 1992. A charismatic captain of Stade Rennais, gifted with (…)

El-Hadji Diouf

Born in Senegal, El-Hadji Diouf arrived in France as a teenager and soon joined the FC Sochaux Academy. A few years later, he started his career in Division 1, and was recruited only one season later by Stade Rennais. After a nice start In Brittany, Diouf had difficulties to convince. With four goals scored (but only one in D1), he became especially famous for his off-pitch life. In 2000, Stade rennais loaned him to RC Lens and convinced the Artesian club to definitively keep him. A good (…)

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