page_title: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. supporters
section_title: Fan favorites
hierarchical_section_title: Paris Saint-Germain F.C. supporters / Relationship with players / Fan favorites
caption_attribution_description: Zlatan Ibrahimovic au Trocadero devant une foule de supporters en liesse
context_page_description: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club is the most popular football club in France and one of the most widely supported teams in the world. Famous PSG fans include former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and retired NBA player Tony Parker.
  Lacking a big passionate fanbase, the club began offering cheaper season tickets to young supporters in 1976. These fans were placed in the Kop K, located in the K section of the Paris stand at Parc des Princes. Following an increase in ticket prices, Kop K supporters moved to the Boulogne stand in 1978, and the Kop of Boulogne was born. There, the club's first Italian-style ultra group, Boulogne Boys, was founded in 1985. Other KoB groups, however, took British hooligans as dubious role models and violence rapidly escalated. PSG supporters' groups have been linked to football hooliganism ever since.
  PSG owners Canal+ responded in 1991 by encouraging and financing non-violent fans of the KoB stand to take place in the Auteuil stand at the other end of Parc des Princes. The Virage Auteuil was born, alongside Supras Auteuil, its most notorious ultras. At first the measure worked but, slowly, a violent rivalry arose between the two stands.
context_section_description: Paris Saint-Germain supporters have seen many great players who have lastingly marked the club's history. Most of them have become fan favorites, including Jean Djorkaeff, Jean-Pierre Dogliani, François M'Pelé and Carlos Bianchi in the 1970s; Mustapha Dahleb, Safet Sušić, Jean-Marc Pilorget, Dominique Bathenay, Dominique Rocheteau and Joël Bats in the 1980s; Bernard Lama, Marco Simone, Daniel Bravo, David Ginola, Valdo, Vincent Guérin, Antoine Kombouaré, Bruno N'Gotty, Paul Le Guen, George Weah and Raí in the 1990s; Ronaldinho, Juan Pablo Sorín, Jay-Jay Okocha, Mikel Arteta, Jérôme Rothen, Mamadou Sakho, Sylvain Armand, Pauleta and Claude Makélélé in the 2000s; or, more recently, Nenê, Blaise Matuidi, Javier Pastore, Marquinhos, Marco Verratti, Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Edinson Cavani in the 2010s.
  Historic goals have also been a decisive factor in becoming an idol for the fans. Antoine Kombouaré was nicknamed "Gold Helmet" after his last-gasp header against Real Madrid (4–1) in the French capital sent PSG through to the UEFA Cup semifinals in 1993. Three years later, Bruno N'Gotty netted a long-range free kick in the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Rapid Wien (1–0) which gave PSG their only European title to date. Last but not least, Amara Diané saved the club from relegation to Ligue 2 on the final match of the 2007–08 season by scoring both goals in their 2–1 win at Sochaux.
  A few players are revered by supporters for their achievements on the field and as part of the club's staff. A big PSG fan, Luis Fernández came through the youth ranks, became team captain and was part of the squad that won the club's first major trophies in the 1980s. He then returned as coach during PSG's golden era in the 1990s, leading them to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996. Considered as one of the club's greatest defenders, Ricardo was a successful PSG coach as well, clinching the French Cup and League Cup double in 1998. Leonardo, for his part, only played one season in Paris but it was enough for supporters to remember him. He made his comeback in 2011 as sporting director during the Qatari era, signing the next generation of fan favorites.
  PSG presidents have experienced the love or the wrath of the stands as well. Daniel Hechter was the first to realize this when the capital club reached the top-flight under his guidance. He also designed PSG's historic home jersey, now known as the "Hechter shirt." With Francis Borelli the club won two consecutive French Cups in 1982 and 1983. After he passed away in 2007, the presidential stand at Parc des Princes was renamed in his honor. Michel Denisot is another much-loved president in the club. He signed Luis Fernández as coach and PSG won eight titles during his tenure. In contrast, Robin Leproux is probably the most hated president in the club's history, since he was the one who banned supporters' groups from all PSG matches in 2010. The ultras returned in 2016 with the blessing of current PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, thus winning their affection, with chants and banners made in his honor.
caption: Zlatan Ibrahimović greeting PSG fans with the Eiffel Tower in the background in 2012.
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