Europe's Multicultural Bellwether and it's "Crazy Club:" The Wild Ride of Olympique Marseille

The Assistant Professor of Football: Soccer, Culture, History.

An arranged marriage of a Greek and a Celt began the settlement of Massalia, today: Marseille. Europe’s bellwether of multiculturalism, 2nd city of France, one of Europe’s biggest ports, migrant destination for centuries, cauldron of socioeconomic conflict, cradle of French rap music - and home of Olympique, still France’s only Champions League winner ever. A few days after that win, the club went under in a bribery scandal and forced relegation.

A few more headlines on Olympique Marseille, or OM? Voila: Coaches change pretty much every year. A lion in the changing room. Fans light players’ cars and parts of the training facilities on fire. The world’s only football club with a rap label. Fanclubs with names like Dodgers, Yankees and Winners. Not one but two Ultra stands. And players like Didier Drogba, Didier Deschamps, Laurent Blanc, Dimitri Payet, Fabien Barthez.

There is never a boring moment with Olympique Marseille, who made it to the Europa League again this year. Our visiting professor is Ben Senouillet, chairman of OM’s official English fanclub and quite the hobby historian of his club. We first introduce the city and Olympique’s roots, then discuss the culture that surrounds the club on the terraces, stands and in the city - and finally, the crazy last 30 years since the Champions League win.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Olympique Marseille (English club website, official)
Olympique Marseille, History in English
The Guardian, Sept. 2023, "Marseille are a Managerless Mess and Their Fans Deserve Some of the Blame"
South Winners Marseille (Ultras, French)
Commando Ultras 84 (French)
highsnobiety.com, "Olympique de Marseille is Launching Its Own Rap Label"
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Artwork for The Assistant Professor of Football is by Saige Lind
Instrumental music for this podcast, including the introduction track, is by the artist Ketsa and used under a Creative Commons license through Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/