It's not quite 4K, but almost. Got it? Jean-Blaguin, comedian at your service...
All joking aside, we've put together an expanded selection of 10 football photographs (instead of 4 or 5) to celebrate the new year. We'll be presenting them to you in detail right after this. With a short description for each one and the photo in a frame, of course.
But first, a few lines to announce the upcoming release on January 29th, finally!, of our annual rugby magazine Tampon!
With an XXL menu as wide as an Olivier Merle jersey:
- Interview with Philippe Saint-André
- 48 hours with the craziest president in France
- The legend of the magnificent Narbonne fiasco
- Reunion with Neil Jenkins
- A portrait of the other best number 9 in the world: Baptiste Couilloud.
- and many other great articles...
For those who can't wait, we've put 100 copies up for pre-order in the shop , so you can receive it early to mid-next week before it hits the newsstands ! And shipping is free . Yes, free.
The photos:
His gaze fixed on the Saint-Étienne sky , his mind deep in thought, like a boxer before his fight. Louis Nicollin certainly had his share of fights, whether with his waste collection company or as president of the Montpellier HSC football club . He lived many lives, filled with joy, sadness, and disappointment. President for over 40 years, Loulou, as everyone called him, left his mark with a French league title, a League Cup, a French Cup in 1990 (the photo was taken just before the victorious semi-final in Saint-Étienne on May 24th ), as well as several appearances on the European stage. He passed away on June 29, 2017 , leaving behind a city, a club, a team, and even a country in mourning for a man who never compromised his integrity. RIP Loulou.
A team of legends, a clash of titans, a final for the history books. On June 16, 1979, the capital hosted the Coupe de France final, pitting Nantes, in their yellow and green, against the fierce Auxerre side. After a semi-final defeat against AS Angoulême, 7-3 on aggregate, the Canaries advanced steadily against AJ Auxerre, who had a more difficult journey to the final. In front of more than 45,000 spectators, the battle was fierce. Despite scoring in the first half, Nantes, led by their captain Henri Michel (on the right in the photo), were unable to overcome Guy Roux's team, and AJ Auxerre equalized in the second half. After 90 minutes, the match still wouldn't end, and finally broke the deadlock in extra time with no fewer than three goals from Nantes, by Pécout (x2) and Muller , allowing them to lift their first ever Coupe de France trophy. Three more would follow in 1999, 2000, and 2022.
Every competition has its heroes and its teams. And while in the Champions League, Modric's Real Madrid, Messi's Barcelona, and Ribéry's Bayern Munich have dominated in recent years, the European Cup (the former name of the Champions League) saw, in its heyday, in the early and mid-1960s, Cesare Maldini's AC Milan and Eusébio's Benfica Lisbon . The two teams even faced off in an epic final at Wembley Stadium in 1963. AC Milan won 2-1 , thanks to a brace from José Altafini. This victory for the Rossoneri against the two-time European champions (1961, 1962) further cemented the legend of the great Milan, while Benfica, on the verge of securing its third consecutive title, is now the most decorated club in Portugal.
Portugal again, Benfica always. This carefully framed and composed photograph, with the players in the foreground (congratulating their teammate Eduardo Salvio on his goal in the 6-0 victory against Estoril in the Liga Sagres in February 2015) and the Sport Lisboa e Benfica crest in the background , underscores that this team is more than just a red and white jersey. It's a passion, passed down from generation to generation in the Portuguese capital.
A typical early-season match ( August 2019 ), a typical Ligue 1 matchday 4 fixture, a Saturday evening at 8 pm. FC Nantes hosts Montpellier HSC . For over 50 years, ultras like the Brigade Loire (pictured), Yellow Flight, L'Esprit Canari, and the Magic Canaris have electrified the Beaujoire stadium , making this city a true temple of French football culture . They may not be in the Champions League, nor are they competing for the league title, but Messi will remember coming here. Because here, every match is a moment of honor, a communion with the yellow and green colors. A loyalty that knows no bounds, regardless of the ups and downs, relegations, or lackluster seasons. Nantes supporters have a knack for creating atmosphere, for transforming a match into a unique spectacle. The proof is in the pictures. Their players will win 1-0 that evening, and the 12th man will certainly have helped them.
Over 110 years of history separate the different generations of RC Lens supporters . This club, founded in a working-class region to entertain miners and foster a sense of community, still resonates throughout the city of Lens today. In 1906, Carlos Douterlungne and Jules Joseph Van den Weghe founded Racing Club de Lens in partnership with the Lens Mining Company, which lent them a plot of land. This city, which saw so many lives lost because of the coal mines, could then find its roots in this club, in this family. The supporters you see behind the players , their fathers were there, and their fathers before them, and for over 30 years, Pierre Bachelet's "Les Corons" has been sung in unison at halftime by the Bollaert-Delelis stadium.
A match, atmosphere, goals (2 for LOSC), fouls. Looking at this photo taken (in 2023) near a corner flag, with a slightly elevated view of the English-inspired Stade Océane , one almost wants to pause, to admire the details in the blue sky , with its wisps of cloud . The shadows of the stadium are reflected on the pitch, and a light mist hangs above the players . This photo is still, yet full of movement and atmosphere. This pause in time reminds us to savor these moments, these gigantic facilities that welcome us and open their roofs to us. A magnificent scene.
Almost as sweet as a title. A European epic. A story that will forever be etched in the memory of RC Lens and in the minds of the Arsenal fans who made the trip for Matchday 2 of the 2023/24 Champions League . After a difficult start with a mistake by Adrien Thomasson, Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring (0-1). But Lens knew the battle would continue. A few minutes later, the culprit Thomasson sent the Bollaert stadium into raptures with a delicate volley, set up by a subtle acrobatic flick from...Wahi . The match was tense, aggressive, Arsenal pressed forward, only to be thwarted by a brilliant Brice Samba. And then came the 69th minute: Elye Wahi scored the second goal, burying the Gunners under a coal mine and igniting a firestorm in Bollaert. It was October 3, 2023 , and the North remembers it well.
The anticipation of a city, a country, Europe, for the player believed to be the next Benzema . Trained at Lyon, Ryan Cherki has always been a player with great abilities, boasting impressive dribbling skills, vision, and finishing. He was expected to be the chosen one, the one who would restore balance to Ligue 1. Under pressure, facing immense expectations, criticism, and despair, he long alternated between highs and lows. But today, he has decided to give it his all, as evidenced by his excellent performances with Henry's French U21 team (a brace against Cyprus that day and a 9-0 victory in the 2025 U21 European Championship qualifiers). Captain of the French U21 team and an undisputed starter at Lyon, he is now showing that he is not the next Benzema, but simply Ryan Cherki.
Ryan again. Always Ryan . You know why? Because we noticed he was the number one "search with no results" on boutique.so. So we wanted to fill the void with not one, but two photos of Cherki . Previously, he was seen enjoying himself; here he is in a state of pure concentration . During this Olympic preparation match against Japan , the French U21 team didn't show their best form, conceding a draw (1-1) . In this picture, Cherki gives the impression that he ca n't afford to make a mistake , that he can't fail. A few months later, they proved that he and his teammates had overcome the criticism, reaching the Olympic final. A final in which they thrilled us just as much as the pros.
All these photos are limited edition.
Between 11 and 30 copies per size, and per medium (photo paper, dibond, plexi)