How Strasbourg Became Europe’s Youngest Elite Club | OneFootball

With a young core and charismatic manager, RC Strasbourg has gone from battling relegation to potentially qualifying for European competition in one season.

France’s Ligue 1 has long been regarded as one of the top leagues in the world for unearthing young talent. Teams across the division have consistently demonstrated a bold commitment to giving youth opportunities at the highest level. This emphasis on nurturing prospects is a key reason so many of the world’s elite players either trace their roots or spent formative years in French football.

This season has done nothing to disrupt that trend. In fact, the rise of PSG’s Désiré Doué, whose performances in the UEFA Champions League have propelled him to the brink of superstardom, stands as the defining example.

Yet he is far from the only standout.

Quietly, a club from Northeastern France has captured hearts and headlines with its charm and relatability: RC Strasbourg.

As the youngest squad in France’s top flight, Strasbourg is also one of the league’s most in-form teams. With an average age barely over 21, their position in the European qualification spots feels nothing short of extraordinary.

Quite remarkably, they boast only two outfield players over the age of 23: left-backs Eduard Sobol and Thomas Delaine. Their last starting XI had an average age of 21.3.

Despite this, they find themselves amid a nine-match unbeaten run which features seven victories, the most impressive of which was a 4-2 smashing of Olympique Lyon on March 28. Strasbourg currently sit sixth in the Ligue 1 table, even on points with fifth-place Lille and just one point back of Lyon in fourth — the crucial UCL qualification spot.

It’s not just that the squad is overflowing with youthful exuberance. The club’s vision is cohesive and tied together by manager Liam Rosenior, who at 40 years old is an extension of the club’s youth movement. He is only in his third season of management, as he is coming off a two-year stint with EFL Championship side Hull City, where he displayed his charismatic leadership ability.

One of the hallmarks of his success was the relationship he was able to cultivate with his squad and his nurturing of young talent, a massive reason for his selection by the Strasbourg decision makers.

Even though the vibes are at an all-time high, it has not all been smooth sailing for Le Racing.

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It’s been two years since they were bought out by BlueCo, a company led by Chelsea’s chief owner, Todd Boehly. While some corners of the fanbase were excited to join the multi-club setup with the West London club and global juggernaut, the majority were not so easily swayed.

Protests and demonstrations during matches have remained as fans oppose the club’s new setup, which, in their mind, positions them as a “feeder club” for the Premier League giants. Strasbourg have had to claw their way back up the French football pyramid since their financial turmoil at the start of the 2010s, which made the ascension to Ligue 1 in 2017 all the more special.

Since then, they’ve been more or less a proverbial mid-table side, with the occasional flirtatious glance at relegation. However, their new ownership group has aspirations of Europe.

Regardless of whatever off-field struggles a team may have, the singular way to appease restless sports fans has remained the same throughout history. Performances.

Should Strasbourg finish the season strong and qualify for European competition, it will be seen as a monumental success for Rosenior and his squad, and a superb turnaround after they battled the prospect of relegation for much of the 2023-24 season.

This is not the first and certainly won’t be the last time we see a side of young, promising talent make a splash in Europe. In years past, teams have put together unreal seasons both domestically and in continental play, despite their lack of experience.

Young Squads That Made a Splash

Ajax 2019

The starting XI of Ajax’s famous 4-1 UCL round of 16 victory against Real Madrid had an average age of just over 24, with starters like Noussair Mazraoui, Donny van de Beek, David Neres, and Frenkie de Jong all under 23 years old. Furthermore, their captain and leader, Matthijs de Ligt, was only 19.

Like many squads this young and promising, this Erik ten Hag-led side was slowly dismantled. Both de Light and de Jong were poached that summer, with van de Beek and Hakim Ziyech exiting the season after. By the opening game of the 2021-22 season, only three players who started that game in Madrid opened the season starting for Ajax.

Borussia Dortmund 2013

Another famous UCL side, Dortmund under Jürgen Klopp, were a sight to behold. Their leader, who was just 45 at the time, had brought a side made up of several players on the cusp of world-class status all the way to the biggest game in club football. A side consisting of a 22-year-old İlkay Gündoğan, 23-year-old Marco Reus, 24-year-old Mats Hummels, and 24-year-old Robert Lewandowski was beaten 2-1 in the final by Bayern Munich.

The core four would stick around for a few more seasons — Reus for much longer — but by 2016 Gündoğan was with Manchester City, and Hummels and Lewa were with Bayern Munich.

What’s Next For Strasbourg?

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To the dismay of fans who opposed the partnership, it’s hard to separate Strasbourg’s current status to their link with Chelsea. Five of the players who started their most recent match, a 2-2 draw with Nice, are currently on loan from Premier League clubs, two of which are from Chelsea, including midfield stalwart Andrey Santos and goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović.

As the multi-club model becomes more popular across Europe, it has given us a few examples that might provide some context for the coming transfer windows in Strasbourg. The biggest proponent in recent seasons has been the City Football Group.

Manchester City, just last season, used this model to their advantage when they signed Savinho from last season’s La Liga surprise package Girona, who are under the CFG umbrella. The signing was scrutinized by many and seen as unethical, with the seamless negotiations and rapid completion of the move making it seem preordained. Nevertheless, the move went through, with City gaining the talent, and Girona the influx of cash.

In the short term, Strasbourg may lose key players, but their partnership with Chelsea ensures they’ll gain replacements in return. While a revolving-door squad isn’t ideal for building chemistry, Rosenior — a master motivator — offers the best possible safeguard against instability.

The club’s ties to Chelsea will remain polarizing among fans. However, as the Blues’ global scouting of emerging talents intensifies, they’ll need clubs like Strasbourg to provide crucial playing time and development opportunities.

With South American prodigies Kendry Páez and Estêvão Willian set to join Chelsea this summer, it could create a logjam that would redirect promising players to Northeastern France. And as long as Rosenior remains at the helm, expect Strasbourg’s squad to stay as compelling as ever.