One of the pioneers of the professional game in France, Metz began life as Cercle Athlétique Metz in 1919, a fearsome side that cast a shadow over the amateur Lorraine League in the 1920s. Changing their name to FC Metz, the club joined the professional League in its inaugural year, 1932, but by that time they had already been illegally paying their players thanks to gate receipts from the impressive Stade Saint-Symphorien.
An early chance at success came their way in 1938, when Metz took on the mighty Olympique de Marseille in the Coupe de France final in Paris. The southern side ran out 1-0 winners, but debate rages to this day as to whether Metz defender Charles Fosset cleared the ball before it crossed the line for the winning goal.
It may have seemed unlikely at the time, but Metz had to wait another 46 years before flirting with glory. Up against hot favourites Monaco in the 1984 Coupe de France final, les Grenats shocked almost everybody by lifting the trophy thanks to Toni Kurbos's extra-time strike.
It was a thrilling moment for a region hit by depression in the steel industry, and Metz repeated their exploits against Sochaux four years later. With Robert Pires in their side, they almost sealed the Ligue 1 title in 1998, before losing out to Lens on goal difference, but relegation in 2002 soon brought them back down to earth.
