Editing FC Metz (section)

==History==
FC Metz was founded in 23 March 1932 by the amalgamation of two amateur athletic clubs, and shortly thereafter became a professional team; it is one of the oldest professional football teams in France. Its roots trace back further, to the ''SpVgg Metz'' club, formed in 1905 when the city of Metz was part of the [[German Empire]]. ''SpVgg'' played in the tier-one ''[[Westkreis-Liga]]'' for a season in 1913–14, before the outbreak of the First World War stopped all play. Some players of this club were part of the ''Cercle Athlétique Messin'' in 1919, which went on to become FC Metz in 1932. ''Messin'' was a leading club in the ''Division d'Honneur – Lorraine'', taking out league titles in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929 and 1931.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-lothahist.html France – Division d'Honneur – Lorraine 1919–1932] rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref>

The club played in the [[Ligue 2|French second division north]] from 1933, winning the league in 1935 and earning promotion to [[Ligue 1]] for the first time.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran2hist.html France – List of Final Tables Second Level] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414005233/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesf/fran2hist.html |date=14 April 2015 }} rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref> The team became a mid-table side in the first division until the outbreak of the war interfered with play once more. ''FCM'' did not take part in the top-tier regional competitions in 1939–40.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/franfullhist.html France – First Division Results and Tables 1932–1998] rsssf.org, accessed: 17 May 2009</ref>

During [[World War II]], due to the [[Moselle (department)|Moselle]] [[Departments of France|département]] being annexed by Germany, the club had to play under the Germanised name of ''FV Metz'' in the ''[[Gauliga Südwest/Mainhessen|Gauliga Westmark]]''. In the three completed seasons of this league from 1941 to 1944, the club finished runners-up each year.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/crossborder.html French clubs in the German football structure 1940–1944] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044629/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/crossborder.html |date=6 March 2019 }} rsssf.org, accessed: 31 May 2008</ref>

Despite the city of Metz being retaken by allied forces in autumn 1944, the club did not take part in French league football in 1944–45 but returned to Ligue 1 in 1945–46, to come 17th out of 18 clubs. An expansion of the league to 20 clubs meant, the team was not relegated and stayed at the highest level until 1950, when a last place finish ended its Ligue 1 membership. Metz was allowed to stay within Ligue 1 as a special privilege due to its catastrophic situation in the year following the war: the stadium had been damaged, almost beyond repair. The team had to start from scratch once again.

The club rebounded immediately, finishing second in Ligue 2, behind [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] and returned to the first division. FC Metz made a strong return to this league, finishing fifth in its first season back. After this, the club once more had to battle against relegation season-by-season, finishing second-last in 1958 and having to return to Ligue 2. It took three seasons in this league before it could manage to return to Ligue 1 in 1961, but lasted for only one year in the top flight. FC Metz spent the next five seasons at second division level.

FC Metz ascended to the top level of French football once more in 1967; the team remained in the highest division until they were relegated in 2001, although they bounced back immediately and returned to the Ligue 1 the following year.

After losing the first leg of their [[1984–85 European Cup Winners' Cup]] tie 4–2 to [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] at Stade Saint-Symphorien, FC Metz were widely expected to be thrashed at [[Camp Nou]]. However, a hat-trick from Yugoslav striker [[Tony Kurbos]] gave Les Grenats a shock 4–1 win in the second leg to send the French side through 6–5 on aggregate.

In 1998, the team competed in the qualifications to the [[UEFA Champions League]], but lost in the third round to Finnish team [[Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi|HJK Helsinki]]. In 2006, FC Metz were relegated from Ligue 1, finishing at the bottom of the table, despite the regular presence of an extremely promising prospect, [[Miralem Pjanić]], who would later be transferred to giants Lyon, for an astonishing fee of €7.5 million. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Metz finished 18th in Ligue 2 and were relegated to the [[Championnat National]], the third tier of French football after a 1–1 draw with [[Tours FC|Tours]] at home on 20 May 2012, in very tense circumstances. Metz spent only one season at this level, rebuilding a team with iconic former player [[Albert Cartier]] as coach, winning promotion to Ligue 2, and then immediately finishing first and winning promotion to Ligue 1. The team was relegated again to Ligue 2, but won promotion the next season. This time, Metz managed to secure a 14th place finish, ensuring another season in Ligue 1. For the [[2017–18 Ligue 1]] season, Metz endured a horrid campaign, losing eleven out of their first twelve matches. The club recovered later in the season but finished bottom of the table and were relegated back to Ligue 2.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/bordeaux-snatch-last-european-place.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011239/http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/bordeaux-snatch-last-european-place.htm |archive-date=23 May 2018 |title=Ligue1.com - Bordeaux snatch last European place}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/amiens-see-off-metz.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011213/http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/amiens-see-off-metz.htm |archive-date=23 May 2018 |title=Ligue1.com - Amiens see off Metz}}</ref>

On 26 April 2019, Metz were promoted back to Ligue 1 at the first time of asking by finishing first in Ligue 2. The promotion was confirmed with a 2–1 victory over [[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/928901/john-boyes-fc-metz-secures-promotion-to-ligue-1.html/|title=John Boye's FC Metz secures promotion to Ligue 1|website=www.modernghana.com|access-date=7 May 2019|archive-date=28 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428143837/https://www.modernghana.com/sports/928901/john-boyes-fc-metz-secures-promotion-to-ligue-1.html/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the clubs first season back in the top flight, Metz finished 15th on the table followed by an improved 10th place finish the following season. In the [[2021–22 Ligue 1]] season, Metz finished 19th and were relegated back to [[Ligue 2]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2022/metz-boss-frederic-antonetti-open-to-continuing-despite-relegation-to-ligue-2/|title=METZ BOSS FRÉDÉRIC ANTONETTI OPEN TO CONTINUING DESPITE RELEGATION TO LIGUE 2|website=www.getfootballnewsfrance.com}}</ref> The club were promoted back to [[Ligue 1]] as [[Ligue 2]] runners-up for the [[2022–23 Ligue 2|2022-23]] season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Metz Does the Job, Promotion Still Pending |url=https://www.beinsports.com/us/ligue-2/video/metz-does-the-job-promotion-still-pending/2105442 |website=BeIN SPORTS |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref>

On Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 2023, there was a dispute at a youth football tournament on the field of SV Viktoria Preußen e.V. in the Eckenheim district of [[Frankfurt am Main]] between young players from FC Metz and JFC Berlin, in which a 16-year-old [[Morocco|Moroccan]] player from FC Metz killed a 15-year-old [[Germany|German]] player from JFC Berlin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/teenage-footballer-death-berlin-metz-30125113/|title=Teenage footballer tragically dies following altercation with opponent after youth match|access-date=31 May 2023|archive-date=1 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601143401/https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/teenage-footballer-death-berlin-metz-30125113|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pfad |first=Daniela |date=2 June 2023 |title=Anwalt von Prügel-Spieler mit dem Tod bedroht |url=https://www.bild.de/regional/frankfurt/frankfurt-aktuell/paul-15-bei-turnier-getoetet-morddrohung-gegen-spieler-anwalt-84157106.bild.html |language=German |work=[[Bild]] |location=Berlin |publisher=BILD GmbH |access-date=8 March 2024 }}</ref>
On 12 June 2023, LFP Decision that FC Metz secure promotion to Ligue 1 from 2023–24 season after Bordeaux against Rodez has been suspended and return to top flight after one year absence. In the [[2023–24 Ligue 1]] season, Metz finished in the relegation/promotion playoff spot and faced off against [[AS Saint-Étienne]] from Ligue 2. Metz would lose the playoff 4-3 on aggregate and were relegated back to Ligue 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/Match-Reports/2024/06/02/saint-etienne-promoted-to-ligue-1/|title=
Saint-Étienne promoted to Ligue 1 Uber Eats|website=www.ligue1.com}}</ref>