The training and playing philosophy of OGC Nice is increasingly bearing fruit at the highest level.

Faithful to the club’s ideals, OGC Nice have a strong reputation for producing young talents, regardless of their age. “We don’t look at the age of a player when placing them in a youth group,” explains Nice academy director Manu Pires. “What’s important to us is their ability, their qualities. If a 16-year-old has the level to play in the Under-19s or even the reserves, we won’t hesitate for a second.”

This clear willingness to develop each individual – underlined by the growing number of young Aiglons called up for international duty – does not prevent the teams from performing as a unit. Not only did the U19s win the prestigious Coupe Gambardella in 2012, the reserves play in the fifth-tier National 3, while the U19s and U17s regularly compete in the upper reaches of the various national championships.