Club

With 174 matches, Claude Puel joins the top five coaches at Le Gym

January 27 2026, 06:30 PM

In 2026, Claude Puel entered the top five coaches who have managed the most matches for OGC Nice (174, in all competitions).

By happily and successfully returning to Le Gym's bench in 2026, Claude Puel has extended his record as head coach of the flagship team of the most beautiful city in the world. He has made an even deeper mark in the club's history, now ranking fifth among the coaches who have managed OGC Nice in the most games.

With 169 matches under his belt when he left in 2016 after securing fourth place at the Roudourou, two places ahead of Frédéric Antonetti (171 matches from 2005 to 2009), Claude Puel has since overtaken the Corsican coach. On Thursday, he will lead the Rouge et Noir to Bulgaria for his 175th game. Before the trip to Razgrad, he has a total of 71 wins, 40 draws and 63 defeats in France and Europe.

August 11, 2012, Claude Puel's first of 174 matches on the Gym bench, against Ajaccio at the Ray.

Ranked fifth overall behind Pancho Gonzalez (195), Jean Serafin (214), Jean Luciano (221) and Léon Rossi (237), the current Nice coach is now even on the podium (3rd) if we only count the French top flight (155 Ligue 1 matches, ahead of Antonetti, 152, and behind Rossi, 162, and Luciano, 186). A key figure in the team's promotion in 1985 (like Gonzalez in 1965 and Rossi in 1970), Serafin coached in 104 second division matches, which is also a record.