It has long had a fierce reputation because of Nantes, the eight-time French champions, and Rennes, whose academy has produced French players like Eduardo Camavinga and Ousmane Dembele.
However, Stade Brestois 29 accomplished something incredible last season: Champions League qualification, after previously being overshadowed by their more powerful neighbors.
Brest has battled back from the financial wasteland over the last 33 years.
Similar to what Bordeaux is going through right now, Brest had to play in the amateur levels for a while before going bankrupt due to overspending.
Brest really served in such capacities from 1991 to 2004 before returning to the professional ranks.
Brest managed to survive on a meager budget and with facilities that were barely functional after being promoted to Ligue 1 in 2019.
Brest has been dubbed “the end of the world in a football city” by one local journalist, while another called their stadium “from the Middle Ages” (a new one is currently under construction).
People are stated to take pride in their “character, humility, and hard work,” and it was these attributes that brought the club back to life during its darkest period.
A lot of people thought they would lose last season after five years of suffering. Rather, they came in third.
