A date, May 26, a star on the jersey and a sentence like a motto, “Forever the first!”: 30 years ago, the coronation of Marseille in the Champions League laid down three founding elements of a mythology that unites the whole city.
That evening in Munich, beating AC Milan (1-0), OM gave birth to another Marseille trilogy after that of Marcel Pagnol (Marius, Fanny, César) and before that of Jean-Claude Izzo (Total Cheops, Chourmo, Solea).
Its three components, the date, the star and the motto, are omnipresent in Marseille, in graffiti on its walls, in the lyrics of supporters’ songs and those of rappers Soprano or Alonzo and even in figurines, with a recent creation, Bernard Tapie brandishing the Cup next to a supporter carrying a sign “Never the first!”
“Marseille is 2,600 years of history. There is therefore a very strong local identity which largely preceded football. But the history of OM is undeniably linked to that of the city and that is a mistake. not to recognize this close link”, explains to AFP Médéric Gasquet-Cyrus, linguist and lecturer at the University of Aix-Marseille.
“The coronation of 1993 unites many people, those who lived through it and those who were not born, those present and those absent. It belongs to everyone, it is a personal and collective story”, adds the one who was in the stands in Munich on that famous May 26.
Eternal superiority
Also present in Munich, but on the lawn, former OM players Jocelyn Angloma and Jean-Philippe Durand know exactly the weight of this trophy in the lives of Marseille supporters, because they are reminded of it almost every day. .
“Everyone talks to us about it constantly. It was a very strong emotion for a lot of people. Some still tell me that it’s the happiest day of their life, more than the birth of their children”, says Durand. .
“It’s the N.1 match for fans, from generation to generation. Even those who haven’t seen it, it’s in their culture, confirms Angloma. People will never be able to forget. OM are different because there’s that extra thing. It’s in the history of the club and the city.”
The coronation of 1993 above all placed OM and Marseille in a very enviable position, that of the first: “Forever the first, it is indisputable, even if Paris wins 10. Which will not happen”, smiles Médéric Gasquet-Cyrus. This gives Marseille an eternal superiority. We will always be winners in the game of chambering.”
“It’s OM”
More seriously, the Marseille researcher also sees in the victory of Munich the possibility for his city to write “a common narrative”.
“It’s part of a culture, it’s an identifying element. It gives a history and a possible common destiny at a time when it is very complicated to federate. OM brings people together and makes it possible to form a group. You are part of this people who won, it’s something very powerful,” he explains.
Responsible for the South Winners, one of the main groups of OM supporters with nearly 8,000 subscribers, Rachid Zeroual also knows how much the victory against AC Milan has brought OM into another dimension.
“Obviously it made us gain popularity. Before that, we put three groups in the same bus. This popularity is thanks to the star,” he says.
While the Winners and the others are preparing “a historic celebration” for Friday, Zeroual also recalls how much the C1 coronation defines OM, even 30 years later: “Forever the first, I don’t know who came up with this sentence but I really thank him! She says it all. When you say that, you know. It’s OM.”
