French Football's 3 Hilarious April Fools Pranks

On April 1, 2014, Montpellier coach Rolland Courbis called the club president and announced his resignation, only to reveal it was an April Fools joke. The prank shocked fans but Courbis stayed on and the team survived the season.

In 2021, Chamois Niortais announced French singer Patrick Bruel as sporting director, a move that seemed absurd but was part of the same tradition. The following year, US Reventin listed former coach Raymond Domenech as a manager for its third team in the district leagues, another tongue‑in‑cheek prank.