French Football's Top 3 April Fools' Pranks

On April 1, Montpellier’s manager Rolland Courbis called the club president and announced his resignation, only to reveal it was a prank. The joke was met with laughter as Courbis stayed on and the team survived the season.

In other shenanigans, Chamois Niortais announced the French pop star Patrick Bruel as their sporting director, a move that left fans bemused. Meanwhile, US Reventin of Isère posted that former national coach Raymond Domenech would take charge of their third‑team squad in the district leagues, another tongue‑in‑cheek claim that sparked giggles across the football community.