A remarkable throwback event is set to take place in less than three weeks, recreating the atmosphere of a historic match under conditions from the past.
On Sunday, May 31, at 7:30 PM local time, the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium will host a charity game between a selection of AS Saint-Etienne players and a team dubbed “The Heroes,” featuring former footballers, top-level athletes, and celebrities. The match aims to raise funds for the Téléthon, while also marking a major milestone for Les Verts—the 50th anniversary of the famous 1976 European Cup final in Glasgow, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich. That loss occurred exactly on May 12, 1976, and Tuesday’s official confirmation added an extra special touch: the goalposts will be square, just like in that iconic final.
Robin Michel, CEO of the local company Ciplibat, explained: “We were tasked with recreating the square goalposts from the Glasgow final to dress the goals at the Chaudron. It was a major challenge, both in terms of execution and symbolism. A few weeks ago, I went to the stadium to take measurements, and on Monday morning we placed a prototype on the pitch. It was validated, and we are very proud.” For younger fans or those less familiar with history, square posts were famously hit twice by Dominique Bathenay and Jacques Santini during that final. The ball didn’t bounce behind the goal line, as might have happened with rounder posts, which helped build their legendary status. The original posts were recently moved to the club museum in Forez.
The May 31 match will honor several heroes from the 1976 squad, including Dominique Rocheteau, Jean-Michel Larqué, Hervé Revelli, Oswaldo Piazza, Ivan Curkovic, Patrick Revelli, Dominique Bathenay, Gérard Janvion, and Jacques Santini. On the opposing side, former football stars like Eden Hazard, Javier Pastore, Robert Pirès, Christian Karembeu, and Jérémy Ménez, along with swimmer Florent Manaudou and comedians Artus, Paul de Saint Sernin, and Paul Mirabel, are expected to take part.
However, the square goalposts cannot be left in place immediately because AS Saint-Etienne is still fighting for promotion. The club will host either Red Star or Rodez in the Ligue 2 playoff final on Friday, followed by a potential two-legged tie against the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1.