Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire (French pronunciation: [asɔsjasjɔ̃ spɔrtɪv də sɛ̃t‿etjɛn lwaʁ]; commonly known as AS Saint-Étienne, ASSE, or simply Saint-Étienne) is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city. The team is managed by Christophe Galtier and captained by Loïc Perrin, who started his career at the club in 1996.

Saint-Étienne is, arguably, the most successful club in French football history having won ten Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France titles, and five Trophée des champions. The club's ten league titles is the most professional league titles won by a French club, while the six cup victories places the club third among most Coupe de France titles. Saint-Étienne has also won the second division on three occasions. The club achieved most of its honours in the 1960s and 70s when the club was led by managers Jean Snella, Albert Batteux, and Robert Herbin. Saint-Étienne's primary rivals are Olympique Lyonnais, who are based in nearby Lyon. The two teams annually contest the Derby du Rhône. In 2009, the club added a female section to the football club.

Jimmy Briand (French pronunciation: [dʒi.mi bʁi.jɑ̃]; born 2 August 1985 in Vitry-sur-Seine) is a French association football player who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He started his career as a striker, but now he is usually deployed on the wings. Briand is a former graduate of the famous Clairefontaine academy and is formerly a France youth international. He is also a member of the senior team making his debut on 11 October 2008 against Romania. On 14 June 2010, Briand joined Lyon on a four-year contract. Prior to joining the club, he had been the longest serving player that was currently playing for Rennes having joined the club in 2001.

Briand began his career at US Ivry before joining CSF Brétigny. Following a stint there, he was selected to attend the Clairefontaine academy. Following his tenure there, Briand joined the youth academy of professional club Rennes

While in Rennes' youth system, Briand won the Coupe Gambardella in 2003. During the league season, he made his professional football debut, at the age of 17, in a match against Paris Saint-Germain coming on as a substitute playing 25 minutes. The match finished 0–0. Over the next two seasons, his play was limited only appearing in 16 league matches and scoring one goal, his first ever, against Montpellier in a 4–0 victory.

Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez (born 14 February 1987 in Salto, Uruguay) is a Uruguayan footballer of Italian descent who currently plays as a striker for Napoli in the Serie A and for the Uruguayan national team.

Edinson Cavani moved to Montevideo at the age of 12 and came through the youth system at Danubio to make his debut for the first team in 2006. He was part of the Apertura 2006 championship-winning squad, scoring nine goals in his debut season.

After his breakthrough at the 2007 South American Youth Championship, several big teams were reportedly interested in signing Cavani, including Juventus and Milan. On 29 January 2007, however, Palermo chairman Maurizio Zamparini announced the signing of the promising Uruguayan. The bid was officially confirmed on 31 January for €4.475 million.

Cavani made his debut on 11 March 2007 in a home league match against Fiorentina, coming on in the 55th minute with his team 0–1 down and scoring an impressive equaliser only 15 minutes later, a goal reminiscent of Marco van Basten's strike in the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final. In his second season with the Rosanero, Cavani found himself fighting for a first team place with Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri.