Have a look at the meaning of farmers league in football
The term ‘farmers league’ has been synonymous with France’s Ligue 1 and Germany’s Bundesliga for quite some time, and it’s essential to understand its origins and significance in European football.ย
One common misconception about the term is that Ligue 1 is called the ‘Farmers’ League’ because it was supposedly founded by farmers to protect their interests. However, this is far from the truth.ย
What is the meaning of farmers league in football and why are the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 called so
The term โfarmers leagueโ is a term that refers to any professional football league that isn’t highly competitive, alluding to the fact that a farmer could play in it. The Ligue 1 in France is the league that has the term applied to the most, simply because of PSG’s dominance in the league.
Ligue 1, originally known as Division 1, was established in 1932 and included clubs like CA Paris, Nice, Marseille, Metz, Rennes, Montpellier, and Olympique Lillois. The league format and the number of participating teams changed over the years.
๐จ French football's TV presence is under threat as no one wants to pay the ยฃ693million annual fee to stream Ligue 1 and 2 games.
They have received zero bids for broadcasting rights.
When we call them the farmers league they cry(Source: Sun Sport) pic.twitter.com/o70AcMznew
— J Waweru (@MsaTopBlogger) October 19, 2023
The league has been seen as a one-horse race, particularly in the past decade. Since Qatar Sports Investments took over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2011, PSG has claimed nine out of the last eleven Ligue 1 titles, creating a perception of a lack of competition.
French clubs have struggled in European competitions. Since 2004, French teams have reached only two European finals and lost both of them.ย
Marseille lost to Atlรฉtico Madrid in the 2018 Europa League final, and PSG fell to Bayern Munich in the 2020 UEFA Champions League final. Despite the financial muscle of PSG, this lack of success in European competitions has raised doubts about the overall quality of the league.
Players like Eden Hazard, Ousmane Dembรฉlรฉ, and Eduardo Camavinga have all moved on to bigger clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, and the Premier League.ย
These departures have contributed to the perception of Ligue 1 as a breeding ground for talent that is quickly snapped up by European powerhouses.
It’s no longer a niche term but has become mainstream, as evident in recent incidents where Ligue 1’s social media celebrated Lens’ victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League by sarcastically using the term.
FARMERS LEAGUE STRIKES AGAIN ๐ซ๐ท๐ฃ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/zZfJ0CIpfi
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) October 3, 2023
Even legendary footballers like Lionel Messi faced backlash from fans during their stints in Ligue 1, with every goal or achievement met with the derogatory term ‘Farmer League.’ To shake off this label, Ligue 1 must work on improving the overall quality of the league and showcasing strong performances in European competitions.
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