Racing Club de Lens , also known as RC Lens, is a professional football club based in the city of Lens in northern France. Founded in 1906, the club has seen many periods of success and has a rich and varied history.
RC Lens began life as a neighborhood club, founded by a group of friends from the Lens region. The club soon started playing against other local teams and won their first title in 1920, winning the Coupe de l'Artois.
During the 1930s, RC Lens became an important club in the region, winning several league titles and attracting top players. In 1937, the club reached the final of the Coupe de France, but lost to Olympique de Marseille.
RC Lens then fell on hard times during the Second World War, but bounced back in the 1950s and 1960s, again winning several league titles and reaching the quarter-finals of the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1958.
The club went through a turbulent period in the 1970s and 1980s, with relegations and financial difficulties. However, the club bounced back in the late 1990s, under manager Daniel Leclercq, winning the Ligue 2 championship in 1998 and winning the Coupe de la Ligue in 1999.
RC Lens also enjoyed success in Europe, reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2000 and reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2002, where they lost to Feyenoord Rotterdam.
However, the club then fell on hard times, with relegations and financial difficulties. In 2021, RC Lens moved up to Ligue 1 after five years in Ligue 2, and had a successful season qualifying for the Europa League Conference.
In conclusion, RC Lens is a football club with a rich and varied history. The club has enjoyed many successes and also had difficult times, but is still supported by a loyal and passionate fan base. RC Lens is a club that will continue to play an important role in French and European football for many years to come.
