Rise of the Underdog: Giroud-inspired Montpellier stun PSG and claim shock Ligue 1 title

Since their Qatari takeover in 2012, Paris Saint-Germain have bossed Ligue 1, consistently stamping their authority over the French top flight due to their unrivalled riches.

However, on the cusp of their domination, a club of modest means on France’s south coast pulled off a final act of defiance in 2012, as Montpellier claimed the Ligue 1 title for the first time in their history.

Despite being one of the founding members of the first division, La Paillade had never previously been crowned champions. They only narrowly avoided relegation in 2010-11, finishing 14th in the table and a mere three points clear of the drop zone.

The 2011-12 campaign would produce a plethora of talented players, with a young Eden Hazard turning heads at Lille and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang emerging to score regularly for Saint-Etienne. At Montpellier, it would be Olivier Giroud who would play the most decisive role in the team's shock title triumph.

The France international – who was quickly nicknamed ‘Le buteur de charme (The Charm Striker)’ due to his good looks and ability to find the back of the net – finished the league season with 21 goals to his name. And while PSG’s Nene matched that number, Giroud was handed the Golden Boot having scored more from open play.

It was nothing less than he deserved, too, having given Montpellier a crucial edge in attack. Along with his 21 goals, the striker also chipped in with a team-high nine assists.

Goals alone do not win titles for unfancied teams, however, and manager Rene Girard was also able to make his team rock solid at the back, with the side conceding a league-low 34 goals across 38 matches.

Having only been signed the season prior, both Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton and Cameroon left-back Henri Bedimo were key to Montpellier’s strong defensive record, with the duo joining Giroud in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season.

Youth also played its part, with the club’s focus on younger players following their return to the top flight in 2009 paying off. The likes of Remy Cabella, Benjamin Stambouli, Younes Belhanda and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa all came of age when Montpellier needed them most, with all bar Belhanda going onto complete moves to the Premier League in the years that followed.

It was far from a perfect campaign for La Paillade, however, with Girard's side losing 3-0 at home to PSG during the opening weeks before also needing to avoid defeat at Auxerre on the final day to clinch the title.

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With the Parisians breathing down their neck by coasting to victory in their final fixture, Montpellier fell behind early on at Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps, with a volatile home crowd guilty of throwing eggs, among other projectiles, onto the pitch, which saw the game halted several times.

Despite the distractions, Girard’s side held their nerve to claim a dramatic 2-1 win thanks to a double from ex-Nigeria forward John Utaka and, thus, complete a true miracle of French football.

"I'm so proud of my players, who have produced a remarkable season,” Girard said as wild celebrations kicked off in Montpellier. “We played well, scored a lot of goals, didn't concede many. We deserved to go all the way.

"I think our triumph is a real shot in the arm for French football. It just goes to show that everyone can beat everyone and that money isn't the be-all and end-all.

“We're a club of mates, a club that brings young players through and gives them a chance. At the end of the day, it's worked out well for us. We played some great football, with a well-balanced team and I'm overwhelmed."

Montpellier’s success has only aged better with time, with PSG having gone on to claim six of the subsequent seven Ligue 1 titles, with a seventh in eight all-but secured, presuming the campaign resumes following the Covid-19 shutdown.

The only title they missed out on came in 2017 as they were again defeated by the exuberance of youth, with a Kylian Mbappe-inspired Monaco walking away with the trophy.

While Montpellier have faded into the background of French football, with their sixth-placed finish in 2018-19 their best since claiming the title, PSG have well and truly stolen the show as they spend huge sums in an attempt to not only conquer Ligue 1, but Europe too.

In 2012, however, the Parisians’ significant investment, and even the recruitment of Carlo Ancelotti as manager, was simply not enough to stop Montpellier pulling off a miracle.