Ligue 1 is known for producing top young talent that eventually ventures out to Europe. However, now the league is making a reputation as a hub for young coaches to earn their stripes, and OGC Nice's Francesco Farioli is one of them.
In his first season with Nice, the 34-year-old tactician already has road wins over AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain on the books in the 2023-24 season. He also has his squad nipping behind the Parisians, challenging for the Ligue 1 title so far.
Nonetheless, this success shouldn't come as a surprise considering the managerial tree from which Farioli comes. Current Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi has already recruited Farioli to join his coaching staff, which he did.
He became the goalkeeper coach with Benevento in the 2017–18 season and then followed De Zerbi at Sassuolo from 2018 to 2020. Despite his young age, Farioli would soon leave his mentor's side.
Le cri de joie de Francesco Farioli 🗣️😍#OGCNTFC I @ogcnice I @france_fario pic.twitter.com/kWLe4YMzeE
— Ligue 1 Uber Eats (@Ligue1UberEats) November 27, 2023
In Turkey, the Italian began to spread his coaching wings even further. Farioli's first stint as an assistant manager was with the Turkish Super League club Alanyaspor for the 2020–21 season. Afterward, at 31, he moved to Fatih Karagümrük on March 21, 2021, working as an assistant.
Then, on December 31, 2021, he joined his former club, Alanyaspor, once again, but this time as a manager. Farioli left Turkey this past summer to become Nice's manager, and he wants to be part of this new wave of influence on the league, as he told reporters in July:
"Ligue 1 is going to progress and become more demanding over the next few seasons, with players and coaches coming from different horizons and the tools that we have available today."
France's top flight currently has Farioli and Stade de Reims boss Will Still, who are in their early 30s and elevating their squads to new heights and while a bit older, Paulo Fonseca’s attack-minded approach has turned heads at Lille. It could be a matter of time before this becomes the norm in Ligue 1.
