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Arrived in June 1998, Dominique Arribagé was forced to wait for a few weeks before making his debuts with Rennes. Controlled positive for nandrolone when he still played for Toulouse FC, he was suspended of all competitions for six months. Rehabilitated afterward, Arribagé would spend six seasons at Stade rennais FC. Previously, he had played for various clubs in Toulouse, before joining the TFC directly as a professional in 1992. A charismatic captain of Stade Rennais, gifted with excellent heading abilities (which would allow him to score some important goals in difficult moments for the club), he played close to 200 matches under the red and black colours. In 2004, the Stade Rennais let him return to Toulouse for free, in recognition for his time in Rennes. Arribagé returned to his favourite club, where he would continue playing for four other professional seasons. He since integrated the recruitment unit at Toulouse FC.

Born in Senegal, El-Hadji Diouf arrived in France as a teenager and soon joined the FC Sochaux Academy. A few years later, he started his career in Division 1, and was recruited only one season later by Stade Rennais. After a nice start In Brittany, Diouf had difficulties to convince. With four goals scored (but only one in D1), he became especially famous for his off-pitch life. In 2000, Stade rennais loaned him to RC Lens and convinced the Artesian club to definitively keep him. A good move for RC Lens, since Diouf asserted himself as one of the best player of D1, coming close to win the title of French champion with RC Lens. Transferred to Liverpool for a comfortable transfer fee, he then started a long career in Great Britain, but his first experience with the Reds wouldn’t prove as successful as he hoped. Since then, Diouf has collected spells with second-rate English clubs, and continues to draw the media attention with his off-pitch antics and his controversial behaviour.

Jocelyn Gourvennec was one of the iconic players of Stade Rennais during the 1990's. He began his career with Lorient and played his first game in Division 2 aged only 16 in 1988. During three years he experienced the chaotic life of a club still having a half-professional status and doing ups and downs between D2 and D3. In 1991, Stade Rennais recruited him as a trainee professional. In the same time, Gourvennec was following Sport Science studies at the university, but soon expectations from professional football caught up with him. Between 1992 and 1994 he truly broke through to become one of the most sought after youngsters in the second division. Big clubs from D1 were soon keeping tabs on him, and Gourvennec joined Nantes in 1995, a club he would play with during the following three seasons. After two shorts spells in Marseille and Montpellier, he came back to Stade Rennais in January 2000, but his second time in Rennes wouldn’t have brilliance of the previous. Not very used by Christian Gourcuff in 2001-2002, he played two more seasons in Ligue 1 with Bastia and ended his career in L2 with Angers and Clermont. At the end of his professional career he joined the FC Rezé in 2006, preparing his coaching degrees at the same time. After a first experience in La Roche-sur-Yon, he joined Guingamp in summer 2010.

A Forward during his playing career, Vahid Halilhodžić made Velež Mostar and Yugoslavia selection happy in the 1970’s. Transferred in France in 1981, he first played with Nantes, then with Paris Saint-Germain and was crowned the best goal scorer in D1 in two occasions. In 1990, Halilhodžić began his reconversion as a coach. His first great achievements were obtained in Morocco with Raja Casablanca, but he really broke through when managing Lille. He led the club from the depths of D2 to the Champions League. His charismatic personality and his dictatorial attitude with his players made him famous and gave him a distorted image, largely exploited by the media. In 2002, in opposition with the lack of ambition shown by his management, he left Lille. A few months later, Stade Rennais, who had just dismissed Philippe Bergeroo, called him. His methods turned some players against him, but Halilhodžić fulfilled the terms of his contract by maintaining the club in Ligue 1. Attracted by Paris Saint-Germain, he initially managed some great successes there, but his Parisian adventure eventually ended in failure. Dismissed in February 2005, the Bosnian worked successively in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Ivory Coast and Croatia. In June 2011, he was named as the manager of the Algerian national team.

Recruited by the Stade Rennais in June 2003 as he played at midfield, Pierre Lemonnier progressively evolved into a defender during his training. Whether it is in centre defence (his favourite position) or on the right flank of the Rennes defence, he convinced his coaches by his perseverance and hard work, even though he wasn’t originally a member of the club’s Academy. Lemonnier was awarded an intern contract in June 2011, with the ambition to make his mark in the Reserve, in CFA2.

Born in Djenné, Mali, Daouda Gérard started playing football in the club from the Rennes suburbs, the Espérance La Bouëxière. After he was spotted by the TA Rennes, his profile attracted the attention of the Stade Rennais, who saw a clear potential in the player. In June 2007, he signed his first licence with Stade Rennes before obtaining an aspirant contract, then an intern contract in June 2011. Next season, the centre back who can also play as a full-back on both flanks will try to become a permanent fixture within Laurent Huard’s reserve team.

At Stade Rennes since the age of 14, Kévin Beauverger has gone through every stage of at Rennes’ Academy. In 2010-2011, Laurent Huard offered him his first start with the reserve against Carquefou, at the left-back position. This season would be one to forget for him however, since he would spend over 6 months on the side lines with a groin injury. Satisfied with his past performances and believing in his potential ability, the club offered him a two-year intern contract in June 2011 nonetheless.

A goalkeeper of very strong built, Devis Epassy is born in the Parisian region. He was recruited by the Stade Rennais while playing for Paris FC and following the pre-Academy scheme at the INF Clairefontaine. In 2008, he joined the Stade Rennais Academy to continue improving, and signed an intern contract in Summer 2011.

A fast, technical striker with a love for dribbling, Jonathan Pitroipa comes to reinforce the attacking sector in Rennes at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season. The Burkinabé made a name for himself on the German football pitches, first in Bundesliga.2 with Freiburg, then in the Bundesliga with Hamburg SV. In constant progression since he arrived in Europe, Pitroipa will have to continue this learning curve with the Stade Rennes shirt on. Expected to put the French defences to the sword, the player will have the mission to bring a bit of his extravagance within Frédéric Antonetti’s tactics.

Marked as an up and coming Malian football player, Cheick Fantamady Diarra joined Stade Rennes in Ju;ly 2011. An attacking player scouted during the Junior African Cup of Nations a few months earlier, he will have to prove his ability with Rennes’ Reserve before maybe joining the professional squad.