Former players

A simple amateur player, Michel Le Milinaire made a name for himself as a coach. At the head of Stade Lavallois during almost 25 years, he led the club from Division 2 to the UEFA Cup. With him, the “Tangos” had their best years, even if the last ones were played back in D2. In October 1992, he was finally pushed towards the exit and briefly held a position of technical director. A few months later, Stade Rennes invited him to replace Didier Nothaux. Le Milinaire brought his science of football to the club, won promotion to D1 and stabilised the club in the first division. Having gone over the age limit, he had to quit his functions as coach of the first team in 1996, following the Unecatef’s decision to refuse giving him an exemption. He nevertheless stayed in the club as an adviser for Yves Colleu for the 1996-1997 season. Since, elected the "coach of the century” by Stade Lavallois, he went back to this club, taking over directorship of the recruitment cell.

The Brother of professional tennis player Nicolas Escudé, Julien Escudé followed the way taken by his father Paul, a former professional player of Girondins de Bordeaux. After his beginnings with the teams of Olympique Lyonnais's academy, he finished his training with AS Cannes, where he started his career in D2 during the 1998-1999 season. A year later, while Bordeaux was looking to recruit him it's finally Stade Rennais who managed to sign him. After a time of adjustement, Escudé quickly gained some time on the field with the first squad to become an essential part of Rennes’s defence. Agonisingly close to be recruited by Manchester United in 2002, he was finally transferred to Ajax Amsterdam the following years. In a career made of ups and down, Escudé won his first titles there. In January 2006 he moved to Spain to play with FC Sevilla. A good transfer for the club from Andalusia and also for the player: he made his way as a full member of the team, succeeded to be selected in the French national team, and won several titles, including two UEFA Cups.

A Moroccan International, Houssaine Anafal arrived at Stade rennais in 1974. In attack, he played alongside players such as Laurent Pokou or Philippe Redon, but his first season in Brittany ended with a relegation to D2, and only three goals scored. Moving back to the midfield in 1975-1976, he realised a much better season, and contributed widely to the immediate return to the top flight. But Anafal suffers from homesickness, and wants to return to Morocco. In October, 1976, his contract was cancelled and the player returned to the KAC Kénitra, his former club. A year and a half later, he eventually returned to Stade rennais, and realised an excellent 1979-1980 season, scoring no less than twelve goals. Unfortunately, the club failed to clinch promotion in the end of season in play-off, and Anafal would not play for the club any more despite the major role he had on that season. Indeed, his career with Rennes was shattered by a bad meniscus injury. In 1982, he returned to KAC Kénitra for the second time, but he would return to Brittany once again. Today, he is one of the educators at the Stade rennais football school.

Summer 2000. Blinded by its dreams of glory, Stade Rennes gambled over 20 million euros on a young Brazilian forward, portrayed as the new Ronaldo, and blew up its own record for recruitment. This player was Severino Lucas, who then played for Atletico Paranaense and theU21 Brazil selection. Just arrived, Lucas quickly appeared as a disappointment and had a lot of difficulties to assume his heavy price tag. He had the level of a decent Division 1 player, but certainly not the ability to be the expected future star. After having scored 11 goals in two years, he was loaned during the whole 2003-2003 season, before coming back for a short while. In October 2003, Lucas was transferred to Japan, where he got his form back and won many titles, including the Asian championship. Back to Brazil in January 2011, he retired a few months later.

Player of duty, Philippe Delaye was trained in Montpellier, where he began his career in Division 1; After seven seasons at La Pallaide, Stade Rennais recruited him in 2000. In Brittany, his career was made of ups and downs. He was effective during the first season but the second was punctuated by several injuries. A popular figure with the Rennes fans, he was finally transferred to Bastia after three and a half seasons in Rennes, after failing to convince Laszlo Bölöni to rely on him. He remained in Corsica for only six months before being released. Recruited by FC Istres in January 2005, he returned to Montpellier 6 months later. This is where Delaye ended his career in June 2010.

A striker with an angelic face but “tough” against the defences, Marco Grassi arrived at Stade Rennes in August 1994. From his first match, his love story with the red and black club started with a first goal and a victory against Bordeaux. Skilful in front of the goals, he scored 15 goals in the league for his first season and mainly contributed to the club’s success in avoiding relegation to Division 2. Handicapped by few physical problems, his second season was not as good, even though he scored 11 goals. Having caught the attention of several Division 1 clubs, he was transferred to AS Monaco. Champion of France with Monaco a year later, he didn’t reach the same performance level as during his Rennes’ period. He moved then to Sion, Cannes, Lyon and finally Nice, without any success. In 2006, he became president of FC Chiasso, his first club, before resigning in 2009.

Born in Vannes and trained at Stade Rennais, Gaël Danic started with the first squad during the 2000-2001 season. Launched by Paul Le Guen, he failed to confirm in the following year under Christian Gourcuff's management. Loaned to En Avant de Guingamp, in Ligue 2, he still didn’t manage to make his way in the first team. Therefore, Stade Rennais didn't extend his contract and let him go at the term of his contract. ItDanic would finally show his ability with Grenoble, in Ligue 2. Since then, he succeeded in breaking through in the top flight, and became one of the key players in Valenciennes.

A Midfielder born in Saint-Sulpice-la-Forêt and trained at the club, Yoann Bigné started his career with the professional squad during the 1996-1997 season. Touted the “new Didier Deschamps”, Bigné quickly made his way within the squad under Guy David's management, and then under Paul Le Guen. But the great prospect would never fully confirm his ability, and he would progressively lose playing time with increased competition on his position. After being left out during a last season with Christian Gourcuff, he was loaned to Nice in 2002-2003, who definitely recruited him at the end of the loan spell. After four years on the french riviera he joined Brest in 2006, and took part in the finisterian club's promotion to the top flight.

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.