Lens celebrated a first Coupe de France crown with a 3-1 win over Nice, while coach Pierre Sage acknowledged growing attention from other clubs but stressed satisfaction with the current role and contract, as the Ligue 1 runners-up capped a season that also delivered their first major silverware since the league title 28 years ago.
In a landmark campaign, Lens finally lifted the domestic cup after previous final defeats in 1947-48, 1974-75 and 1997-98, with Florian Thauvin, Odsonne Edouard and Abdallah Sima scoring at the Stade de France, and the club building on last season’s second-placed league finish following an eighth-place standing before Sage arrived.
Sage confirmed interest from several sides when speaking to France Televisions after
the final, yet underlined a desire to remain at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, saying: "There is no reason for it to change. I must admit that there are a lot of contacts. But after that, I'm under contract, but I'm going to try to honour it. I'm very happy at this club. "
Reflecting on the Coupe de France success, Sage framed the trophy as a marker of progress and future intent, adding: "Winning this cup is the culmination of a magnificent year. We could have expected even more, but in any case, the good thing is that now we know we can be ambitious. "
Across spells with Lens and Lyon in the Coupe de France, Sage has taken charge of 14 matches and achieved 12 victories, with the only losses coming against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2023-24 final and Bourgoin-Jallieu in the 2024-25 round of 32, both during the period with Lyon.
Lens also delivered one of the strongest seasons in club history, winning 27 of 40 fixtures in all competitions, a 68% success rate that stands as the club’s highest in any season since the Second World War and underlining the scale of their improvement under Sage.
Having previously finished second in Ligue 1, Lens added a first Coupe de France title to a growing honours list, while Nice must now regroup quickly for the promotion-relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne after ending the league campaign in 16th place, leaving survival in the French top flight in doubt.
1 - Pierre Sage avec Lens et l'OL en Coupe de France: 12 victoires 2 dfaites (contre le PSG et Bourgoin-Jallieu) 1 trophe Patron. pic.twitter.com/7NhQZaebHEOptaJean (@OptaJean) May 22, 2026
Lens Coupe de France triumph and Florian Thauvin impact
Thauvin shaped the final with a goal and an assist and has now contributed to 16 goals in all competitions since the start of February, scoring nine and providing seven assists, a run that no French player from Europe’s top five leagues has matched in that timeframe.
The winger, left out of Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad earlier this week, described what the victory meant for Lens and the fanbase, stating: "It's historic, extraordinary. We had a remarkable season. We were keen to make history for the club. To do that, we had to win a trophy, and that's what we managed to do. The supporters came to create a fiery atmosphere. We wanted to bring the cup home at all costs. There is never an easy match. We won but Nice put us in difficulty. I will give my support to Nice. We wish them a good end to the season. I feel proud. We managed to make people proud. Everyone has put in their qualities, it's as a team that you win a trophy. "
While Lens can reflect on a campaign defined by a long-sought Coupe de France triumph, strong win rate and the rise of figures such as Sage and Thauvin, Nice now turn attention to the decisive tie with Saint-Etienne, as the season closes with contrasting emotions for the two clubs involved in the Stade de France showpiece.
