Lens have lifted the Coupe de France for the first time, defeating Nice 3-1 at the Stade de France. Florian Thauvin scored and assisted in a standout display, with Odsonne Edouard and Abdallah Sima also on target. Claude Puel’s Nice created plenty but could not match Lens’ sharp finishing in a fast, open final.
The victory ends a long wait for silverware for Lens, who had lost Coupe de France finals in 1948, 1975 and 1998. It is also the club’s first major trophy since winning Ligue 1 in 1998, giving Pierre Sage’s side a landmark success against a Nice team that carried real attacking threat.
The match started at high speed, with Allan Saint-Maximin curling an early effort onto the roof of the net. Lens quickly replied as Elye Wahi fired over
from close range after confusion between Malang Sarr and Ismaelo Ganiou. Saint-Maximin then had another attempt cleared off the line before Lens struck first in clinical fashion.
The opener arrived in the 25th minute when Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser launched a long pass towards Matthieu Udol. The full-back advanced and pulled the ball back into space, where Thauvin arrived to sweep home. That goal rewarded Lens’ direct approach while underlining the danger of Nice leaving space behind the defence.
Thauvin extended Lens’ advantage in the 42nd minute, this time as creator from a set piece. The forward delivered a corner that found Odsonne Edouard, whose powerful header beat Maxime Dupe. Nice reacted before half-time, when Djibril Coulibaly stooped low to divert Jonathan Clauss’ cross into the net and restore belief.
Nice came out aggressively after the interval, with Wahi forcing Risser into a sharp save just 30 seconds into the second half. Antoine Mendy then rose highest to meet a cross, but the header crashed against the underside of the crossbar and bounced away, underlining how close Nice came to an equaliser.
Coupe de France final stats and Florian Thauvin impact
Lens finally settled the contest in the 78th minute, again exploiting a direct ball in behind. Sarr played long, Dante stretched to intervene and instead flicked the ball into the path of substitute Sima. The forward reached out to poke the ball beyond Dupe, securing a historic 3-1 win for Lens.
Underlying numbers show how competitive the Coupe de France final remained despite the scoreline. Nice recorded 1.4 expected goals from 17 shots, slightly ahead of Lens’ 1.22 xG from 16 attempts. The difference lay in finishing quality, with Lens taking key chances at decisive moments while Nice failed to convert pressure.
| Team | Goals | Shots | Expected goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lens | 3 | 16 | 1.22 |
| Nice | 1 | 17 | 1.4 |
16 - Florian Thauvin est impliqu dans 16 buts toutes comptitions confondues depuis le dbut du mois de fvrier (9 buts, 7 assists), aucun joueur franais ne mieux parmi ceux du Top 5 europen sur la priode. Didier? pic.twitter.com/5iW4wEcqaFOptaJean (@OptaJean) May 22, 2026
Thauvin’s display capped a strong run since the start of February, with 16 direct goal involvements across competitions, including nine goals and seven assists. In the final, Thauvin scored from one of two shots, created a team-high three chances, completed both dribbles and won four of seven duels, illustrating all-round influence.
Lens supporters now see a long-awaited trophy added to the club’s history, achieved through efficiency in both penalty areas against a dangerous Nice side. The performance combined direct tactics, disciplined defending and clinical finishing, giving the team a memorable Coupe de France final victory and a new reference point after decades without major honours.
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