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Lens Wins First French Cup, Beats Nice 3-1

5/23/2026

Summary

Lens Wins Cup

RC Lens beat OGC Nice 3-1 to claim the French Cup for the first time.
The goals came from Florian Thauvin (26'), Odsonne Edouard (42'), Gabrel Koulibaly (45+3') and Abdullah Sima (78').
The final was played at the Stade de France on Friday night.
Lens placed second in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain, earning a Champions League spot.
Nice finished the league in 16th place with 32 points.

Summary

Lens Ends Jinx

RC Lens captured the French Cup, ending a 28-year wait for silverware since the 1998 Ligue 1 title.
The club’s three prior French Cup final losses meant the victory ended a long-standing cup jinx.
Club officials praised the squad as one of the greatest in Lens history, while supporters flooded the Stade de France in pride.

Summary

Abdulhamid Defends

Saud Abdulhamid played for Lens in the final and received a yellow card in the 36th minute after a midfield challenge.
He delivered a disciplined defensive performance that helped Lens absorb Nice’s sustained pressure.
His appearance represents another European milestone for the Saudi international and signals the growing presence of Saudi players in French football.
The defensive work complemented goals from Thauvin, Édouard and Sima in Lens’s 3-1 victory.

History

Historical Context

Racing Club de Lens’s 2024 Coupe de France victory revives the breakthrough of the 1997-98 season, when Daniel Leclercq guided the club to its sole Ligue 1 title with 68 points, edging Metz. That lone championship ended decades of dominance by Paris Saint-Germain and set a precedent for the club’s recent resurgence.

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Lens Wins Cup

RC Lens beat OGC Nice 3-1 to claim the French Cup for the first time.
The goals came from Florian Thauvin (26'), Odsonne Edouard (42'), Gabrel Koulibaly (45+3') and Abdullah Sima (78').
The final was played at the Stade de France on Friday night.
Lens placed second in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain, earning a Champions League spot.
Nice finished the league in 16th place with 32 points.

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