The Ligue 1 Belt · reign 721

RC Lens

Took the belt from Girondins Bordeaux, 2–1, on May 4, 2000. Lost it to Olympique Lyon, 3–0, on September 9, 2000.

7Defenses

128Days

32ndReign for the club

+1Closest call · Sep 6, 2000

1.6Average winning margin

29thLongest of 1,002 reigns, by days

50thMost defenses of 1,002 reigns

How it started

Took the belt from Girondins Bordeaux, 2–1, on May 4, 2000.

How it ended

Lost it to Olympique Lyon, 3–0, on September 9, 2000.

Defended against

StrasbourgNantesEA GuingampMarseilleToulouseBordeauxAuxerre

1999–00: RC Lens finished 14–13–7, 5th of 18 by record; 2 belt games of this reign; the belt changed hands 18 times that season.
2000–01: FC Nantes had the best record (21–8–5); 7 belt games of this reign; the belt changed hands 8 times that season.

margins from RC Lens’ side

Belt game	Date	Result	Margin
1,995	May 4, 2000	RC Lens beat Girondins Bordeaux 2–1 Game →	+1	Title change
1,996	May 13, 2000	RC Lens beat RC Strasbourg 3–0	+3	Defense
1,997	Jul 29, 2000	RC Lens beat FC Nantes 2–0	+2	Defense
1,998	Aug 5, 2000	RC Lens beat EA Guingamp 3–2	+1	Defense
1,999	Aug 13, 2000	RC Lens and Olympique Marseille tied 0–0	0	Tie · defense
2,000	Aug 19, 2000	RC Lens beat Toulouse FC 2–1	+1	Defense
2,001	Aug 26, 2000	RC Lens and Girondins Bordeaux tied 1–1	0	Tie · defense
2,002	Sep 6, 2000	RC Lens beat AJ Auxerre 1–0	+1	Defense
2,003	Sep 9, 2000	Olympique Lyon beat RC Lens 3–0	−3	Title change