ASSE: entre parties FIFA et veilles silencieuses du stade

From off-mic moments with players to unseen nighttime cleanups, explore ASSE through the people who build connections or prepare the essentials—far from the spotlight.

Controllers in hand, brooms in silence: two unseen faces of ASSE

The world of a football club is never limited to results—or even to its players. At AS Saint-Étienne, there are suspended moments, far from packed stands and press conferences, where the bond between people and institution is woven differently. Behind the scenes of ASSE’s unofficial world, two opposite yet complementary realities emerge: one rooted in shared virtual play, the other in invisible but essential work.

On one side, an informal evening: journalists from AsseActu meet a few ASSE players around a screen for a FIFA match. No microphones, no instructions—just controllers, laughter, and the occasional personal challenge thrown at the game. A playful bubble where we discover differently those who must give everything on Sunday. A lighter way to connect.

On the other side, a far more discreet scene: the stadium’s cleaning staff, the ones who work at dawn or late into the night. They sweep the stands, clean the locker rooms, empty the bins—not to be seen, but so that everything is ready. For them, the match often begins long before the players arrive and ends long after the final chants fade.

Within these two worlds, without prestige or artifice, lies something precious: the truth of a club. A truth we rarely tell, yet one that holds everything together.