* PSG was created in 1970 when Paris and the club of wealthy suburb Saint-Germain merged to form a second division side. It eventually became a professional club in 1974 under the presidency of fashion designer Daniel Hechter.

* PSG established itself as a force in the top flight in the early 1980s and lifted the French Cup in 1982 for its maiden trophy. It retained the Cup the following season and won its first league crown in 1986 under Gerard Houllier.

* Aiming to make it a strong rival to dominant Olympique Marseille, television network Canal Plus, then the French league's exclusive broadcaster, bought the club in 1991.