Stade Brestois 29, more commonly known as Brest, has been called the "underdog" in French football lately: they finished third in Ligue 1 last year and got a ticket for this year's Champions League, their first ever European competition, where they secured qualification for the knock out phase by winning four games.
It's a big success for this Brittany team, mostly unknown outside of France (their only trophy is a Ligue 2 title in 1981, they are currently ninth on Ligue 1) that has nevertheless become a viral hit for soccer fans in the US, viewers of the American CBS show Golazo. There, the simple existence of a club named 'Brest' (named after the Western France city) has sparked a running joke in the light-hearted show, with hosts Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Kate Abdo making puns about the club.
Perhaps the most hilarious moment happened on November 26, 2024, when the crew went wild: "Who here likes Brest?" Abdo asked his male colleagues. "I like the shape of them", Carragher said. "Would you pay to watch them?", she asked. "I have", Carragher said, making the hosts erupt in laughter. "You don't have to be big, you can be small and compete", Henry added.
The video, in which former Manchester City player Micah Richards was "banned" for being unprofessional, quickly went viral in the US, and lately resurfaced on Instagram and TikTok. Just in time, because Stade Brestois decided to join in on the meme, sending the club a handwritten letter thanking them "for their close attention to Brest's performance", and gifting Richards a custom t-shirt saying 'Brest Lover'".