A Veteran Clash Rooted in History: Les Bleus vs. Shanghai Scottish SC
This past Saturday at SRFC Waigaoqiao, football fans witnessed more than just a friendly between two veteran sides—it was a meeting steeped in both rivalry and shared history. Les Bleus, a team composed of Shanghai Lions French veteran players, took on the Shanghai Scottish SC in a spirited match that ended in a narrow 4–3 win for the Scots. More than just the scoreline, this event symbolized a new chapter in Shanghai’s long-standing football heritage, one that dates back more than a century.
🏟️ A Spirited Modern Fixture
In early 2012, the Scots decided to revive one of the oldest international sporting fixtures in the world: the Shanghai Skottowe-Prentice Cup, last played more than 70 years ago. First established in 1908, the cup was an annual highlight until 1941, played between expatriate national teams in Shanghai.
The April 14, 2012 match saw Shanghai English defeat Shanghai Scottish 6–3 in a dramatic re-edition of the historic encounter. Buoyed by this momentum, the Scots committed to a series of revival fixtures against other national communities, including the Welsh, Irish, and French—the latter culminating in this fixture on September 15, 2012 at Waigaoqiao.
The match featured players aged 35 and above, with both squads embracing the challenge despite the early autumn heat. Played in four quarters to allow rotation, the game struck a balance between nostalgia and competition.
Les Bleus, clad in a patchwork of jerseys due to a kit shortage, showed early cohesion despite many players not having played together in years. The team featured a blend of long-time Lions and returning veterans, with Pierre and Thierry rotating in goal. The match was tightly contested, but it was the Scots’ discipline and fitness that made the difference. A final goal in the dying minutes secured their 4–3 victory.
[ Veteran Friendly ] Les Bleus (French Legionnaires) 3-4 Shanghai Scottish SC
After the match, players gathered pitch-side to share refreshments and stories. French Pastis and baguettes met Scottish whisky and banter, in what one veteran described as “a celebration of sporting identity.”
📜 Looking Back: Shanghai Football, 1900–1920
While Saturday’s match was informal, its roots run deep. Football arrived in Shanghai in the late 19th century, primarily through the city’s foreign concessions. By 1900, several nationality-based clubs had formed: AS Française for the French, Lusitano for the Portuguese, and the Shanghai Engineers FC, largely composed of British and Scottish players.
In 1891, Scottish engineer John Prentice, then president of the Engineers club, donated a trophy to be contested by local sides—an early version of organized league football in China.
Another early pioneer of the game in Shanghai was Mr. Ernest Skottowe, who played a significant role in organizing and promoting football in the city during the late 19th century. He was instrumental in fostering the early community-based fixtures that laid the groundwork for more formal competition.
The Skottowe-Prentice Cup, also known as the Shanghai International Cup, was formalized in 1908, played between teams representing the various expatriate nationalities. Chinese teams joined in 1924/25, marking an important moment of inclusion in the sport’s development in the city.
Matches in those days were community events held on improvised pitches and followed by lively social gatherings. By the 1920s, however, political unrest and war began to erode the regularity of these fixtures. The onset of WWII halted the cup altogether after 1941.
Still, the legacy of those early pioneers endures. Figures like Skottowe and Prentice helped bring Scottish footballing tradition to Shanghai, establishing the city as an early hub for the sport in Asia. Saturday’s veterans match stands as a fitting tribute—less formal, certainly, but no less impassioned.
♻️ History Repeating, Progress Renewing
As Shanghai’s football scene continues to flourish, interest is growing in the formation of an official Veteran League, offering a platform for senior players to stay active and connected. The Les Bleus vs. Scottish SC match may well be the spark to reignite a formalized veteran competition in the city.
With deep historical ties and a thriving football culture, Shanghai remains one of the sport’s overlooked historic outposts—a place where football isn’t just remembered, but relived.
👥 French Legionnaires Squad
- Pierre J (GK)
- Thierry L. (GK)
- FL
- David H
- Matze M.
- Jeff T.
- Nicolas M.
- Jeff L.
- Mus D.
- Fred F.
- Frederic G.
- Damien C.
- Philippe G.
- Jonathan B.
- Eric A.
- Gilles A.
Cheers
FL
