AS Monaco, a winning image that has captured France’s heart
AS Monaco is top of the image league © AS Monaco
The undisputed leader of the IPSOS 2024/2025 poll, AS Monaco now has the best image of any French football club, the result of a well-thought out and perfectly implemented strategy that mixes sporting excellence, community outreach and territorial influence. Let’s take a closer look.
The figures speak for themselves: 80% of French people who have an interest in football – a total of 22.5 million people – say they have a good opinion of AS Monaco, up three points on the previous season. This rocketed the Monegasque club into first place in the prestigious IPSOS ranking, with its best score since the 2017/2018 season, just after winning the French championship. A symbolic gift for the Club’s centenary!
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Thiago Scuro, the club’s Managing Director, believes this recognition is no coincidence: “We are very proud because it’s a very important matter for us. Success on the pitch is one objective, but building a good image, maintaining good relations with all our stakeholders, showing our fans and others how well organised we are…”
Integrity and consistency, presidential values
He stresses the importance of the values instilled by President Dmitry Rybolovlev in the club’s DNA: ” Representing the Principality of Monaco is a weighty responsibility, and our President constantly reminds us of that. Being respeciful at all times and demonstrating the right values is essential. We have a very young, talented team with good behaviour on the pitch. Their football shows fair play and integrity. Even in situations where we faced adversity, such as refereeing errors, we managed to behave in a very professional and respectful manner. I think we are now reaping the rewards of all of that, of our consistent behaviour.”
Ambition, driving excellence
AS Monaco stands out in four key areas of the poll in particular, being seen as the most ambitious (82%), prestigious (82%), attractive (79%) and dynamic (79%) club in Ligue 1. These aspects are reflected in practical terms in the club’s day-to-day approach.
“Our ambition shines through in different aspects,” explains Scuro. “Firstly, in our objectives: the clear ambition to be in the Champions League, to constantly represent French football, even if we are not in the Ligue’s top 3 in terms of budget. The way we play football – always offensive, very aggressive, very exciting – is also a way of showing our ambition. Every day, the way we promote our sponsors, how we put together our in-house events, our external communication… We see ourselves as a very big European club.”
The tangible benefits of a positive image
The club’s excellent reputation generates tangible benefits. Thiago Scuro says: “When you have a good image, when you convey sound values and positive messages, it’s helpful in all regards. Brands want to be associated with us. More people in our region are starting to get involved with the club. And the players are also showing more interest in Monaco.”
The Managing Director himself can testify to the influence of this image on his own career: “Monaco has a strong reputation in South America, particularly in Brazil. The ambition to be at the top of the rankings was a big part of my decision to take on this challenge. It’s a hospitable region for foreigners, including myself as a first-timer in Europe.”
An identity that is intrinsically bound to the Principality
The club’s image is inseparable from Monaco’s. “There is a strong link between different symbols such as the name of the country, the name of the club and the close involvement of Prince Albert II, attending our matches, following the team, as our number one supporter,” says the Managing Director. “The La Diagonale shirt was created by Princess Grace many years ago. Our history and heritage are firmly connected to the Principality of Monaco.”
Prince Albert II and AS Monaco President Dmitry Rybolovlev at the club’s Centenary celebrations © AS Monaco
The special responsibility of representing an entire nation rather than a city is one that all our staff fully embrace and pass on to the players.
High-impact local initiatives
To cultivate its positive image, the club has put a number of community initiatives in place. The Kids Tour is a perfect illustration of this grass roots strategy. During the 2023-2024 season, the red-and-white roadshow covered almost 2,000 km through 26 towns in France, Italy and Monaco, and involving over 3,400 children.
Professional players and young talent from the Academy take an active part in the tours. Thilo Kehrer, Christian Mawissa, Krépin Diatta, Denis Zakaria, Philipp Köhn, Vanderson, Caio Henrique, Youssouf Fofana, Folarin Balogun and Maghnes Akliouche were among those who travelled around the region with Le Kids Tour.
These events are free and open to all comers, and an opportunity to learn about the club through a variety of activities. The Munegu Cup is another outstanding example of the club’s local outreach. The event’s second edition saw several hundred children from the Principality taking part in a football tournament at the Stade Louis-II.
During the 2023-2024 season, over 3,400 children took part in the Kids Tour © AS Monaco
As Thiago Scuro points out: “We don’t have complete control over results on the pitch, but we do have absolute control over how we connect with our community and how we contribute to local development. Our team pays a great deal of attention to these projects.”
The club also runs the ÜNSEME programme (which means ‘Together’ in Monegasque), where children and teenagers who play football get the chance to get to know the professional team better, and their coaches have the chance to share a valuable experience.
The Cap-d’Ail team won the first edition of the ÜNSEME Cup @ AS Monaco/ Alain Duprat
AS Monaco is also extending its influence beyond the sporting arena. The partnership with the Princess Grace Hospital reflects this vision. In February this year, the club inaugurated a red-and-white themed reception area in the paediatric ward, with murals featuring the club mascot Bouba, designed to “play down” the hospital experience for young patients.
AS Monaco and the CHPG provide a real boost of community, comfort and hope to sick children © Communication department / Stéphane Danna
A measured national expansion strategy
As well as its local roots, AS Monaco is developing strategic partnerships on a national scale. “We announced the first two stages this week, with partner clubs that are far from Monaco. We have signed agreements with Saint-Priest and Versailles,” says Scuro. These alliances with National 2 and National clubs give us special access to two of France’s main pools of talent: the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Île-de-France regions.
These partnerships include a chance for young players from these clubs to take advantage of AS Monaco’s sports facilities and possibly join the Academy, while their instructors can visit La Diagonale, Monegasque’s training centre, which has a reputation as one of the most prestigious in Europe.
The collective stamp behind a successful image
Thiago Scuro is keen to emphasise the collective dimension of this success: “The club is improving because we have a team of 200 people and employees working in different areas who are committed to these values.” This teamwork-based philosophy perfectly sums up the strategy that has enabled AS Monaco to rise to the top of French football in terms of image: a skilful blend of sporting ambition, community involvement and a strong identity, driven collectively by all those involved in the club, from the president to the staff, and not forgetting the players. As the club’s motto suggests: “Rise. Risk. Repeat.” – a steady upward trajectory, both on and off the pitch.