Alain Afflelou

Alain Afflelou was more than a businessman. He was one of France's most recognizable entrepreneurs, turning his own name and personality into the face of a hugely successful optical brand through some of the country's most memorable advertising campaigns.

A Bordeaux native by business history, Afflelou opened his first optical store in the Bordeaux area in 1972. He later became president of the Girondins, leading the club from 1990 to 1996. By the time his name appeared across the chest of the 1995/96 shirt, Afflelou was both the club's president and one of France's most recognizable business personalities.

Afflelou’s presence captures a particular era of football sponsorship, when the boundary between owner, president, entrepreneur and commercial brand could become remarkably thin.