The French Ligue 2, established in 1933, is the second-tier professional soccer league in France. It consists of 20 teams competing for promotion to Ligue 1. Historically, Ligue 2 has been a breeding ground for talented players who later make their mark in top-flight football. Notable successful teams in Ligue 2 include RC Lens, FC Metz, and AS Nancy, who have all enjoyed spells in Ligue 1. An interesting fact is that Ligue 2 was briefly expanded to 22 teams in the 1995-1996 season before reverting back to its current format of 20 teams.