Gérard López — the Luxembourgish-Spanish businessman with a reputation in recent years for taking over football clubs, making big promises, and leaving them in financial ruin.
🧾 Quick Facts
•Full Name: Gérard López
•Born: December 27, 1971, Luxembourg
•Nationality: Luxembourgish (of Spanish descent)
Background:
•Co-founded Mangrove Capital Partners (venture capital)
•Former part-owner of Lotus F1 Team in Formula One
•Known for aggressive investment strategies in sports and tech
⚽ Football Career
1. Lille OSC (France)
Ownership: 2017–2020
Notable Achievement: Won Ligue 1 in 2021 (after he sold, but with players he signed)
Exit: Lost control to Elliott Management due to €225m+ debt
2. Royal Excel Mouscron (Belgium)
Ownership: 2020–2022
Outcome: Bankrupt and dissolved in 2022 after failing to pay wages
3. Girondins de Bordeaux (France)
Ownership: 2021–2024
Outcome: Declared bankrupt, lost professional status, and relegated to 4th tier
4. Boavista FC (Portugal)
Ownership: 2021–2025
Outcome: Relegated to 5th tier in 2025; club raided by police over suspected tax and credit fraud
💬 Reputation
Media Label: “The man who bankrupted three clubs in three countries”
Criticism: Short-term, debt-heavy operations that left clubs in worse shape than before
Defence: López claims each club suffered from legacy problems and that he tried to save them from collapse.
Every time, be it in Belgium, Portugal or France, López had presented himself as the saviour who would turn round the fortunes of the clubs he acquired; every time, he failed and now he finds himself the ruler of an empire of dust.
Now.Step by Step:
■■■Royal Excel Mouscron (Belgium)■■■
Timeline & Outcome: López acquired the club in 2020. By March 2022, Mouscron had been declared bankrupt and ceased to exist due to severe financial troubles and unpaid wages.
■■■FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France)■■■
Collapse Story: Once a proud Ligue 1 heavyweight, Bordeaux sank into deep financial distress under López’s stewardship. In 2024, the club filed for bankruptcy, lost its professional status, shut down its academy, and was relegated to France’s fourth tier (National 2).
■■■Boavista FC (Portugal)■■■
Financial Disaster: Boavista fell into a deep crisis in 2025—owed more than €7 million, couldn’t pay electricity leading to power cuts, and lost a €400,000 legal case over unpaid wages. The Portuguese federation rejected their revitalization plan due to missing documents, and the club was stripped of professional status and relegated to the fifth tier.
Raid and Investigations: In July 2025, Portuguese police carried out a raid at Boavista’s headquarters amid investigations into tax fraud, credit fraud, and money laundering, potentially involving €10 million in illicit transactions—though López was not charged personally.
Every time, be it in Belgium, Portugal or France, López had presented himself as the saviour who would turn round the fortunes of the clubs he acquired; every time, he failed and now he finds himself the ruler of an empire of dust.
