Statue of Aurélien Rougerie "Loyalty", Statue in Clermont-Ferrand, France
The Statue d'Aurélien Rougerie "Fidélité" is a bronze sculpture on a stone base placed outside the Stade Marcel Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand. It shows the former captain of the local rugby team in a characteristic pose and weighs over 7 tons (about 6.4 metric tons).
The statue was unveiled in September, gifted by club vice-president Isidore Fartaria on the occasion of an important match against Toulon. Sculptor Yves Pires created the figure, while the shield was made by Louis Guillaume Piechaud and the stone base carved by Thierry Courtadon.
The statue is called "Fidélité", a word chosen by Rougerie himself to honor the loyalty of all players who wore the Clermont-Ferrand jersey, not just his own career. The base is meant to receive the names of other great players from the club over time.
The sculpture stands directly in front of the Stade Marcel Michelin and is clearly visible from outside, so no ticket is needed to see it. On match days, the area around the stadium fills with fans and offers a different feel than a regular visit.
Rougerie insisted that the statue not bear his name directly, seeing it as a tribute to every player who had worn the club shirt, not a personal monument. The shield that forms part of the sculpture was made by a different artist than the figure itself, making the work a collaboration between two craftsmen.
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