Decathlon

The French chain that makes almost everything it sells, and spent two years learning to talk like a sports brand instead of a shop.

Big name·Global·Founded 1976·Members

At a glance

Founded: 1976, starting with a single store in Lille in northern France.⁸
Founded by: Michel Leclercq. One of his sons, Julien Leclercq, chairs the board after 20 years inside the business.⁴⁸
Home: Villeneuve d'Ascq, in the Nord department of France.⁸
Owned by: Private and unlisted. The Association Familiale Mulliez holds 51 per cent and the Leclercq family 49 per cent.⁸
What it sells: Its own sports clothing and equipment, sold under more than 20 brands in big-box stores it runs itself.⁸
Size: Net sales of €16.8 billion in 2025, across 1,902 stores in 82 countries, with about 103,000 staff.¹²⁸

How it got here

1976

1 of 3

Michel Leclercq opened the first Decathlon in Lille.⁸

Wikipedia: Decathlon ↗

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Sources for what is above

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