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5 Greatest French Football Players Of All Time

France is regarded as one of the most dominating nations in recent times. They won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reached the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. However, it is not just recently that France has started producing such exceptional talent. Les Bleus has produced many generational players through the years. This list features some of the best French players of all time.

Who Are The Greatest French Football Players Of All Time?

5. Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe – 2018 World Cup

19 years old. pic.twitter.com/JxVAKL7uF0

— Kylian Mbappe is the GOAT (@Tezzathekchen) February 8, 2024

Kylian Mbappe is just 25 years old and is already regarded as one of the best French footballers of all time. The French star has spent most of his career playing for Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain. He has already won the Ligue 1 title six times, once with AS Monaco and five times with PSG. The striker has already become the fourth-highest top scorer for France. He has scored 44 goals for France since making his debut and will surely overtake Olivier Giroud to become the top scorer in the coming years.

The PSG striker has also won the most prestigious trophy in football. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France. The then 19-year-old scored four goals in the World Cup, including a goal in the final. The French star almost won back-to-back World Cups with his nation. France managed to reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup final as well. They faced Argentina in the final. However, it was not enough for France despite Kylian Mbappe putting on one of the best performances in a World Cup Final and scoring a hat trick to force the game into penalties. France lost to Argentina on penalties.

Given his age, the 25-year-old’s achievements with both club and country are ridiculous. He is undoubtedly among the top five French players of all time and can go even further in the list as his career progresses.

4. Patrick Vieira

Credit: Sky Sports

Patrick Vieira is regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time. The French midfielder played for Premier League club Arsenal for most of his career. Vieira represented France from 1997 to 2009. During this stint, he managed to win the 1998 FIFA World Cup with his nation. He was a key player on that French team. The midfield was Vieira’s domain. He was always in control in this area and looked extremely comfortable with or without the ball.

Vieira has won seven league titles at the club level. He has four Serie A titles and three Premier League titles under his belt. All his Premier League titles came with Arsenal. The Frenchman, however, controversially won the Serie A with both AC Milan and Inter Milan. He played for AC Milan before joining Arsenal and won the league in the 1995/96 season. Vieira moved back to Italy after his time in England, this time playing for Juventus and Inter Milan. He won three back-to-back Serie A titles with Inter Milan in the 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09 seasons.

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3. Thierry Henry

🇫🇷 Thierry Henry’s 2002/03 campaign for Arsenal:

🏟 37 Appearances
⚽️ 24 Goals
🅰️ 20 Assists

One of the most impressive individual seasons to date, and that incredible assist tally is still a Premier League record

pic.twitter.com/JVJBwIv8su

— The N5 History (@TheN5News) October 19, 2022

Thierry Henry is one of the greatest Premier League players ever. The Frenchman won two Premier League titles with Arsenal, including the historic ‘Invincibles’ season. The striker won the FIFA World Cup trophy when he was just 20 years old. He set the record for most goals scored for France, scoring 51 goals for his nation, before Oliver Giroud broke it. The Arsenal icon also won back-to-back La Liga titles with Barcelona.

The French star had explosive speed, and the ball seemed to stick to his feet. He was simply a phenomenal player and a joy to watch. Thierry Henry also set the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season, providing 20 assists in one season. Kevin De Bruyne equalled this record in the 2019-20 season, but the record has still not been broken. Henry’s career was simply legendary, and the player will feel hard done by the fact that he never won the Ballon d’Or in his career.

2. Michel Platini

Credit: Football Paradise

Michel Platini is regarded as one of the best French players to have ever lived. While he never managed to win the FIFA World Cup with his nation, he won the UEFA European Championship in 1984. The midfielder also won three back-to-back Ballon d’Or awards. He won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award in 1983, 1984, and 1985, becoming the first player ever to win three Ballon d’Or awards in a row.

The French midfielder displayed unbelievable passing and was clinical in front of goal. The French legend was the complete package on the pitch. He won the Serie A twice with Juventus and the European Super Cup once in 1984.

1. Zinedine Zidane

12/07/98 – 1998 World Cup Final

Zidane vs Brazil pic.twitter.com/h6QIKhIYXJ

— Stop That Zizou (@StopThatZizou) July 12, 2023

Zinedine Zidane is undoubtedly the best French player to have ever lived. The attacking midfielder is considered to be one of the best players of all time. He won the 1998 FIFA World Cup with his nation. The French star played for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, and Real Madrid. He has won almost everything there is to win. He won the Serie A twice with Juventus in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. He won the La Liga with Real Madrid in the 2002-03 season and the UEFA Champions League with Madrid in the 2001-02 season.

His success in the FIFA World Cup has already been discussed. However, in the year he won the World Cup, he was also awarded his first and only Ballon d’Or award. The Real Madrid legend also won the UEFA European Championship in 2000 with France. Zidane made football look effortless. Others have scored more goals and have more assists than him, but no other French player was as dazzling and talented as Zidane.

Image Credit: Leiria Economica

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