Top 10 Best French Soccer Players of All Time

France has been a powerhouse of soccer, consistently dominating all the tournaments that they feature in. The nation boasts a deep talent pool and some of their legends are not just the best players of their country, but the best players in the history of the sport itself. This abundance of skull and versatility has made them a force to reckon with and played a crucial role in their triumphant success in the past decade.

In this article, we are ranking the best French soccer players ever, diving into the reasons behind their success, explaining their style of play and celebrating their achievements using the following ranking factors.

Ranking Factors

Performances – Their performances for their club and country during their career.

Longevity – How long they have been played at top level.

Impact and importance to the squad – How important their role has been to their clubs and country and how much positive impact they’ve had.

Top 10 Best French Soccer Players Of All Time

10. Olivier Giroud

A striker who was disrespected for the majority of his playing period, Giroud aged like a fine wine. Playing a crucial role in the success of Chelsea and then AC Milan, Giroud revitalised his career at a late age. He went on to earn 137 caps for the national team, including appearing in seven major tournaments. He is his country’s all-time top goalscorer.

9. Hugo Lloris

A keeper who spent the majority of his career at a club who are not one of the best teams in the league, Lloris rarely gets the flowers that he deserves. He became the captain of the national team at a young age when the team was going through a turbulent period. It is so rare that a goalkeeper is that good you don’t need to replace him for more than a decade. Lloris saved Spurs and France so many times and commanded so much respect behind the scenes. His heroics in both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups will never be forgotten.

8. Antoine Griezmann

One of the best attackers in the world of this century, Griezmann has had a stellar career, albeit a blip at Barcelona. A legend for Atletico Madrid, he has been crucial to the club’s success. His international exploits are impressive, playing a pivotal role in reaching the 2016 Euro finals, winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the final of 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Apart from his incredible attacking skills, his defensive workrate today is impressive and his workhorse ability makes him so special. The only blemish in his career so far is not having a single league title, which can change considering how impressive Atletico Madrid have been this season.

7. Lilian Thuram

One of the all-time greats, Thuram has a special place in the hearts of French people. He was a quick, powerful, and versatile player, capable of playing both as a center-back and as a right-back, and was competent both offensively and defensively. Thuram was pivotal for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 winning side. He also helped them to runners-up at the 2006 World Cup.

His kids Marcus Thuram and Khéphren Thuram are also thriving in their professional careers, playing for Inter Milan and Juventus respectively. Thuram holds the record for the most caps in French football history, with 142 appearances. His style of play, which combined tactical intelligence and physicality, set him apart as one of the most dependable defenders in football history. His legacy extends to his family, with his sons Marcus and Khéphren Thuram thriving in professional football.

6. Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed “The Rock”, due to his consistency, strength, and hard-tackling playing style, Desailly was unstoppable. A player who was able to play as a centre-back or defensive midfielder, he won several titles, including UEFA Champions League medals with both Marseille and AC Milan. He was also a member of the France squads that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. He was not just a player, but also a leader who was able to inspire his team when things were not going in their way.

5. Patrick Vieira

Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders in the history of the sport, the legacy of Patrick Vieira is second to none. He holds a very unique record, being the only Invincible captain in Premier League history, a record yet to be broken.

He was a complete, powerful, tenacious, and aggressive footballer, with outstanding physical, athletic, and technical attributes. Vieira was an integral part of France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning teams. At the club level, he was instrumental in Arsenal’s dominance in the

4. Thierry Henry

Considered one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League, Thierry Henry is a legend. His contributions to the success of Arsenal are second to none and he has been named by Arsenal as the club’s greatest ever player. His accolades at the international level are stellar too, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000, and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.

He was named French Player of the Year a record five times. Henry’s unique style of combining pace, skill, and precision made him an iconic figure in football history. He remains one of two players in Premier League history to record 20 goals and 20 assists in a single season.

3. Kylian Mbappe

An icon for the current era, Mbappe is not just the best player for France but also has a case for the best player in the world currently. He has been lighting up the world ever since he was a teenager, irrespective of the gravity of the tournament, evident in the 2018 World Cup final, when he became the second teenager ever to score in a World Cup final since Pele himself. He backed it up again with a hat-trick in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, establishing himself as this generation’s superstar. After finally achieving his dream of joining Real Madrid, Mbappe is now all set to become an icon of this sport.

At the club level, Mbappé has been crucial to PSG’s dominance in French football, winning numerous Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. He has won multiple individual awards, including the French Player of the Year and inclusion in UEFA Team of the Year. Last year he signed a contract with Real Madrid taking a step toward becoming the best french soccer players. His historical significance lies in his potential to become the greatest French footballer of all time.

2. Michel Platini

While his scandals off the pitch are egregious, Platini was a magician when he was on the pitch. He won just about everything as a player with Juventus and France and is regarded as a legend for both. Platini won the Ballon d’Or three times in a row, in 1983, 1984, and 1985. Nicknamed Le Roi (The King) for his ability and leadership, he was a prolific goalscorer, winning golden boots at Juventus and held the record for most goals in a EURO tournament, until Cristiano Ronaldo broke it.

Platini was the star of the 1984 European Championship, where he scored a record nine goals in five matches, leading France to their first major international title. His style of play, combining elegance and deadly finishing, earned him the nickname “Le Roi” (The King). Pelé once remarked that Platini was one of the finest players he had ever seen.

1. Zinedine Zidane

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane was a playmaker renowned for his elegance, vision, passing, and ball control. He had an aura about him and had the ability to turn things around for his team with ease. Zidane’s legacy at the national team level is unmatched, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring a brace in the final, winning UEFA Euro 2000, and getting named the Player of the Tournament and the Golden Ball in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Zidane is a part of an elite club, he is one of nine players to have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or. Apart from France having won the UEFA Euro 2000, where he received the status of Player of the Tournament due to key match performances, such as the impressive goal in the semifinals. Although he lacked the physical prowess of Makelele, Zidane remains an iconic figure whose excellent play, combined with leadership in the 2006 FIFA World Cup up to the final to win the Golden Ball indicates he was ever brilliant.

After retiring, Zidane has been a great coach of Real Madrid; he clinched the UEFA Champions League for three years in a row (2016-2018) and was also victorious in La Liga. His management strategies were as unassuming as his playing – he received praise for rallying and organizing star players.

Honourable mentions

Here’s an Honorable Mentions list for notable French players who didn’t make the main list but have had significant careers:

Honorable Mentions