Arsenal
Top 10 French football players of all time
France won the world cup 2 times: in 1998 and 2018, and the European title 12 times: in 1984 and 2000. It was possible because of the quality of players in their squad. Some even went on to become the greatest player of all time. So, let’s find out who are the top 10 French football players of all time.
The French national football team is where people from different ethnicities and backgrounds are all welcomed. In the 2018 World Cup-winning team, most players had foreign roots. But that’s the beauty of it. Some top French players have given incredible gifts to football and continue to do so. Read until the end to find out all the top 10 French football players of all time.
10. Franck Ribery (2006-present)
Franck Ribery is a modern-day great, and he takes up the 10th spot of our top 10 French football players of all time. Even though Ribery hasn’t tasted intentional glory, he has put up some excellent performances for France that earned him love and respect from his fellow citizens.
He has scored 16 goals in 81 appearances, but some of them are more special than the others, like the one he scored against Spain in the knockout phase of the 2006 World Cup. Contrary to his international trophy cabinet, he has won everything there is to win in club football with Bayern Munich.
He even came close to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2013 but lost to Cristiano Ronaldo in the end. But his sensational achievements are proof of why he is a living legend.
9. Lilian Thuram (1994-2008)
We have picked Lilian Thuram for the number 9 spot of the top 10 French football players of all time. He is a hero in his home country for his impressive contributions to international football. Even though the centre-back remained busy most of the time managing his defence, he has scored two goals in his entire career, which has found his place in history books.
In the 1998 world cup, Host France was losing to Croatia when Thuram scored two times to send his country to the final, where they defeated Brazil to secure the coveted trophy. He has tasted club football success in France, Italy and Spain. He has 2 Scudetto and 1 UEFA EURO Cup in his trophy cabinet.
8. Eric Cantona (1987-1995)
Eric Cantona has taken up the 8th spot in the top 10 French football players of all time. Even though his career is full of controversies, Cantona remains a legendary figure due to his impressive achievements. A fallout with the manager Aime Jacquet cost him the chance to feature for his country in Euro ’96.
However, he still scored 20 goals in 45 appearances for his nation. After helping Leeds win the Premier League in 1992, Cantona came to Old Trafford, and the rest was history. He helped Manchester United win 4 Premier Leagues, 2 FA Cups and 5 English super Cups. His goal tally in club football stands at 126 out of 325 matches.
7. Patrick Vieira (1997-2009)
Patrick Vieira has taken up the 7th spot of the top 10 French football players of all time. Considered one of the top midfielders during his peak years, Viera became an Arsenal legend due to his impressive spell for the club. Even though he was unknown to the English fans when he signed for the Gunners in 1996, he became a crucial player for Arsene Wenger’s team in a few years.
He won 3 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cup titles, 5 Scudetto, and was the captain of the famous ‘invincible’ Arsenal team. Vieira was a part of France’s 1998 World Cup team, but he didn’t feature much in the tournament. Still, he has given his all in the 107 matches he played for his country.
6. Jean-Pierre Papin (1986-1995)
The 1991 Ballon d’Or winner, Jean-Pierre Papin, has taken up the 6th spot in our top 10 French football players of all-time list. The Boulogne-sur-Mer born player became a legendary figure in club football due to his incredible strolling abilities.
Scoring 252 goals across all club competitions, Papin has tasted success in Italy, Germany and France. Even though he has scored 30 goals in 54 matches for his country, he never tasted success at the international level. He was part of a France team labelled as ‘the cursed generation’ because of their failure in major tournaments.
5. Just Fontaine (1953-1960)
Just Fontaine has secured the no. 5 spot in the top 10 French football players of all-time list. Fontaine showed his class for France in the 1958 World Cup when he scored 13 goals, a record that stands still today. He ended his career with 30 international goals and was an influential figure in French football. He secured three French championships in club-level football while playing with Stade de Reims.
4. Thierry Henry (1997-2010)
A modern-day great, Thierry Henry has taken up the 4th spot in the top 10 French football players of all-time list. The clinical centre-forward has scored a total of 51 goals for the French national team, which remains the highest until now. He also helped his nation win the 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euro.
Henry flourished in club football and stayed at the top for several years. He has secured 360 goals in his club career. But he spent the most crucial spell in Arsenal, helping them win 2 Premier League and 3 FA Cup. He also won the 2008/09 Champions League with FC Barcelona.
3. Raymond Kopa (1952-1962)
We have picked Raymond Kopa in the 3rd spot of the top 10 French football players of all time. Kopa became an influential figure for France in the 1958 world cup. He won the player of the tournament in that world cup after beating the likes of Pele, Garrincha and Fontaine.
He ended his career with 18 goals in 45 international appearances. Kopa has achieved some high feats with the Real Madrid team in club football, including 3 European Champion Clubs’ Cups and 2 Spanish league titles. He also won the 1958 Ballon d’Or for his impressive performances.
2. Michel Platini (1976-1987)
Even though Michel Platini had a controversial spell as UEFA head, he was a sensational player during his peak years, putting him in the no.2 position of the top 10 French football players. Platini helped France secure the 1984 European Championships, the first major title for the nation. The midfielder scored nine times in that tournament. His total goal tally at the international level stands at 41 out of 72 games. He showed his class with three different clubs at the club level: Nancy, Saint-Etienne, and Juventus. He is one time European Champion Clubs’ Cup winner, two-time Italian champion and one-time French champion. The three Ballon d’Ors he won in 1983, 1984 and 1985 show his performance level.
1. Zinedine Zidane (1994-2006)
Zinedine Zidane is probably the most crucial player in France’s golden period. That’s why we have picked him for the first position of the top 10 French football players of all time. The 1998 world cup final saw Zinedine Zidane humiliating a world-class Brazilian team. He secured the title for his country that year, scoring three goals in the final.
Having a classy player like Zidane, France was a clear favourite to win the 2006 world cup. But he had to leave the field in extra time of the final against Italy after getting a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi. France lost that match in penalties. Zidane has secured 122 goals and 130 assists in 634 appearances across all competitions in club football.
He was a part of the Real Madrid Galactico team. He helped Los Blancos win 1 Champions League by scoring a world-class volley in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. He lifted the Spanish title with Real Madrid 1 time and the Scudetto 2 times with Juventus.
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Renee Slegers has strongly denied reports of splits and player power issues within the Arsenal Women camp, insisting the reigning Champions League winners remain united despite sitting eight points behind WSL leaders Manchester City.
The Athletic published a damaging report during the international break, alleging divisions in the Gunners’ dressing room and dissent over player influence.
Slegers addressed the claims head-on during Friday’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with bottom-placed Liverpool.
“There Will Be Noise” – Renee Slegers Hits Back at Dressing Room Unrest Reports as Arsenal Face Liverpool
“We won the Champions League, historically Arsenal has been the most successful team in England,” Slegers fired back. “There will be noise, there is noise. That’s all on the outside. We know what we’re doing on the inside.”
High-Performance Environment Creates Challenges
The Arsenal boss acknowledged the demands of elite football while defending her squad’s mentality. “It’s a high-performance environment so it’s a very challenging environment, we demand a lot of things from each other and it should be like that,” she explained.
“Every group of people will have things that they have to manage and get through. I am very positive about where we are at. We’re in a process, I believe in the process and we’re going in a really good direction.”
Slegers expressed frustration at the timing and nature of the report. “It’s unfortunate that is what’s written about us when we’re doing so many good things.”
Williamson Returns as Injury Crisis Continues
Arsenal will be without goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and England winger Chloe Kelly for Saturday’s noon kick-off, meaning summer signing Anneke Borbe will make her debut between the posts.
However, there’s positive news with the return of England captain Leah Williamson, who makes her first appearance this season after being sidelined with a knee injury since the European Championship. Midfielder Kim Little is also available again.
“Leah has a presence, which sometimes even without speaking it sets standards and creates a certain environment,” Slegers said. “It will be really, really good to have her back. It’s such a win for the team.”
Liverpool held Chelsea to a draw last month despite sitting bottom of the table, suggesting Saturday’s fixture at the Emirates Stadium won’t be straightforward for an Arsenal side desperately needing to close the gap on City.
Also read: Arsenal Women vs. Liverpool Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Arsenal Dragon
Renee Slegers Confirms The Position Arsenal Women Are Looking To Sign a Player From in January Transfer Window
Renee Slegers has confirmed Arsenal will sign a goalkeeper in January after revealing Daphne van Domselaar will miss the remainder of 2025 with a quad tendon issue, leaving the club relying on debutant Anneke Borbe and teenager Amy Liddiard.
The Arsenal boss made the admission during Friday’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Liverpool, where summer signing Borbe will make her full debut with 17-year-old Liddiard providing backup from the bench.
Van Domselaar requires an injection for her quad tendon problem and won’t return until the new year, compounding Arsenal’s goalkeeper crisis. Manuela Zinsberger is already out for the season after rupturing her ACL in October, one of 17 players across the WSL to suffer knee injuries during that month alone.
“We Need Three Goalkeepers Available”
Asked directly if Arsenal want to sign a goalkeeper in January, Slegers didn’t hesitate. “Yes, definitely, because Manu is out and Daphne has been managing issues, so we’re definitely looking,” she said.
“We’re definitely looking at that position because we think we need a really strong goalkeeper union with three goalkeepers available and we’re not in that situation at the moment so we’ll have to solve that for the second half of the season.”
Arsenal have also been linked with Swedish right-back Smilla Holmberg as they look to strengthen multiple positions during the winter window.
Chloe Kelly Adds to Injury Woes
The goalkeeper situation isn’t Arsenal’s only injury concern for Saturday’s noon kick-off. Chloe Kelly suffered a knee injury on England duty against Ghana on Tuesday and will miss the Liverpool match. Like van Domselaar, Kelly could be unavailable until the new year.
Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang (on loan at Brighton) have also suffered season-ending ACL injuries this campaign, highlighting the brutal injury toll Arsenal have endured.
Slegers Dismisses Dressing Room “Unrest” Reports
Slegers was also asked about The Athletic’s report claiming the dressing room has been “splintered for many years” with some players “wielding significant influence” and underlying tension between squad members.
The Arsenal boss firmly rejected the narrative. “We won the Champions League, historically we are the most successful club in England, there is noise on the outside, there will always be noise, but on the inside we know what we are doing,” she responded.
“I didn’t agree with it and I think it is unfortunate that this is what is written about us while we are doing so many good things and a lot of people invested in the process.”
Also read: Arsenal Women vs. Liverpool Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Arsenal face their toughest test of the season as they travel to Villa Park, where Aston Villa have been nearly impenetrable. The Gunners hold a six-point advantage over third-placed Villa, but their defensive injury crisis threatens to derail their title momentum.
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT, Saturday, December 6, 2025
Venue: Villa Park
Referee: Michael Oliver
TV: TNT Sports 1
Form Guide
Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners in this exact fixture last season, with goals from Trossard and Thomas Partey settling matters at Villa Park. However, Villa dealt a seismic blow to Arsenal’s title bid with a 2-0 away victory in mid-April 2024, helping Manchester City to win the league. A 2-2 draw at the Emirates last January again stunted Arsenal’s championship pursuit.
Villa have been in exceptional form, winning seven of their last eight games across all competitions. They showed character in midweek to claim a 4-3 win over Brighton, despite trailing 2-0 after half an hour. Ollie Watkins enjoyed a welcome return to form, netting twice in the first half. At home, Villa have won five of their seven fixtures this season and are unbeaten in their last 25 Premier League home games.
Arsenal maintained their five-point lead at the top with a 2-0 win over Brentford in midweek. Goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches across all competitions. However, the match came at a cost with injuries to Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera.
Team News
Arsenal’s defensive crisis has reached alarming levels. Gabriel Magalhaes suffered a thigh problem while representing Brazil during the November international break and could be missing for up to two months. William Saliba has missed the last two matches after suffering a knock in training, though Arteta confirmed it should be “a matter of days” before his return.
Cristhian Mosquera was forced off before half-time against Brentford with an ankle injury and is set to miss 6 to 8 weeks of football. Declan Rice also limped off late on with a calf issue, though the midfielder told Sky Sports he is “fine” and expects to be available. Leandro Trossard could return from a muscle injury, with Arteta confirming he should be back within “a matter of days.” Kai Havertz remains weeks away from returning after knee surgery complications.
For Villa, Emiliano Martinez is a major doubt with a back injury that kept him out against Brighton. The Argentine was forced to withdraw from the lineup after experiencing pain during the warm-up. Ross Barkley is ruled out for 8-12 weeks with a knee injury suffered against Wolves. Tyrone Mings remains sidelined with a thigh injury and won’t be available until late December at the earliest.
Predicted Lineups
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Buendia, McGinn, Rogers; Watkins
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Timber, Hincapié, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
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