France’s top division, Ligue 1, has long been looked down on for various reasons. One of the main reasons is how poorly French clubs perform in Europe. Yes, Ligue 1 is also known as a “one-team league”, but it still has a remarkably worse reputation than the Bundesliga, as well as the Serie A prior to Juve’s scudetto-streak ending. Sure enough, as a result of how French clubs have performed in Europe, France currently ranks sixth in UEFA’s country coefficients. The reasons for Ligue 1’s less than favorable reputation are far too many to name in this article, but the point is that I do not only believe that it is very underrated, but I would even go as far as to claim that it is THE league to watch this season.
Ligue 1 is already arguably the top league in the world when it comes to developing young players, or even producing great players in general. France currently have what I seriously consider the strongest talent pool in the history of football, and while all of these players don’t develop in Ligue 1, you would intuitively like to estimate that the majority of them do, which does say a lot about Ligue 1. France’s incredible youth development mainly has to be attributed to meticulous planning and heavy investments from the FFF, but at the higher levels you could argue that France’s thriving youth development is largely a matter of culture. In France, players are integrated into the first team, and are allowed to play, at a very early age. The results speak for themselves. Sure enough, with an average squad age of 25.2, according to Transfermarkt, Ligue 1 ranks above the Bundesliga (25.6), the Serie A (26.1), the Premier League (26.4), and La Liga (27.3), as the top five league with the youngest players. This is a reason to watch Ligue 1 in and of itself, but aside from that, the league’s tactical quality and physical demands are an essential reason why Ligue 1 exports are usually able to perform so well in other leagues, and these traits also carry value from an entertainment perspective. Perhaps more importantly, though, this upcoming Ligue 1 campaign is arguably set to become the most competitive one in a long time. So, I thought I would break down who the teams competing in it are.
Stade Brestois 29
Brest may not be the sexiest team to start off with, but the beautiful thing about Ligue 1 is that every team has something to offer. Every single one. As for Brest, they may have finished 14th last season, and could risk a relegation battle this upcoming season, but they are not completely uninteresting nonetheless. In fact, they won their first two games of the season, and sit in fourth place as of me writing this article.
One interesting player could be Lilian Brassier, a 23-year old, left-footed center-back, who is defensively solid, and also capable of playing as a full-back. Another interesting name in defense is Achraf Dari, who was signed from Wydad Casablanca in 2022, and has since become a fringe player for the Moroccan national team. If Brest reach their goals this season, the defensive solidity of Achraf Dari could be a key reason why. A player who could be worth keeping an eye on in the long-term, is Josué Escartin, a 20-year old, 193 cm tall defender, who is yet to make his senior debut, but who has been promoted to the first team nonetheless. Meanwhile, my favorite Brest player is Bradley Locko, a 21-year old left-back who has already impressed at the senior level, showcasing progressiveness and efficiency in possession, and exceptional ball-winning off the ball. As the full-back market is currently looking quite poor, he is truly one to keep an eye on. In midfield, veterans Jonas Martin and Pierre Lees-Melou should be familiar faces to some. Additionally, 25-year old midfielder Mahdi Camara looks to be an interesting signing from Saint-Étienne. After a promising season with Caen in Ligue 2, 23-year old Hiang’a Mbock could be another intriguing midfielder. Unlike Josué Escartin, 19-year old Axel Camblan is an academy graduate who has made his senior debut with Brest, and he could be another one to watch out for. Brest’s best player right now may just be Jérémy Le Douaron, whose 13 non-penalty goal contributions played a huge role in Brest’s ultimately comfortable survival last season. Moreover, if you ever wonder whatever happened to Karamoko Dembélé, he is now at Brest, and while he’s yet to fully break into the first team, he’s actually still just 20 years old, and could still have a bright future ahead of him. Finally, Inter primavera graduate Martín Satriano has returned to Brest on yet another loan spell, having previously played there in 2021–22. Although he has still only scored six senior league goals in his career, he remains an interesting young forward.
Again, maybe not the sexiest team, and they likely won’t be the biggest contributors to the fierce competitiveness which looks set to define Ligue 1 this season, but Brest do have a plethora of potential hidden gems which make them an interesting team nonetheless.
Clermont Foot 63
On the surface, Clermont may appear to be an even less sexy team than Brest, but last season they actually finished eighth, and although underlying numbers suggested a significant over-performance, they also suggested that Clermont were nowhere near one of the worst teams in the league.
In goal, Mory Diaw has become a key player, having been one of the better-performing goalkeepers in Europe last season. In defense, 23-year old Ghanaian Alidu Seidu stands out for his bizarrely effective dribbling tendency, his general technical ability, and aggression off the ball. Andy Pelmard is another interesting 23-year old defender, who’s performed at a high level for Basel in recent seasons, and looks like a promising signing for Clermont. Meanwhile, 19-year old Cheick Oumar Konaté is currently likely Clermont’s worst player to be mentioned so far, but perhaps their most promising prospect. One of Clermont’s key players is Neto Borges, an extremely underrated Brazilian wing-back who does it all. In midfield, Clermont have brought in Habib Keïta from Lyon, and after a promising season on loan in Belgium, the 21-year old could have an interesting future. 22-year old attacking midfielder Muhammed Cham is already arguably Clermont’s best player, and certainly has a bright future. Furthermore, like Konaté, 18-year old academy graduate Aïman Maurer is still raw, but has a bright future ahead of him, as he already has senior experience with Clermont.
Another team with many hidden gems, which should not be overlooked, despite the fact that they likely won’t be fighting for a spot in the top half of the table this season.
Le Havre AC
Le Havre is not only the oldest club in France (although that depends on who you ask), but also famous for having helped develop players such as Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez, Steve Mandanda, Dimitri Payet, Lassana Diarra, and Loic Badé. The club is now back in Ligue 1, and despite the fact that it took just 46 goals in 38 games to do so, Le Havre should not be counted out this season, because it is a well-ran club.
Le Havre’s most interesting player is arguably Arouna Sangante, as the Senegalese center-back, who turned 21 just last April, was one of the top defenders in Ligue 2 last season. 21-year old Senegalese midfielder Rassoul Ndiaye, is another very interesting player, having been signed from Sochaux after some very promising seasons in Ligue 2. In midfield they will also be relying on 21-year old Moroccan wide-man Yassine Kechta, who is still raw, but has shown promise in the first team nonetheless. On the opposite wing, Josué Casimir, a Guadeloupe international of the same age, is another promising player. Le Havre do risk an intense relegation battle, and don’t have the most mouth-watering talents so far, but especially given their track record, you shouldn’t count them out. There could be some real gems in this team, even if it fails to perform as a collective this season.
RC Lens
Since their promotion back to Ligue 1 in 2020, RC Lens have been thoroughly impressive, finishing as high as seventh in their first season back in the top division — a placement which would be matched the following season. However, it was last season which would go down in the club’s history, as Lens finished second, just one point behind league champions PSG. It is simply undeniable that Lens have weakened over the summer, having arguably lost their top two players in Loïs Openda and Seko Fofana. To replace them, they have brought in Elye Wahi, who is very talented (although he does not belong anywhere near a football pitch), and Andy Diouf, who is also quite talented but still inevitably raw. In the short-term, a regression is inevitable, but there are still some really interesting players to watch at Lens.
Andy Diouf, as mentioned, may not be a player with the most immediate quality (although he has been great so far for Lens), but he is one of their’ most exciting young players nonetheless. Brice Samba has also been spectacular in goal since signing, and may seriously be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Kevin Danso is an exceptional center-back, thanks to his combination of defensive solidity and technical ability, and it is no surprise that he was being chased by Napoli before extending his contract this summer. Next to him in defense, Facundo Medina is a defensively questionable, although technically elite, defender. Lens’ third starting defender, Jonathan Gradit, will naturally be overlooked due to his age, but is arguably just as good as his defensive partners, if not better. In midfield, Ghanaian international Salis Abdul Samed is one of my favorite registi in Europe, and he’s still only 23. Out wide, Polish wing-back Przemysław Frankowski has had no issue moving from the left hand side to the right hand side, since the departure of Jonathan Clauss, and he is one of the team’s main offensive contributors. On the other flank, 22-year old David Costa has had some ups and downs since joining, and is perhaps more suited to a natural winger role than that of a wing-back, but especially when you factor in his age, he is a player to watch out for regardless. In terms of young prospects, new signing Oscar Cortés is also worthy of a mention, as the 19-year old has looked very promising in Colombia, as well as at the U20 World Cup, in the last year
Many other players ensure that Lens will at least remain competitive this year, although it will be very difficult to sustain the success of last season. Especially due to the fierce competition, it is very possible that Lens will see a significant drop-off in terms of results, but ultimately they are also one of the reasons for this fierce competitiveness in the first place.
Lille OSC
Lille is my favorite team in Ligue 1, and I think they are the team to watch this season. Of course, they have had their fair share of success in recent seasons, even winning the league in 2020–21, but they’ve also been quite inconsistent. Last season’s fifth place finish could support the latter statement, but in reality Paulo Fonseca has done wonders with this team, and I see it as one of the most exciting teams in Europe. Not only did they rank first in xPTS last season, according to Understat, but they also have a very exciting young core.
Between the sticks, Lille have 21-year old Lucas Chevalier, one of Europe’s most underrated young goalkeepers, who is already a bonafide starter for Les Dogues. In defense, 23-year old Tiago Djaló is one player who stands out, as the versatile defender has given Lille great value for money, given he was included in the sale of Rafael Leão a few years back. Lille’s arguably most exciting prospect is Leny Yoro, who started 10 matches for Lille last season, despite his incredibly tender age of 17. Sure enough, he looks like an incredibly exciting prospect, although he is naturally still very raw, and prone to errors in a very demanding Fonseca-led team. Lille’s best defender is likely Alexsandro, who has performed at an overall outstanding level since signing last year — TRULY one to watch. Samuel Umtiti is another notable player of Lille’s, and it will be interesting to see if he can revive his career under Fonseca. Additionally, 21-year old Portuguese full-back Tiago Santos looks like a very interesting replacement for Timothy Weah.
In midfield, the appointment of Paulo Fonseca has seen Benjamin André’s career revived, as he’s now a key player. The same can be said about Angel Gomes, who now stands out as a very complete box-to-box midfielder. Another midfielder who looks set to become a key player for Lille, is new signing Nabil Bentaleb — something you would perhaps be surprised to hear unless you’ve kept up with Bentaleb in recent years. Last season, he was one of the best players in his position in the league, and at the age of 28 he seems to be one of the biggest late bloomers in Europe. However, Lille’s most interesting midfielders are arguably their youngest ones, one of which is 20-year old Ignacio Miramón, an Argentine midfielder who has already impressed in Argentina’s Primera División. Hakón Arnar Haraldsson, an Icelandic attacking midfielder who has looked very promising since signing from FC København, is another one of the premier young talents at Lille. Otherwise, Lille’s attack consists of various players who have been surprisingly good since the arrival of Paulo Fonseca. One example is actually Jonathan David, whose final third execution remains questionable and highly inconsistent, but who has become significantly more complete and tactically adept since the arrival of Fonseca. Moreover, the revival of Rémy Cabella at Lille has been nothing short of extraordinary, as the 33-year old attacking midfielder is coming off the season of his career, and is arguably Lille’s best player. On the right wing, Adam Ounas and Edon Zhegrova are two extremely direct and technically gifted players, who lack absolute consistency in the final third, but are interesting nonetheless — Zhegrova especially, as his per 90 numbers are really strong. Alan Virginius is by all means also worth a mention, as he may lack in senior experience, but arguably has the highest ceiling at the club.
FC Lorient
Honesty is important, and in my honest opinion, Lorient is the least interesting team in Ligue 1. Not only do I predict Lorient to be relegated, but there are very few players who make them worth your attention, even aside from the quality of the team. A few is better than nothing, however.
In defense, Lorient have Montassar Talbi, who is one of Tunisia’s best players, and a defensively solid center-back with decent technical ability. There is also Gedeon Kalulu, who is a relatively complete and solid full-back. In midfield, Jean-Victor Makengo is a decent player, brought in from Udinese. On the other hand, Lorient’s most interesting player is clearly Romain Faivre — the player who is really worth paying attention to. The French attacking midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Milan while at Brest, and has not quite been the same since that move failed to materialize. He still boasts a plethora of qualities in buildup and in the final third, however. Senegalese Marseille product Bamba Dieng is another interesting name in attack, as the young striker could have a breakout season now that he’s been given a starting role. Pablo Pagis is a significantly more raw player in attack, but he did simultaneously have quite a good season for Nîmes in Ligue 2 last season, especially considering he was just 19–20 years old. Keep an eye on him.
Olympique Lyonnais
Lyon are one of the true giants of French football, and they are always relevant for one reason or another. Right now, they are in quite a comical situation, where the club is in complete disarray, yet it simultaneously boasts so many promising young players. Olympique Lyonnais remain one of the world’s premier talent-producing clubs, but have failed miserably to capitalize off this aspect in recent years, putting the club in an awkward position. So far this season, Lyon have lost both of their opening games of the season, and head coach Laurent Blanc subsequently called for his own sacking in a post-match interview. Lyon did, however, decide not to sack him, which was rewarded with a 0–0 draw against Nice, a result which leaves Lyon 16th in the league. Lyon are not going to be good this season… but they are going to be competitive to an extent — they simply have way too talent not to be.
Lyon is full of exciting players. Their crown jewel is Rayan Cherki, who I view as potentially being a future Ballon d’Or winner; he’s just that talented. Meanwhile, in defense is where Lyon are the weakest, and 17-year old Mamadou Sarr will hardly change that this season. However, when/if he’s given minutes, he could impress. Last season, 17–18-year old Saël Kumbedi (another product of Le Havre) started the season off as a reserve, but would ultimately be eased into a rotational role, ultimately impressing in the 17 starts he received. Sure enough, he is one of Lyon’s most exciting players, and he could have a big season, as the replacement for Malo Gusto. In midfield, it’s difficult to know where to begin. Both Johann Lepenant (20), and Maxence Caqueret (23) are two exceptionally talented midfielders, who Champions League teams should be all over. A more under-the-radar player in midfield is newly signed Skelly Alvaro, a 21-year old box-to-box midfielder who is 202 cm (!!!) tall, yet moves with extraordinary elegance and mobility on the pitch. With such a unique profile, he will be one of the most fun players to watch in Ligue 1 this season, when given playing time. In terms of more advanced midfielders, 19-year old Mohamed El Arouch could very well be the successor to Houssem Aouar. Hopefully he will be given a chance this season, because the potential is huge. In attack, we have to mention Bradley Barcola — a 20-year old, electrifying winger, who offers a bit of everything. He has been heavily linked with a move away, and interest from Chelsea and PSG are a testament to his talent, but if he stays, he will be extremely fun to watch. Of course, Alexandre Lacazette is also worthy of a shoutout, as he has been phenomenal since his return to Lyon, and is easily one of the best strikers in the league.
Again, Lyon are truly in a mess, but as for what they offer on the pitch, there are so many exciting players to watch nonetheless. A truly fascinating football club.
Olympique de Marseille
From one true titan to another, some would argue that Marseille is the biggest club in France. Regardless, the club is on a more than decade-long trophy-less streak, and just like Lyon the club is constantly involved in a fair share of drama. Marseille finished third in the league last season, but won’t be competing in the Champions League this season; they lost to Panathinaikos last week on a penalty shootout. That disaster of a result was then followed by 2–2 draw against newly-promoted Metz, and although they would bounce back with a win against Brest, this season there are causes for concern for Marseille too. Marseille also don’t have the exciting young core to make up for this, in the same way Lyon do, but they have some fun players nonetheless.
These players include Chancel Mbemba, who has impressed since arriving from Porto. Moreover, Isaak Touré is one of their most fun players, as he is even taller than Skelly Alvaro (at 206 cm), and is also a legitimately exciting prospect at the age of 20. Out wide, Marseille have brought in Renan Lodi in an attempt to revive his career. On the other flank, they have one of the best wing-backs in the world, in Jonathan Clauss. They have also brought a 30-year old Geoffrey Kondogbia back to France, after years in Italy and Spain. Last season, Valentin Rongier actually had one of the best seasons of his career, and it will be interesting to see if he can keep it up this season. As for the younger players who may be of interest, Azzedine Ounahi is definitely one of them; a World Cup sensation who was subsequently brought to Marseille, scoring on his debut, although injury would soon after put an end to his season. Now he has a full season ahead of him, and it will be very interesting to see how he performs in what will practically be a new environment. Other players who will have high expectations on them this season are in attack; Vitinha, Ismaïla Sarr, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Joaquín Correa. These are all players who are yet to fully prove themselves, or are otherwise coming off of a couple of underwhelming seasons, and it will be interesting to see if they can flip the narratives which define them, this season. Of course, Iliman Ndiaye is also worthy of a mention. One of the best players in the Championship last season, Ndiaye is a very technical and complete forward, who grew up supporting Marseille, and now has the chance to become a fan-favorite at the club of his heart. He certainly has the talent to do so, and it will be extremely fun to follow him this season.
FC Metz
Metz are the true underdogs of Ligue 1 this season. Their second place finish in Ligue 2 was enough for promotion to Ligue 1, but Transfermarkt ranks them as having the lowest valued squad in the league. Sure enough, it will simply have to be determined if Metz will prove the doubters wrong, and some hidden gems will thereby emerge, or if the squad really is that poor. However, given their best player, Georges Mikautadze, is set to leave, Metz’s chances of surviving look really bad.
AS Monaco
As for how good AS Monaco will be under Adi Hütter this upcoming season, I’m still skeptical, but their squad is among the most exciting in the league. It begins with the players they already had going into the summer. For instance, the Brazilian full-back duo of Vanderson and Caio Henrique is among the best in the league, and should be fun to follow for another season. A more overlooked player is 21-year old center-back Chrislain Matsima, who could be set for more playing time this season, as he looked good when he was on the pitch last season. In midfield, Malian Red Bull product Mohamed Camara could be set for a huge season, as he showed encouraging signs even in his first season at the club. 21-year old Belginan midfielder Eliot Matazo is another player who could take up more space this season, and he will be exciting to follow. If he stays, Youssouf Fofana should remain Monaco’s arguably best player, and one who is certainly good enough to play for a much better team. Make sure to also keep an eye out for more raw talents like Edan Diop, Soungoutou Magassa, Félix Lemaréchal, Maghnes Akliouche, and Eliesse Ben Seghir. That is not to mention more established players in attack, such as Breel Embolo, Takumi Minamino, Krépin Diatta, Wissam Ben Yedder, and Aleksandr Golovin.
What excites me the most about Monaco this summer is their signings, though. The crown jewel is Folarin Balogun, who is soon set to sign for the club after an exceptional season on loan at Reims. For me, he could easily become a world class striker within just a couple of years, and Monaco could provide the perfect environment for him to make that development. Denis Zakaria is another exciting signing, who may have struggled since leaving Borussia Mönchenglabach, but whose talent I’ve never doubted. If he can stay healthy, he could have a huge season. Moreover, Mohammed Salisu is a defender who I’ve really liked over the last couple of seasons, and I think he fully deserves to play for a club like Monaco. 22-year old Ivorian wing-back Wilfried Singo will also be interesting to follow, especially due to his age and the fact that he will be changing environment completely, after a somewhat disappointing season.
Monaco have a high potential as a team this season, but will be very fun to watch even if they don’t reach their potential.
Montpellier HSC
It was the appointment of Michel Der Zakarian which really got Montpellier going last season, as they would surprisingly win the third most points in the league following his appointment, and while they did overperform in this period, they did rank ninth in xPTS in this period (via Understat), which was still a success, all things considered. Much of their success in this run can be attributed to the incredible performance of Elye Wahi (who should be in jail nonetheless), and sure enough Montpellier would fail to hold on to Wahi over the summer. Another departure which should hurt Montpellier is Stephy Mavididi, but aside from that their team has essentially remained intact, and they could be a fun team to watch this season.
One of Montpellier’s most interesting players is Maxime Estève, who has been linked with a move away for well over a year now, but so far he’s still at Montpellier, which could be the most sensible decision. He only turned 21 a few months ago, yet already has two seasons as a consistent starter for Montpellier under his belt. For the time being, he mostly remains an extremely intelligent player off the ball, who’s excellent in duels, but in the long-term we could really see him take some big leaps in his aerial ability and technical ability. An extremely exciting prospect. Another exciting player in defense is Bećir Omeragić, who will be very interesting to follow this season. He is a player who has previously been linked to Milan, which is how I discovered him. He is a few months older than Estève, but his style of play is vastly different, and he should offer less in terms of immediate quality, having played in Switzerland in recent years. Nonetheless, he is a versatile defender who is extremely mobile and technical, yet doesn’t lack defensive fundamentals. Another young defender who will be interesting to follow is Enzo Tchato, who broke into the first team last year, and his performances could land him a starting role this season.
Further up the pitch, there is no shortage of exciting players. 21-year old midfielder Joris Chotard is a unique player, excelling in playmaking and ball-winning, which he does very well despite his age. With that being said, he will need to become a more complete midfielder to take the next step. For this exact reason, he will be very fun to follow this season. Chotard’s midfield teammate Khalil Fayad is arguably Montpellier’s most underrated player. The 19-year old Moroccan broke into the first team last season, and he didn’t look out of place. His future is as bright as any of his teammates. Of course, it would also be criminal not to mention Téji Savanier — Montpellier’s own, who is still probably their best player, at the age of 31. Last, but certainly not least — to replace Elye Wahi — Montpellier have brought in Nigerian striker Akor Adams. With 26 non-penalty goal contributions in 28.9 90s in his last two seasons in the Norwegian Eliteserien (via Fbref), he was already a very interesting player going into this season, but as of me writing this article, he has also taken the league by storm so far, with three goals in three games for Montpellier so far. He will be one of the most fun players to follow in Ligue 1 this season.
FC Nantes
The last two campaigns of Coupe de France have seen highly unlikely winners. Last season, it was Toulouse, who had just been promoted to Ligue 1. The season prior, it was Nantes, who would just barely avoid relegation on the final day the following season. The feeling was that they had just about gotten away with a terrible season, but that their job was not done yet, as the next relegation battle would likely be even tougher, since the league now consists of 18 teams. Perhaps more importantly, Nantes would lose their best player over the summer, in Ludovic Blas. Even though they didn’t lose anyone else of significance, the loss of Blas was enough to send signals of another upcoming relegation battle. However, I think Nantes could be a relatively fun team to watch this season.
With Blas having left, Nantes’ best player is now Alban Lafont, who has managed to revive his career, and has become one of the best goalkeepers in the league. In central defense, Nantes clearly lack quality, but their core of wing-backs/full-backs is almost unnecessarily good, in the sense that the amount of quality they have in these positions could be more useful elsewhere. On the left, both Quentin Merlin (21) and Jaouen Hadjam (20) are among the most exciting young full-backs in the league. On the other flank, Nantes lack in potential, but are stronger in terms of immediate quality, as Fabien Centonze is one of their best players. Even their backup right wing-back, Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel, is quite decent. In attack, Nantes have brought in two very interesting players on loan, in Rennes’ Matthis Abline, and Arsenal’s Marquinhos. These players are still unproven at the senior level, and will thus be very interesting to follow this season, assuming they’re given fair dosages of playing time respectively.
A team which shouldn’t be anywhere near the top half of the table, but which should be worth watching nonetheless. The 3–3 draw against Monaco last Friday is perhaps an example of this.
OGC Nice
If I had to choose three teams to watch in Ligue 1 this season, I would likely choose Lille, Monaco, and Nice. While Lille and Monaco will garner attention more naturally, I think Nice is a team that’s easy to look past, but you really shouldn’t. Nice already had a nice squad last season, although they desperately failed to get results (although this was also a result of how competitive the league is). However, over the summer, Nice have both brought in some very nice signings, and have appointed one of Europe’s most exciting young managers, Francesco Farioli.
Beginning with Francesco Farioli, he’s just 34 years old, but has already enjoyed some success managing in Turkey. There are many reasons why those familiar with him have such high praise for him, but the reductive explanation would be that he is regarded as the next Roberto De Zerbi — a comparison which is not completely unfounded, as De Zerbi has functioned a mentor for De Zerbi. Farioli seems perfect for Nice, and Nice seem perfect for him. Farioli being the manager is enough to make Nice an exciting team, but as mentioned, they also have some very interesting players.
Jean-Clair Todibo is one of the big stars at Nice, and while he has been linked with a move to Manchester United, it is quite uncertain whether or not he will stay at the moment. If he does stay, he will be one to watch for obvious reasons; in terms of ability, he is frankly way too good for Nice. As for a less known player in defense, it will be very interesting to see how Youssouf Ndayishimiye gets on this season. The 24-year old defender is born and raised in Burundi, has impressively made it all the way to Ligue 1, and has actually impressed in the limited playing time he’s received so far at Nice. This season he’s started all three of Nice’s opening league games, and he could be on the verge of a breakout season. Another interesting defender is 22-year old Melvin Bard, who has gone through some ups and downs at Nice, but has the talent to become a really good full-back one day. If Bard fails, keep an eye out for Ayoub Amraoui, Nice’s 19-year old Moroccan left-back, who got a couple starts last season, and could take up more space this season. On the opposite flank, there is more guaranteed quality, in Youcef Atal and Jordan Lotomba, who certainly should not be underestimated. A player who is extremely underestimated — perhaps even the most underestimated player of the last 15 years — is Dante. Sure, he isn’t, and never has been a true top player, but what makes him underrated is the fact that he’s rarely ever acknowledged at all. Given what he has achieved in his career, this is a huge disservice to him. He turns 40 in just a couple of months, and he’s not just rotting on the bench at Nice; no, he’s actually one of their best players. Even at his extremely old age, he’s still reliable defensively, and is more importantly absolutely excellent on the ball. He’s been a consistent starter in Europe for about 18 years, he’s been a starter in the top five leagues for less than 15 years, he was a starter in a treble-winning team, and is still a great player at the age of 40. Make sure to appreciate Dante before he throws in the towel; this season might be your last chance.
Moving on to the midfield, Khéphren Thuram is the big name there, and for good reason. It now looks as though he’ll stay at Nice for this season, and it could see him take the next step and becoming one of the best players in the world in his position. Aside from him, a player who will be really interesting to follow is Hicham Boudaoui, a 23-year old Algerian midfielder whose numbers are incredible, but his lack of playing time has prevented a true breakout season. On the left wing, 23-year old Sofiane Diop will be one to watch, but he’s not quite as intriguing as Jérémie Boga, who has finally left Italy for a brand new environment. Boga has been a world class dribbler and ball-carrier for many years now, but has struggled with injuries and end product. This season, the latter could finally change. On the other wing, Nice have their best u21 prospect, in Badredine Bounani, an 18-year old who looked fantastic in his debut senior season in 2022–23. If his development goes as planned, he could become one of the best wingers in the world. Finally, up front, Nice will be relying on veteran forward Gaëtan Laborde, who has been an end product machine in recent years, as well as Nigerian striker Terem Moffi, a technical, productive striker, who could finally have his true breakout season, after some promising, yet somewhat inconsistent years at Lorient.
To say the least, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Nice.
Paris Saint-Germain
What is there really to say about PSG? This season I guess it will be interesting to see if they can actually have a successful season, devoid of drama, for one. Technically, that’s already unachievable, as the club’s ultras have already clashed with Neymar, Messi, Mbappé, and even Juventus’ Dušan Vlahović, in recent months, and have since moved on to Marco Verratti, who is yet to leave the club, but seems determine to finally depart Paris. Once that settles, though… or, if that settles, PSG will be in for a very peculiar season. Expectations will be high for Luis Enrique, who I think is the best manager they’ve ever appointed. Moreover, it will be interesting to see if Kylian Mbappé will truly commit to PSG, or if there are another 18 u-turns coming up in the following year. The elephant in the room is perhaps how PSG will look following the departures of Messi and Neymar, but more specifically it will be interesting to see how the new signings get on, in a PSG team which feels decreasingly star-studded (the departure of Sergio Ramos perhaps also deserves a mention). Ousmane Dembélé, Marco Asensio, Manuel Ugarte, Lucas Hernández, Milan Škriniar, and Gonçalo Ramos, are signings that make for quite a drastic transfer window, and more signings could be coming up. Aside from seeing how these new signings will adapt to life in Paris, it will be interesting to see if PSG finally start taking advantage of their incredible youth sector, or if they will continue making the mistake of neglecting it, much to the advantage of other European clubs. Warren Zaïre-Emery is perhaps so good that not even PSG can overlook him, but even the likes of Cher Ndour, Edouard Michut, Ismaël Gharbi, and Ilyes Housni deserve minutes unless the club can find suitable loan moves for them. Finally, it will also be interesting to see if the signings of last summer can redeem themselves — Fabián Ruiz, Hugo Ekitiké (now increasingly likely to stay), Vitinha, Carlos Soler, and Nordi Mukiele.
Messi and Neymar may have left, but life goes on in the city of love, and this will be hard to miss over the upcoming year.
Stade de Reims
Will Still has led Reims to a 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions. At 30 years old, he’s the youngest manager in Europe’s top five leagues. Reims pay a £22,000 fine each time Still manages because he doesn’t have his UEFA Pro License
Stade Rennais FC
Rennes will not be the team to watch this season, for the simple reason that everyone will be watching them anyway. They have lost some big players in Jérémy Doku, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Lovro Majer, but they’ve also made some big signings, and have otherwise become infamous for their youth development. Similarly to Monaco, the actual performances of the team may not quite be as convincing, but Rennes will be extremely fun to follow nonetheless.
Their two starting center-backs, Arthur Theate (23), and Warmed Omari (23), are both extremely technical. Rennes’ third choice, Christopher Wooh (21), is not much worse, and 18-year old Jeanöel Belocian is perhaps the next big talent to come out of Rennes’ youth sector. 21-year old Adrien Truffert is one of extremely few young full-backs who are worth keeping an eye on, and even Lorenz Assignon, Rennes’ 23-year old right-back who looks set to become a starter this season, is a very interesting player. The latter could be Rennes’ big breakout player of this season, because he was excellent in the limited playing time he got last season.
In midfield is perhaps where Rennes excite the most. The big name is Désiré Doué, a prospect who could be on par with former Rennes sensation Eduardo Camavinga. In terms of more attacking players, Enzo Le Fée and Ludovic Blas are both sensational signings, that will likely end in substantial profits for Rennes, as they are a selling club after all. In the context of Ligue 1, however, make sure you tune in and watch them dress up in red and black before it’s too late — it will be worth it. Otherwise, a 35-year old Nemanja Matić is undeniably not the sexiest signing of the summer, but one which should not be overlooked. Similarly, some of Rennes’ best midfielders; Flavien Tait (30), Baptiste Santamaria (28), and Benjamin Bourigeaud (29); are all on the older side, but are among Rennes’ best players nonetheless. In attack, there is both young talent in Arnaud Kalimuendo, Amine Gouiri, and Ibrahim Salah, as well as more established talent in Martin Terrier. The quality is guaranteed.
From defense to attack, Rennes will be a thoroughly exciting team to watch this season, and I shouldn’t be the first one to tell you that.
RC Strasbourg Alsace
Strasbourg’s rags to riches story is amazing, and it’s frankly tragic that it has ended in the club essentially becoming a feeder-club to Chelsea, which is also an indicator of how football is moving in an alarming direction. The one upside is that Strasbourg, now led by the one and only Patrick Vieira, could be quite fun to watch this season. Last season they endured some serious struggles, but the appointment of Frédéric Antonetti actually saw a dramatic improvement in team performances. Unfortunately for Antonetti, he was replaced nonetheless, and we will see if Vieira can build on the good work of the former. Nonetheless, there is not much reason to believe that Strasbourg won’t be much better this upcoming season.
In defense is where Strasbourg have two of their utmost exciting players, in Ismaël Doukouré and Abakar Sylla, with the latter having just been brought in from Club Brugge. Sylla is the rawer player, although his potential is likely higher, whereas Doukouré is already decent defensively, but more importantly very technical, and a really unique, interesting center-back. Together with the former two, Saïdou Sow (21) and Junior Mwanga (20) form an exceptional young core in defense — one which you simply wouldn’t expect at a club like a Strasbourg. Another exciting young player is Habib Diarra, a 19-year old midfielder who has recently been linked with a move to Juventus, although the interest from the club doesn’t seem concrete so far. Nonetheless, this could be seen as a testament to Diarra’s talent. Like many players in France, his maturity and experience level for his age is extremely impressive, and as more time passes, more can be expected from him, which is something to keep in mind this season. My favorite Strasbourg player is a midfielder who is much more developed than Diarra: Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. A modern 8 with amazing progressive abilities, creativity, and end product, who does however lack somewhat in terms of ball-retention and defensive contribution, he is a player who I think belongs at least in a Europa League team, in terms of ability. Of course, the loanee Ângelo Gabriel from Chelsea will also be highly exciting to watch this season, as he’s one of the most teenage winger prospects in the world. New permanent signing Emanuel Emegha will also be really interesting to follow, especially as he’s already scored for Strasbourg.
Toulouse FC
Toulouse arguably have one of the most underrated sporting projects in Europe, and the fact that they finished 13th and won the Coupe de France immediately after being promoted back to Ligue 1, is a testament to that. They have lost their best player over the summer, in Branco van den Boomen, and they also seem to be on the verge of losing key player Farès Chaïbi to Eintracht Frankfurt, however Toulouse’s recruitment is exceptional, and you’d probably be wise to trust them to be fine off without these players. Another notable change which may very well benefit Toulouse, is the appointment of Carles Martínez, a 39-year old Catalonian manager with experience managing in Barcelona’s youth sector, and in the Middle East, who is now ready to take his first senior job. Given how good Toulouse’s recruitment is, you’d like to think that they see something special in Martínez as well. He’s one of the main reasons why Toulouse will be so interesting to follow this season. Another, of course, is their squad.
In goal, Toulouse have brought in another Spaniard, in 25-year old Álex Domínguez, arguably the best goalkeeper in the Spanish Segunda División last season. So far this season, he has not started for Toulouse, though. That is because they also have 18-year old Guillaume Restes, who looks like he could be Europe’s next teenage sensation between the sticks. Another interesting youth prospect at Toulouse is Christian Mawissa Elebi, an 18-year old who got his first senior start last season, and could see an increase in minutes this season. 22-year old Anthony Rouault is a much more developed player, whose departure should only be a matter of time, because he’s absolutely good enough for a Europa League team, and even some Champions League teams. For now, you get to see him in Toulouse-purple if you wish, however! His main center-back partner is Rasmus Nicolaisen, one of a few successful recruits from Scandinavia. Nicolaisen may be 26, and may not have been signed until he was 24, but defensively he’s a rock, and even technically he’s quite good. Kévin Keben is another teenager who was actually given four starts last season, and who should take another leap this year. This exciting core of center-backs is completed by 22-year old Moussa Diarra, whose potential could be even bigger than Anthony Rouault. As soon as he becomes a bonafide starter, he could have a breakout season. Out wide, it will be interesting to see if Norwegian right-back Waren Kamanzi can grow this season, after a promising first season at Toulouse.
In midfield, Toulouse will undoubtedly miss the brilliance of van den Boomen, but don’t overlook his replacement, Cristian Cásseres Jr. On top of him, Toulouse have brought in many somewhat raw and unproven players from around Europe, who could be ready to take a big leap this season. Given Toulouse’s track record, you’d like to think at least one of these smaller names blossoms into an exciting regular starter as early as this season. Otherwise, my favorite Toulouse player is Thijs Dallinga, a 23-year old target man with fantastic movement off the ball, and a really nice technique as well. He has only been getting better and better in recent years, and this season he might just become a sensation, although he’s struggled so far this season.
Stade de Reims
Alright, let’s actually talk about Reims. Will Still may not quite have been the superhuman prodigy that he was briefly made out to be, and as for the squad, Reims may now be without two of their top performers last season, in Jens-Lys Cajuste and Folarin Balogun. Even Dion Lopy, and Alexis Flips, were important players for Reims last season, and their absences will be felt. However, Reims have also made some very intriguing signings. Before going through their squad, it is worth mentioning that — despite the fact that he is flawed, and with all the jokes aside — Will Still is actually a very exciting manager, and he is one of the main reasons why Reims will be fun to follow this season.
With that being said, as for Reims’ new signings, the most intriguing is perhaps Keito Nakamura, who was followed by Lille for quite some time, but ended up signing for Reims instead. The 23-year old Japanese winger was one of the top performes in the Austrian Bundesliga, and it will be very fun to see how he handles the step up to Ligue 1. Another interesting signing from a smaller league is Mohamed Daramy, from FC København. Always an interesting prospect, following a lack of playing time at Ajax, Daramy would return to København at the age of just 20, and while his numbers are not mindblowing, the move was deemed a success, and he has now taken the step up to Ligue 1. Another one to watch. Reims have generally done a good job recruiting from all over Europe, and 26-year old Kenyan defender Joseph Okumu is another example of that — he was one of the top performers in the Belgian Pro League last season. As was Teddy Teuma, perhaps Reims’ most fun signing. He may be from Malta, and he may turn 30 next month, but he is yet another example of Union Saint-Gilloise’s excellent recruitment, and just yesterday his two goals proved to be decisive in a 3–1 win against Montpellier. Amine Salama, Oumar Diakité, Reda Khadra, Adama Bojang, and Josh Wilson-Esbrand, are other signings worth keeping an eye on.
As for Reims’ established squad, there’s a reason why the team finished 11th last season, although they have of course suffered from some outgoings. For instance, 23-year old Yehvann Diouf was arguably the best goalkeeper in the league last season, and easily one of the best in Europe. Possibly similarly to new signing Joseph Okumu, Emmanuel Agbadou may be 26 years old, but established himself as one of the best defenders in Ligue 1 last season. Another older, less known player, who still stands out for his contribution to the team, is Zimbabwean Marshall Munetsi, who is one of Reims’ most important players going forward. Azor Matusiwa may not have the same role, but is arguably even more important, and is 25 years old. Valentin Atangana Edoa just turned 18 just a couple of days ago, and the expectations on him shouldn’t be too high this season, but he already got his first two senior starts last season, and could get even more minutes this season. Kamory Doumbia is perhaps an even more exciting prospect though, as the 20-year old already impressed as a first team-regular last year, and could take an even bigger step this year. In attack is where Reims could struggle, and they will mainly be relying on the new signings, as well as 30-year old Junya Ito, who is one of their most important attacking players.
Conclusion
Something which may not have come across from this article so far, is just how competitive Ligue 1 will be this season. It is something which has been mentioned many times, but if you’ve actually taken the time to read this article up to this point (big if), I’m not sure you’ve realized just how many good teams in Ligue 1 there are. Sure, the teams at the top may not be amazing on a European scale, but the gaps between all the different teams in the league are miniscule. Out of all the teams that I think could at least be decent this season, there is PSG, Marseille, Lyon, Monaco, Lille, Rennes, Nice, Lens, Reims, Montpellier, Toulouse, and Strasbourg. Those are 12 teams, in a league with 18 teams. The decision by Ligue 1 to decrease the number of teams from 20 to 18 could actually make a huge difference. Even just for its promised level of competitiveness, I’m really excited about Ligue 1 this season, but that’s only part of its appeal. Its quality of football, and it’s gigantic pool of amazing talents — many of which haven’t even been mentioned in this article — were originally the reasons why I became interested in Ligue 1, despite having no natural affiliation to it. I think people who talk down on Ligue 1 truly don’t know what they’re missing out on. Hopefully this article is enough to change the mind of some people.
