After nearly 10 months of competition, the season is finally in its business end. The course of the next handful of weeks will determine the outcome of a year’s worth of work for Europe’s top sides.
Much of the attention will, of course, be focused on the team prizes, but it is that time of the year when individuals are recognised for their outstanding contributions throughout the campaign.
The nominations for the outstanding Ligue 1 players were made on Thursday, with two Paris Saint-Germain stars, one from Lyon and, surprisingly, just one from league leaders Monaco up for the gong.
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From PSG, top scorer Edinson Cavani and Marco Verratti represent the capital side, while Alexandre Lacazette is once again Lyon’s candidate. Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva got the nod from Monaco.
It is a vote that necessarily has caused a great deal of discussion. For scorers like Cavani and Lacazette, it is easy to win the headlines, but that does not necessarily bring their sides more value than some more understated performers.
Meanwhile, big names inevitably attract a greater share of the vote, even if their performances have dipped below their usual high standards.
Here is a list of the top ten players in Le Championnat this term…
#10 Yoan Cardinale (Nice)
Outrageously overlooked for a nomination to the Ligue 1 Team of the Season, the goalkeeper may not be the most fashionable face in France’s top flight, but he has been one of the most dependable. He did not even start the season as the first choice for his club, but he has developed into a very solid shot-stopper.
Perhaps his best performance of the season came in the 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the end of April, when he made numerous fine saves, doing so with apparent comfort. Playing behind such an open team is no easy challenge, but Cardinale has risen to it.
#9 Benjamin Mendy (Monaco)
Mendy joined Monaco in the summer from Marseille and has comfortably exceeded expectations. He has formed a terrific tandem with Djibril Sidibe, who plays on the opposite flank, with both incredibly willing to push forward and create for others. It has meant that their side have been open at times, but it makes for thrilling football.
There is perhaps no better crosser from open play in the game today than the former Marseille left-back, who has created five goals for his team-mates this season.
#8 Corentin Tolisso (Lyon)
It’s been a disappointing season on the whole for Lyon, but in Tolisso they have a player who has shown terrific versatility and no little quality. He has increased his goal scoring power and now has a career-high figure of eight to his credit, while he has also contributed a further three assists.
The 22-year-old took a gamble by turning down Napoli to stay at Parc OL last summer, claiming that he needed time to mature, but it has paid off handsomely. Now a France international, he can look forward to a big move in the summer.
He may not eclipse Alexandre Lacazette in terms of the headlines, but he has with his performances this term.
#7 Florian Thauvin (Marseille)
Thauvin returned to France after a poor spell at Newcastle but has come back a more mature player – arguably Marseille’s best of the season. He has certainly improved as the campaign has gone on, as he showed when he scored a hat-trick in the recent 5-1 win against Caen, and he has formidable numbers both in terms of goals (15) and assists (eight), ranking in the top five of both statistics.
The Frenchman can definitely become more consistent, but the signs are that he is starting to finally realise his undoubted potential.
#6 Wylan Cyprien (Nice)
Until the central midfielder sustained a serious knee injury earlier in 2017, he was arguably the player of the season. The 22-year-old, who arrived in the summer from Ligue 2 side Lens, fitted in rapidly to top-level football in France, producing a series of outstanding performances that often kept Nice in the title hunt whenever it seemed they were fading.
A ligament injury was a sad way for the campaign to end, but if he can come back strong for the Allianz Riviera side next season, he will be a major force once more in Le Championnat.
#5 Edinson Cavani (PSG)
While he might not be everyone’s favourite striker, the Uruguayan has been instrumental in Paris Saint-Germain’s push for the Ligue 1 title. He has broken the barrier of 30 goals for a league season, which is a remarkable achievement, and has stepped into Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s boots in a formidable manner.
He is not the kind of player who can turn water into wine, as the Swede was, but his movement is second to none and – so long as he doesn’t have to think too much – he is a fine goal poacher. French fans have finally seen him with confidence this season and he looks as good as ever.
#4 Thomas Lemar (Monaco)
Monaco have been one of the most outstanding offensive sides in Europe this season. Much of their threat has come from the wings, where Lemar has starred. He is the perfect example of a promising youngster who was picked up cheaply – in his case from Caen – but has gone to another level in the principality.
The poster boy for their new transfer policy, he has scored an impressive eight goals and has directly created seven more.
Had Kylian Mbappe played more than four months of the campaign, he may well have displaced his team-mate on this list, but the teenager has yet to show his qualities over an extended period, which is key for an award such as this.
#3 Fabinho (Monaco)
Every great side needs a great leader, and in Fabinho, Monaco have found the player to drive them forward from the heart of the field. He has been exemplary throughout the season, having seen his role change from right-back to central midfielder, where he has been stationed throughout a highly successful campaign.
He remains primarily a defensive player from open play, which is why he can be unsung at times, but he also has a healthy goal tally thanks to his acumen from the penalty spot. Manchester United are reportedly eyeing him up to be an option at full-back, but Jose Mourinho could do worse than sign him and stick him in midfield.
#2 Jean Michael Seri (Nice)
The Ivory Coast international midfielder has become known as something of Ligue 1’s N’Golo Kante this season due to his energetic performances in the heart of the midfield. His performances have been utterly dependable, and under new head coach Lucien Favre, he has been handed an increased attacking role that has allowed him to display more facets of his game.
When key players have been missing for his side – Cyprien in particular – he has stepped forward into the spotlight flawlessly, scoring a number of important goals and keeping his side driving forward amidst adversity.
His performances will not have gone unnoticed abroad, so expect him to be one of the great wildcards in the summer transfer market.
#1 Bernardo Silva (Monaco)
The diminutive winger has been the outstanding player in Ligue 1 this season, producing a string of mesmerising performances for the league leaders. His ball control has always been exceptional, but to that, he has added a cutting edge in the final third of the field that has taken his game to a new level. With six goals and eight assists, his numbers might not be as great as some players, but these certainly don’t tell the whole story.
Monaco see him as an indispensable member of their squad, and given the talent he has shown both in Ligue 1 and in Europe this season, it is little wonder.
