French football has produced some golden generations. From legends like Zidane and Platini to modern heroes like Mbappé, Griezmann and Giroud, Les Bleus have shaped the history of world football. Here is our ranking of 10 best French players in historyrevisited to highlight the icons of the last 30 years.
Rank | Photo | Name | Selections / Goals | Major honours | Key clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
| Zinedine Zidane | 108 / 31 | CDM 1998, Euro 2000, Ballon d'Or 1998 | Juventus, Real Madrid |
2 |
| Michel Platini | 72 / 41 | Euro 1984, 3 Ballons d'Or | Saint-Étienne, Juventus |
3 |
| Thierry Henry | 123 / 51 | CDM 1998, Euro 2000, C1 2009 | Arsenal, Barça |
4 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 80+ / 40+ | CDM 2018, finalist 2022 | PSG, Real Madrid |
5 |  | Patrick Vieira | 107 / 6 | CDM 1998, Euro 2000 | Arsenal, Inter Milan |
6 |
| Didier Deschamps | 103 / 4 | CDM 1998 (cap.), Euro 2000 | OM, Juventus |
7 |
| Lilian Thuram | 142 / 2 | CDM 1998, Euro 2000 | Parma, Juventus, Barça |
8 |
| Laurent Blanc | 97 / 16 | CDM 1998, Euro 2000 | OM, Inter, Man United |
9 |
| Olivier Giroud | 127+ / 54+ | CDM 2018, finalist 2022 | Montpellier, Arsenal, AC Milan |
10 |
| Antoine Griezmann | 127+ / 44+ | CDM 2018, finalist 2016 & 2022 | Atlético Madrid, Barça |
A technical genius, Zidane remains the symbol of French football. Two goals in the 1998 World Cup final and a magical Euro 2000.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000, Ballon d'Or 1998.
The maestro of the 1980s, Platini led Les Bleus to their first major title.
Prize list: Euro 1984, 3 Ballons d'Or.
Top scorer for Les Bleus until 2022, Henry has made a name for himself through his consistency and success with Arsenal and Barcelona.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000, C1 2009.
A current icon, Mbappé has already won a World Cup and is aiming to go down in history.
Prize list: CDM 2018, finalist 2022.
A powerful and technically gifted midfielder, Vieira was the driving force behind France's midfield in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000, multiple titles with Arsenal and Inter.
Captain of Les Bleus at the 1998 FIFA World Cup? and then victorious coach in 2018.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000, C1 1993.
Thuram, the record holder for France caps, was the hero of the 1998 semi-final with his brace.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000.
The 'President', elegant defender and goalscorer, winner of the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
Prize list: CDM 1998, Euro 2000.
An effective striker who is often underestimated, Giroud became Les Bleus' all-time top scorer in 2022.
Prize list: CDM 2018, finalist 2022, Europa League 2019.
One of the most consistent and versatile of the modern Les Bleus, Griezmann has been the team's attacking metronome since 2014.
Prize list: CDM 2018, Euro finalist 2016, World finalist 2022.
This new list reflects the evolution of French football. Zidane and Platini embody creative genius, Henry and Mbappé attacking efficiency, Vieira, Deschamps and Thuram collective strength, while Giroud and Griezmann symbolise the consistency and longevity of the current generation.
Zinedine Zidane is often cited as the greatest French player in history. World champion in 1998, Euro 2000 winner and Ballon d'Or winner the same year, he remains an icon of world football.
Michel Platini holds the record with 3 consecutive Ballon d'Or awards (1983, 1984, 1985). Zinedine Zidane and Raymond Kopa have each won 1 Ballon d'Or.
Since 2022, Olivier Giroud is Les Bleus' all-time top scorer, with more than 54 goals for the national teamThierry Henry.
Lilian Thuram holds the record with 142 selections between 1994 and 2008. Antoine Griezmann is well on the way to achieving this.
Just Fontaine remains France's top scorer at the World Cup with 13 goals scored in 1958This is still a record for a single event.
Karim Benzemaalthough not in the top 10 of this article, is one of the most successful thanks to his 5 Champions Leagues with Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappé is the face of the modern Les Bleus. A 2018 world champion and 2022 finalist, he is already one of France's all-time top scorers before the age of 25.
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