Ligue 1 may not yet possess the glamour of the Premier League or La Liga. What the results of the national team and domestic clubs have shown, however, is that it can depend on some of the best footballers in the world. With this in mind, choosing the 2022/23 Team of the Season is a mighty enjoyable task.
The 22/23 campaign involved more surprises for Paris-Saint Germain, Ligue 1’s flagship club, than its rich owners would have wanted. This, however, worked in the fans’ favorites.
In fantasy football, the managers that were capable of using their knowledge and flair managed to capitalize and win events such as the ones held in FootballCoin.
In fact, the FootballCoin detailed stats and the scoring system have proven so reliable that we’ve used them for assembling Ligue 1’s Team of the Season.
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain) – 703 points in FootballCoin
Gianluigi Donnarumma was destined to be an AC Milan legend. But financial compensation and the lure of glitzy Paris were enough to get him to sign for PSG.
The good news is that he’s not just folding it in at all. In a league that also includes goalies like Brice Samba, Kasper Schmeichel, or Alban Lafont, the Italian has been Ligue 1’s top goalkeeper with a 76% save percentage. This has happened in spite of PSG leaking goals through this campaign.
Defenders
Issyaga Sylla (Montpellier HSC) – 713 points
Issyaga Sylla knew that Ligue 1 can create stars of those who know how to utilize their opportunity. The 29 Senegalese is the top-rated defender in FootballCoin contests representing the French league.
Sylla‘ reliable passing, work ethic, and dedication made him a standout player and helped Montpellier finish 12th in the league.
Jeremy Le Douaron (Stade Brestois 29) – 474 points
Jeremy Le Douaron encapsulated the role of a modern wing-back. While deployed in a defensive role at the start of the season, the 25-year-old quickly took on more attacking duties. This led to scoring ten goals and providing three assists that had an important role in keeping Brest comfortably afloat.
Jonathan Clauss (Olympique Marseille) – 443 points
Jonathan Clauss’ performances were one of the best things about a season that promised so much more for Olympique Marseille. His team may have underperformed again, only finishing third, but Clauss was a consistent performer. He scored twice and provided nine assists, making him one of the most attack-minded fullbacks in France, according to stats.
Bradley Locko (Stade Brestois 29) – 421 points
Locko took his loan opportunity, arriving from Reims to Brest, and managed a good season. Yes, he only made 22 appearances, usually coming in off the bench. But with most of Brest’s attacks coming from the left side, the full-back contributed to a campaign in which Brest successfully and comfortably avoided relegation.
Midfielders
Teji Savanier (Montpellier HSC) – 630 points
Teji Savanier is the top midfielder in fantasy football this season. That’s a mighty impressive result considering all of the stars active in Ligue 1 who’ve failed to make the Team of the Season.
What set the 30-year-old apart? Savanier provided twelve goals and four assists. With Ligue 1 being played on Easy Mode in FootballCoin, a system that rewards goals and assists, these contributions were enough to propel the French midfielder into our TOTS.
Benjamin Bourigeaud (Stade Rennes) – 625 points
Benjamin Bourigeaud may not be a household name, either. But the midfielder contributed to one of Rennes’ best seasons in years one that, saw them finish fourth.
Bourigeaud was the team’s top performer, scoring seven and assisting ten. For shot-creating actions, he was one of the best midfielders in all of Europe, which bares the question of whether Rennes will be able to keep him at the club for another season.
Branco van den Boomen (Toulouse FC) – 574 points
Branco van den Boomen is a classic example of a Ligue 1 player that took advantage of a favorable opportunity. With the form of many of the important clubs oscillating, Toulouse managed to gather enough points to see off any threats of relegation. Van den Boomen was a consistent performer.
The Dutchman scored five goals and assisted eight. His performances showcased his excellent passing and long-range shooting. At a 9 million Euro transfer valuation, acquiring he midfielder’s services would be a steal for most clubs.
Adrien Thomasson (RC Lens) – 568 points
Adrien Thomasson nearly helped RC Lens achieve the seemingly impossible – winning the Ligue 1 crown. In the end, PSD edged them out, but Thomasson will remember this as a success. Although he only made 20 starts for Lens, the Frenchman scored five goals and assisted seven. This, together with his defensive contributions, was enough to earn him a place in our Team of the Season.
Forwards
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) – 747 points in FootballCoin
Lionel Messi is the MVP of Ligue 1 according to stats, the eye test, and fantasy football performance. But he has left Parc de Princes while being booed by PSG’s supporters. This was not the end of the Parisian affair that the Argentine World Champions would’ve wanted.
Still, Messi has, once again, let the number speak for themselves. In 32 games for PSG, he scored 16 goals and assisted another s16 times. His shot-creating actions put him in the top 1% of the world. And Messi helped Paris Saint-German win the title.
It wouldn’t be enough, of course, and while the Argentine is on his way to the MLS, manager Christophe Galtier has been fired.
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – 735 points
Kylian Mbappe, like Messi, managed a great season and furthered his reputation, but did not manage to win the Champions League for PSG. This last detail seems to have been the one with which Parisian fans concerned themselves with the most.
Still, Mbappe‘s figures are impressive. The Frenchman scored 29 goals (at an xG of 26.3) and offered 5 assists for PSG. He was among Europe’s elite for virtually all stats related to attacking action. And, if this is to be Mbappe‘s final season in France, it will eventually be remembered as a nice way to bow out.
