Match of the Day Top 10: Greatest French Premier League players. The Match of the Day Top 10 boys discuss the top players in the French Premier League in the most recent episode of series five.
From the start of the Premier League in 1992 to the present, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards never lacked options.
Record in the Premier League: 156 appearances, 70 goals, and 56 assists
Eric Cantona was the driving force behind Manchester United’s ascent to domestic dominance after his surprise midseason transfer from Leeds to the club in 1992–1993.
In his first season with the team, the French striker helped United win the league for the first time in 26 years, and he later inspired a league and cup double during the 1993–94 season.
Match of the Day Top 10: Greatest French Premier League players
The following year, United performed similarly, and Cantona scored an incredible volleyed winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
Cantona was suspended for the second half of the 1994–95 season after getting sent off against Crystal Palace for kicking a spectator. He later returned to assist United win the league and cup in 1995–96, a year in which he was named FWA Player of the Year.
Lucien Makelele
League: Chelsea (2003-2008)
Record in the Premier League: 144 appearances, 2 goals, and 4 assists
When people think of great holding midfielders, Claude Makelele is frequently one of the first names that come to mind.
The £16.8 million he paid to join the Blues from Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 was a steal considering Makelele would go on to play a major role in the team’s success over the following several years.
Altogether, with the Frenchman constantly present, he assisted Chelsea in winning two league championships, one FA Cup, and two League Cup triumphs.
Kante, N’Golo
Chelsea and Leicester (2015–16) (2016-present)
Record in the Premier League: 222 appearances, 12 goals, and 16 assists
N’Golo Kante wasn’t well-known when he transferred from Caen to Leicester in 2015 for a pitiful cost of roughly £5.6 million, but his impact was felt right away as he was a crucial part of that year’s fairytale title-winning campaign.
The next season, Chelsea paid £32 million for him thanks to his dominance of midfield for the Foxes, and he once again had the same effect, helping the Blues win the title and earning PFA Player of the Year honors.
Kante is one of the top central midfielders of his generation, and he has won the Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup.
