Age is often a determining factor when assessing a player’s worth. Many think young players with raw ability should explode into Ballon d’Or contenders any day, while the potential of players in the second half of their twenties is readily written off. This is, usually, naive. And Lille midfielder Benjamin André is proof.
Potential is a speculative concept, it generates hype and, often wildly, inflates value. Evidence of such an implied worth is, by its very nature, thin. Although the potential of players under 23 is feverishly discussed, it’s dismissed when assessing anyone over 25. In an age when most clubs invest heavily in analytics and ways in which to maximize their resources, it’s a surprise the usefulness of “older” players hasn’t been exploited more.
The resale value of younger players is of course a major factor but genuine on-field success breeds praise, interest and income regardless of a side’s age profile. Chelsea’s recent, and so far failed, attempts to build more of a stock portfolio than a football team shows some sort of balance is needed as does the late blossoming of club great Frank Lampard. Lampard didn’t make his Chelsea debut until the age of 23, having developed in a more conducive environment at West Ham.
André – a Ligue 1 & Coupe de France-winning captain
Recent Ligue 1 history is full of players who have developed in a similarly considered manner only to be undervalued once into their mid-to-late-twenties. Former Nice and Montpellier striker Andy Delort’s early career meandered through Wigan and Tours before a breakthrough season with Caen as he turned 24. Montpellier talisman Teji Savanier only made his Ligue 1 debut at 26 but quickly became one of the league’s premier performers. Rennes forward Martin Terrier didn’t truly find form until his 21-goal campaign in 2021/22 at 24.
These players, and many more besides, saw comparatively little interest in the early years but have become hugely effective Ligue 1 players who could have, Terrier still might, moved onwards and upwards. This is André’s eighth consecutive appearance in the GFFN 100, the first of those came in 2016 at the age of 26 and has since captained Coupe de France and Ligue 1 winning teams.
Born in Nice, André eventually emerged from Corsican club Ajaccio’s youth system before six seasons as a senior at Stade François Coty, playing the final three in Ligue 1. A stalwart throughout, aside from a patchy 12/13 campaign as part of a strong midfield group, André impressed despite Ajaccio finishing bottom in 2014. Capable of playing on the right of midfield at the time, his nine goals and assists that season remains the best of his career and piqued Rennes’ interest, resulting in a free transfer that summer as André turned 24.
SFRC, who initially considered the player for a full-back role, were largely an underachieving mid-table club during André’s five years in Brittany, finishing 9th, 8th, 9th, 5th and 10th but André, having ironed out some wrinkles in his game, eventually became a quietly influential leader thanks to his astute use of the ball, unerring consistency and defensive acumen. André remains a wholly unspectacular but fiercely effective performer.
By the age of 26, André had settled in at Rennes, ranking 74th in the GFFN 100 for 2016 with our team praising his defensive work, neat passing and burgeoning quality from deadballs but bemoaning his tendency to be booked. For 2017 André jumped 51 places to 23rd on our list as his ‘stature continued to grow’ amid fleeting interest from Liverpool while becoming ‘one of the best holding midfielders in Ligue 1,’ again standing out in an underperforming side.
The 2017 report asked ‘how far can he go?’ The answer was both everywhere and nowhere. Having held steady at 24th in 2018 after another quietly effective year, André would captain Rennes to the 2019 Coupe de France title, beating PSG on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw. The then 28-year-old drew a characteristically understated six out of ten from L’Equipe who pointed to a rare André error, losing possession which created a first-half chance for Kylian Mbappe. The paper, however, praised his use of the ball after the break and his defensive work.
An ‘Opta player’
Despite Rennes’ triumph, an €8m move to Lille was a significant jump at the time, Les Dogues had finished nine places above SFRC as runners-up in 2019. André’s ensuring Champions League adventure only underlined his quality, scoring twice as Lille fell in the group stages. André continued to climb the 100 too, placing 16th that year and then 13th in 2020, our team labeling him an “Opta player” such was his statistical performance.
The Frenchman’s numbers have always impressed. According to FBRef, André has made Ligue 1’s top nine for tackles won every year since the 2016/17 campaign, leading the league in 21/22 and 22/23 and also pacing second across Europe’s ‘Big 5’ divisions in those years. André made France’s most passes into the first third last season, having often made the top team for this and the progressive passing metric in recent campaigns, while making the aerials won list in five of the last seven seasons. His 187 aerial duels won in 17/18 was the most in France – impressive for a 1.80m central midfielder.
André’s zenith came in 2021 as he gloriously led Lille to a shock Ligue 1 title, pushing the then 31-year-old up to a career-high fifth in the 100 as our team praised ‘Lille’s locomotive’ for his ‘battling mentality’ and his ‘hounding and hustling’. Only beaten by Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Lucas Paqueta and champion Seko Fofana, so commanding, consistent and precise was André as Lille won the league that he could have topped the list in other years.
Lille’s torrid title defence contributed to André, at 32, dropping outside the top 25 for the first time since 2016, falling to 51st last year, but 2023 has only reaffirmed André’s enduring quality and poise. The veteran midfielder remains in Ligue 1’s top 10 for tackles (4th) and aerials won (7th) this season while his experience, leadership and midfield ruthlessness have been key in leading a new Lille generation back toward the league’s summit.
Now 33, André’s career boasts many highs as well as scores of low-key but outstanding performances. Looking back, he will be proud. Others, however, will rue a missed opportunity.
