Since 20th December, Ligue 1 has entered its winter break, with top-flight football not returning until mid-January. Get French Football News picks the strongest XI from the opening 17 games of the season.
Ligue 1 best mid-season XI (formation – 4-3-3)
Marcin Bulka – OGC Nice
The Polish international beat Kasper Schmeichel to earn the No.1 jersey this season. Francesco Farioli admitted that it was a difficult choice to make Bulka his first-choice goalkeeper, however, that choice has certainly been validated. Bulka went 78 days without scoring for club and country, having made his Poland debut in November. OGC Nice have the best defence in the league, but when they have been breached, Bulka has been a formidable last line of defence.
Lucas Hernandez – PSG
There was a certain degree of fan backlash when Hernandez joined the club from Bayern Munich at the end of the season, but he has quietened those critics with consistent, error-free performances. He has played in all but one of PSG’s Ligue 1 games this season, starting 12. Nuno Mendes certainly provides more offensively, but the injury-strewn Portuguese left-back will face a tough task to retake his spot in the starting XI when he makes his long-anticipated return.
Dante – OGC Nice
Dante ages like a fine wine. The Brazilian veteran suffered an ACL injury at the age of 37, but miraculously, not only did he return, but this season, he is producing some of his finest form. He is as solid as ever at the back, and his partner, Todibo, more than covers Dante’s understandable lack of pace. The Brazilian is, in possession, the most efficient progressor, and his marauding runs forward have become more of a staple of Nice’s play as the season has progressed. Dante has said that he is yet to make a decision on a potential end-of-season retirement. There is certainly no reason to hang up his boots just yet.
Jean-Clair Todibo – OGC Nice
Todibo has learnt from the best. The Frenchman has excelled alongside Dante, and whilst he is a very different player to his centre-back partner, he has adopted his good positional sense and determination in duels. His performances this season could hasten his departure. Having formed part of the most efficient defence in Ligue 1, he has attracted the interest of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Having established himself as a regular in Didier Deschamps’ France squad in recent months, he has shown himself capable of making the step up.
Jonathan Clauss – Marseille
Last season was marked by the disappointment of missing out on France’s World Cup squad. However, whilst Marseille have collectively struggled this year, Clauss has returned to form. He already has seven assists in all competitions and he is a frequent source of danger. Whilst he remains defensively shaky at times, the up-side in possession is considerable.
Warren Zaïre-Emery – PSG
The breakout star of 2023. After making his debut under Christophe Galtier, he has asserted himself as a guaranteed starter under Luis Enrique. He has gone from strength to strength these past months. His progress is reflected in his growing status, from the fringes of the France U21 side, he is now a fully-fledged France international, and at club level, he is undroppable, even despite PSG’s considerable investment in midfielders in recent windows. Zaïre-Emery already has three goals and five assists this season. Could he reach double figures for goals and assists come the end of the season?
Denis Zakaria – AS Monaco
Having been a peripheral figure at Chelsea last season, Zakaria would have been forgiven had he made a sluggish start to life at Monaco. However, that wasn’t the case; far from it. He was asked to fill in at centre-back in his opening games and he showed a great aptitude and understanding of the position. When in his more familiar midfield berth, he has been even more impressive. His press resistance and positional intelligence makes him the beating heart of Monaco’s midfield. If Monaco are to finish on the podium, Zakaria will play a considerable role.
Pierre Lees-Melou – Stade Brestois
Brest have been the surprise package so far this season, with Eric Roy’s side a shock candidate for the European places at the halfway point. Players such as Romain Del Castillo and Jérémy Le Douaron have been pivotal to their success, but no player is as important as Lees-Melou. The 30-year-old was also the player with the highest average match rating from L’Équipe over the first half of the campaign, and he embodies the spirit and workmanship that have defined Brest’s success.
Aleksandr Golovin – AS Monaco
Over the course of the past few months, Golovin has asserted himself as one of the best players in the league. Last season was his first since moving to Monaco back in 2018 where he wasn’t plagued by injuries. He has built on that this season, scoring five goals in just 15 appearances, and registering two assists. It has taken Golovin a while to deliver on his potential, but he is now finally doing so. The Russian playmaker has never hit double figures for goals in a Ligue 1 season, however, he is on course to do so this campaign.
Kylian Mbappé – PSG
PSG invested heavily in the forward areas following the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar, however, Les Parisiens’ dependence on Mbappé has arguably never been stronger. No player in the PSG squad, or the whole of Ligue 1 for that matter, has come close to the France captain’s 18-goal tally in the French top-flight. Wissam Ben Yedder is the next closest with just eight goals. This may be Mbappé’s final season at the Parc des Princes, but he could secure the club a third successive Ligue 1 title before a summer departure.
Edon Zhegrova – Lille OSC
Zhegrova has been the most eye-catching player in Ligue 1 this season. The Bosnian is ruthless when he isolates his opponent 1-v-1; no player has completed more successful take-ons this season in Ligue 1, whilst he ranks sixth in Europe’s top five leagues in this metric. Zhegrova is the creative heartbeat of this Lille side, and he already has four assists (fifth-highest in Ligue 1). His teammates have, at times been wasteful this season, and that shows. Zhegrova as the highest expected assists per 90 (xA/90), according to FBRef. It’s already proving to be a statistically impressive season for the winger, who has added consistency to his game this season.
Manager – Francesco Farioli
Farioli was an unknown quantity when he arrived at Nice, however, he quickly made a name for himself. He quickly established a defensive solidity, which laid the foundations for an impressive 13-game unbeaten run. Les Aiglons targeted European football at the start of the season, however, with his side currently in second, they can perhaps set their sights even higher and attempt to challenge PSG for the title.
