Best Young French Players in 2021

French Ligue 1 is usually known among the people and fans as a league without a strong offensive line. The scoring rate per game is usually lower than other leagues in the world, so to be more successful and confident, teams need to focus more on their defensive line to win the game with a more decisive result.

has made significant progress over the years, and thanks to the success of their national team, its popularity has raised again. The 2020/21 French Ligue 1 season was fascinating. There was an exciting suspension in every single match which lasted till the last competitions. We were lucky to see breathtaking performances in this tournament.

However, that didn’t stop the league to be the major factory for some of the best young French players during recent times. However, that is not to ignore French talents that are shining in foreign countries as they’re tasting a more competitive challenge aboard. Following the passage of their golden generation, France has struggled a bit in recent Euro. They had not been able to make much of an impact as what they had shown in the 2018 World Cup up this summer, and that’s why this upcoming generation of France youth players is so important to them.

All You Need to Know About the Best Young Spanish Players in 2021

To get a better understanding of the upcoming French talents through the last year, we take a look at the performances of the players aged under 23 who at least have 5 appearances through the past two seasons. We encounter the best young French players in addition to noticing their career and statistics so far.

10. Hugo Ekitike

• Age:

  19

• League:

  Ligue 1

• Club:

  Reims

• Position:

  Forward

First in our list of the best young French players in 2021 is

' wonderkid, who has contributed 9 goals and 2 assists through 19 appearances this season, of those which surprisingly, the 19-year-old has only started 12 of them, attracting great interest from Newcastle United last January but decided to stay with the Reims. Born in France, Ekitike is of Cameroonian descent., and made headlines when he became the highest-scoring teenager in Europe's top five leagues this season with eight goals in 17 games, which have made the media and the fans start comparing him to the French superstar Kylian Mbappe.

However, with a 70 overall rating and a potential to reach 82, Electronic Arts were a bit unfair with the youngster as he certainly isn’t among the best young French players in FIFA 22.

This season, Under Oscar Garcia, Reims have deployed 10 different formations across 19 games. What’s been quite a fun aspect of this side is the two-striker system deployed in 12 of those games, with Ekitike usually being one of those strikers.

Described as a humble and talented young man, Hugo Ekitike was still a prospect for Reims at the beginning of the season. He arrived back in France from a semi-successful spell in Denmark with Veile BK, where he got five goals and assists in eight games there.

Less than four months into the season, Ekitike was attracting high praise from his coach. Garcia said:

“There is something very special about him. He’s young, and he has the quality to become a very good player. He’s a young man with a lot of quality but also a lot to improve on, but he works hard in training.”

9. Mattéo Guendouzi

• Age:

  22

• League:

  Ligue 1

• Club:

  Marseille (on loan from Arsenal)

• Position:

  Defensive Midfielder

With an 80 overall rating and a potential to reach 86, Arsenal FIFA career fan has one of the best young French players in FIFA 22 in the hands, and the 22-year-old earned that after a slow start to his career in Arsenal.

joined Premier League team Arsenal for a £7 million-plus bonuses deal on July 11, 2018. Due to a history of concerns with his "attitude and general conduct," Guendouzi was barred from Arsenal training and left out of the club's match-day squads on June 20, 2020, following a post-match altercation with Brighton's Neal Maupay.

Arsenal announced on October 5, 2020, that Guendouzi would be loaned out to Hertha BSC for the 2020–21 season. Guendouzi made his Bundesliga debut on November 1, 2020, in a 1–1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg. He made a total of 24 Bundesliga appearances for Hertha, earning himself a spot in France’s Euro 2020 squad, where he made a sole appearance against Finland.

Guendouzi was loaned out to Ligue 1 club Marseille for the 2021–22 season on July 6, 2021. The agreement contained the option to buy if certain conditions were met. He had a solid start to his Marseille career, rapidly winning fans' respect for both his skill and his attitude in standing up for the squad, making a total of 29 appearances for Marseille, scoring three goals, and providing 5 assists.

Guendouzi's style is highlighted by his purposeful passing and running. He wants to be able to receive the ball and pass it around as much as possible. Guendouzi's all-action style makes him a good fit for playing in midfield as a defensive midfielder. Guendouzi is a versatile center midfielder who can play on the left, right, or in the center. 

Guendouzi is best defined as a half-winger who occupies the length of the half-space, sliding deeper into the space created by marauding fullbacks or advancing forwards to provide a more Forward, the fullback or wide midfielder has a central passing outlet. He is a real box-to-box midfielder, capable of impacting the game on both ends of the pitch.

8. Ibrahima Konaté

• Age:

  22

• League:

  Premier League

• Club:

  Liverpool

• Position:

  Centre-Back

Next on our list of the

best young French players in 2021

is Liverpool’s summer signing,

.

Konate is a dominating modern-day center-back who frequently plays on the right side of a back three or four. He wins the majority of his aerial duels and makes an impressive presence at the back, refusing to be pushed by more experienced strikers, standing at 6'4". The 22-year-old also has the speed to rival the fastest of attackers and can play out from the back while maintaining outstanding ball control.

Konate enjoyed childhood football at Paris FC, where he saw his skills develop quickly. He soon rose through the ranks of the Paris academy as a result of his achievements. While young Ibrahima was anxious to sign with Rennais and Caen, he chose Sochaux.

the French had to leave his family and country for the first time in his life in search of brighter pastures abroad (precisely in Germany). He developed into a beast of a defender at RB Leipzig. Truth be told, his towering 6 feet 4-inch height was enough to make any opponent tremble in fear. Making a total of 66 appearances for Leipzig over 4 seasons, Liverpool confirmed on May 28th, 2021, that they had reached an agreement with RB Leipzig to buy Konate on July 1st for a £36.00m fee.

Konate made his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace on September 18, 2021, starting alongside Virgil Van Dijk and keeping a clean sheet. He has made a total of 14 appearances for the Reds this season as he is pushing to become Jurgen Klopp’s second-choice centre-back behind Van Dijk, competing with the likes of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.

7. Sofiane Diop

• Age:

  21

• League:

  Ligue 1

• Club:

  Monaco

• Position:

  Left Winger/ Midfielder

One of Monaco’s latest prodigies, Sofiane Diop is the next in our list of the best young French players in 2021. Monaco snapped the young prodigy back in 2018 as he signed his first professional contract with Monaco after his debut season with the reserve side of Rennes before he establish himself as a prospect within

France youth players

.

Diop made a total of 35 appearances for Monaco last season, scoring 7 goals and providing 2 assists. He incredibly developed those stats as he has made 34 Monaco appearances so far this season, contributing 9 goals and 6 assists.

At just 5’5″ and with a slim build, Diop is notably small in stature and frame, which can hinder his strength and effectiveness in physical duels. The agile forward can sometimes be muscled off the ball fairly easily when in direct duels, and due to his height and build, he poses little to no aerial threat. However, he does possess a good burst of pace and a very impressive change in direction which allow him to nip ahead of opponents and evade challenges.

Arguably the strongest area of Diop’s game is his technical ability in possession of the ball. The winger possesses excellent close control and can dribble at speed or face up to his opponent and take them on in 1v1 situations.  Diop has proven to be a versatile player throughout the last season with

. He has occupied several different positions within Les Monégasques’ forward line. The 21-year-old has popped up wide on both wings, as more of an inside forward just off the striker, as a number 10, and as a central midfielder in a midfield three.

After establishing himself as a first-team regular last season, Diop will be keen to further cement his starting spot in a highly competitive Monaco squad. With two years left on his current contract, he may also be looking to prove that he deserves a new deal, and Monaco will likely be keen to tie him down or they may run the risk of losing him at a cut-price. At just 21, the midfielder has the vast majority of his career ahead of him and has the technical ability, work rate, and cutting edge to play at a very high level.

6. Rayan Aït-Nouri

• Age:

  20

• League:

  Premier League

• Club:

  Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Position:

  Left-Back

Among the

best young French players in FIFA 22

and the next in our list of the best young French players in 2021is Wolves’ versatile left-back, Rayan Ait-Nouri, who fought over his place to become a starter for the Wolves since he joined the club from Angers back in 2021 summer for a reported £9.8m fee. With a 75 overall rating and a potential to reach 86, he is definitely one to grab for FIFA 22 career mode fans.

Born and raised in Montreuil in the north of France, Ait-Nouri's first big break in the football scene arrived in the form of Paris FC, whom he joined in 2014 after enjoying a pair of two-year spells at AS Val de Fontenay and ASF Le Perreux 94.

Invited by Lablatinière to a youth tournament watched on by a number of the Angers’ staff, Ait-Nouri immediately impressed and Angers moved swiftly to secure his services, with €5,000 sent to Paris FC. Over 3 seasons with Angers’ first team, he contributed four assists. While playing in a side revered for their stoutness undoubtedly helped improve his defensive nous considerably, it's Ait-Nouri's attacking intangibles that helps him stand out among the crowd.

The confident 19-year-old boasts supreme technique and especially excels in crossing situations. The teenager's also mightily athletic and may prove to be a useful outlet for Wolves at transitions. Over the past two seasons, the French left-back made a total of 40 appearances for the Wolves, contributing a goal and six assists.

Aït-Nouri is also eligible to play for Algeria and has previously stated that he’s very proud of his Algerian heritage. But so far, he hasn’t received any inquiries from the first teams of either nation. It’s something he doesn’t think too much about, but no doubt will make the decision when the time comes; for now, he is happy focusing on the U-21s.

5. Illan Meslier

• Age:

  21

• League:

  Premier League

• Club:

  Leeds United

• Position:

  Goalkeeper

Next in our list of the best young French players in 2021 is

fans’ favorite goallee, Illan Meslier. Meslier began playing football with his local club Merlevenez at the age of 6, and after a successful match against FC Lorient joined their academy and after impressing through Ligue 2 with Lorient, making 30 appearances, he joined Leeds United for a £5.85m deal in 2020.

Not many goalkeepers take to their first year in Premier League football in the manner that Illan Meslier has done, let alone doing so as a 21-year-old. The French youth international keeper has been a key figure between the sticks at Elland Road last season, ending the season as Leeds United’s Young Player of the Season.

Meslier had 11 clean sheets to his name in the Premier League last season which was the joint fifth-highest in the entire league. That is really impressive considering the offensive style of football that Leeds play and in a system where a lot is expected from every player. He has been assured and safe in goal, with great distribution and phenomenal reflexes making him such a reliable figure in a goal, and he can only get better with age and cut down further on the rare errors.

As good as Meslier already is at 21, he is still an unfinished article who needs a lot of refinement to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He needs to work on his distribution skills and find a way to develop a better positional sense. With age by his side, we can expect Meslier to become one of the best keepers in the world in a few years and fight for a place as the French number 1.

4. Obite Evan Ndicka

• Age:

  22

• League:

  Bundesliga

• Club:

  Eintracht Frankfurt

• Position:

  Centre-Back

Having joined Ligue 2 side, Auxerre, at the age of 13, Ndicka progressed through the club's academy and made his professional debut on 27 January 2017 before earning a £4.95m move to Frankfurt on Jul 5, 2018. He made a total of 16 appearances for Auxerre over the two seasons

He quickly became an important member of the first-team squad and was featured regularly for the club in the league and the Europa League. In February 2019, his performances earned him the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award, a monthly title awarded to the highest performing under-23 player in a particular month, and saw him also nominated for the Rookie of the Season award.

He has made a total of 121 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit so far, contributing nine goals and seven assists. 26 of them came this season as he’s speeding up his career, scoring two goals and contributing 3 assists.

Among the

best young French players

over the past seasons, completing 84.2% of his dribble attempts and 1.1 dribbles per 90, he is perfectly capable of bringing the ball out from defense and advancing the play, an attribute which is highly sought after in the modern central defender. Note that the sides linked with a move for the defender, Arsenal, and Southampton, currently use David Luiz and Jack Stephens in these roles.

A key aspect of the modern defender is to be involved with the build-up of attacks, their passing has to be accurate and forward-thinking. The graphic below shows how often N’Dicka looks to move the ball forward, with 44% of his passes advancing the play.

His aerial duels are nothing to be sniffed at either, winning over half (54.7%) of these. Compare this to the highly-rated 23-year-old Fikayo Tomori of Chelsea, who wins a similar amount with exactly 55%.

3. Moussa Diaby

• Age:

  22

• League:

  Bundesliga

• Club:

  Bayer Leverkusen

• Position:

  Left Winger

Boasting with 10 goals and 6 assists so far in 20 Bundesliga appearances this season, the next in our list of the

best young French players in 2021

is the product of the Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy, Moussa Diaby, who joined the club when he was 13 and remained there as a wonderkid. After a loan move to Crotone, Diaby was called back to PSG as he went on to make 25 Ligue 1 appearances in 2018–19, scoring four times across all competitions with 7 assists to his name.

His performances earned him a €15.0m move to

on Jul 1, 2019, where he sped up his career. In the 20/21 season, he completed 21 crosses into the box, the most in the Leverkusen side. He finished third for completed dribbles too. Unfortunately, this partly limited his impact in front of goal, with him notching just 9 across the last two seasons in Germany. Worse still, he was converting just 8% of his shots into goals in 20/21. While Diaby himself has worked on his own abilities, his uptick in the 2021/22 season can also be traced to the summer activities of the Eternal Bridesmaids.

Diaby has been deployed on the right-wing under Seoane, with an aim to drive inside when Leverkusen begins their counter attacks.  Through his attacking output, we can see that Diaby has eliminated crosses from his game. He is also taking more shots, attempting more from the outside of the box. What is noticeable this season is that Diaby has looked to pull back from his marker to create space for himself. This perhaps can be linked to his equal share in shots from inside and outside of the box. Rather than always looking to get in behind, he is taking up positions from further out for his goal attempts. In a total of 110 games over the past three seasons, Diaby has contributed 31 goals and 30 assists, which is an incredible stat for the 22-year-old winger.

On 26 August 2021, he received his first call to France's senior squad. He made his international debut on 1 September 2021 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, replacing Kylian Mbappé in the last minute of the match. He has made a total of 4 senior France appearances so far.

2. Amine Gouiri

• Age:

  21

• League:

  Ligue 1

• Club:

  ODC Nice

• Position:

  Centre-Forward/ Attacking Midfield

Next in our list of the best young French players in 2021 is Nice’s unique footballer, Amine Guiri.

Gouiri signed his first professional contract with Lyon on 3 July 2017, where he couldn’t break into the first team. On 1 July 2020, Gouiri joined fellow Ligue 1 side Nice on a four-year contract for a fee of £6.3m fee.

That was the turn of Guoiri’s career as he established himself as one of Nice’s first-team players from very beginning of his arrival last season. In a total of 67 appearances he made for Nice over past two seasons, Guoiri has contributed 27 goals and 15 assists.

As a right-footed player deployed on the left, Gouiri is extremely effective at cutting inside and delivering a wicked cross, see his assist for Dante’s goal away to Montpellier, or opting for a curling effort into the far corner; he’s found his trademark at just 21, that’s impressive. Not only is Gouiri Nice’s top scorer, he’s also their top creator, with five Ligue 1 assists. The attack doesn’t exist without him; take him out and they’d crumble. At such a young age, you are often allowed time to develop whilst senior pros ensure the machinery ticks over, not at

. Gouiri is the fundamental piece of their attacking puzzle, and it’s most certainly a puzzle without him. Currently loitering dangerously above the relegation zone, and with just three wins in their last 13 league games, Gouiri is going to have to dig Nice out of yet another hole.

Perhaps the most impressive, and most underrated, aspect of Gouiri’s game, however, is his creative flair and vision. He averages 1.4 key passes per 90, which is more than Kylian Mbappé’s 1.2, and whilst Gouiri’s tally isn’t groundbreaking, it’s promising for someone with such a killer instinct in the box.

Gouiri isn’t a traditional winger, and it may well turn out that his long-term future in the game will see him move centrally on a permanent basis, but with him carrying Nice on his back from the left, it’s highly unlikely his position will be altered this year. Another 12-18 months of development, however, and you could be seeing Gouiri balling in the Champions League for one of Europe’s elite.

1. Aurélien Tchouaméni

• Age:

  22

• League:

  Ligue 1

• Club:

  Monaco

• Position:

  Defensive Midfield

A defensive midfielder is topping our list of

the best young French players in 2021

, but so deservedly. Starting his senior career with Bordeaux, after making 37 appearances over two seasons at France’s top level, he got snatched by Monaco and joined the club for a £16.20m fee on Jan 29, 2020.

Over the past two seasons, he was an essential part of Monaco’s squad, making 79 appearances through all competitions, contributing 6 goals and 6 assists. In addition to the prosperous club career, Aurelien has presented France's national team since 2015. Being of Cameroonian descent, Aurelian is a youth international footballer for France's national team. He appeared in France's senior team in 2021. His first international debut was on 1 September 2021, in which he played in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He combines the best aspects of N’Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba.

is a ruthless ball-winner who is also capable of breaking forward from deep to punch a hole in an opposition defense. He has made a combined 232 tackles and interceptions in Ligue 1 since the start of last season. Only two players in the league have made more.

An athletic player who combines his sharp turn of pace with a fine-tuned anticipation and reading of the game, Tchouaméni is a nightmare to play against. Not only does he win the ball back for Monaco with astonishing regularity, but he also moves it along beautifully once he has, with his range of passing allowing the midfield runners in front of him to dart into space up ahead knowing that possession, and therefore the space behind them, won’t be ceded. Tchouaméni cuts quite the imposing figure in midfield. The rangy defensive midfielder’s breakout season saw him being used mainly in a double pivot for Monaco, he also saw some time in a three-man midfield either as the deepest midfielder responsible for shielding the backline or as a box-to-box midfielder on the right of the three.

With a unique combination of size, strength, timing, and coordination, he is quite proficient at cleanly dispossessing attackers frequently. He is a very athletic and mobile, imposing presence Tchouaméni’s main strengths are apparent in the defensive phase. At the tender age of 21, he has already proven to be one of the best defensive midfielders in European football. This is apparent in his exceptional metrics, where Tchouaméni ranks in the top percentiles for virtually every defensive metric, showing himself to be a very polished and well-rounded defensive player.

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