23 Most Famous French Footballers of All Time

Want to learn more about the famous French footballers who have impressed the whole world with their skills? Then you’ve come to the right place!

The French team, fondly called Les Blues, has had and still has some of the best footballers to have played the sport.

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The recently concluded 2022 World Cup and the previous one in 2018 are testaments that they were and are still a powerful team in addition to the all-star team that won the World Cup way back in 1998.

You might have heard about them or know their names, but this guide of the 23 most famous French footballers will give you some insight into their lives and tell you about their achievements.

Famous French Footballers

Whether they are goal machines, support systems, or guardians of the net, each player has an important role in the team.

And only when they all come together in their best forms do we get to witness enthralling and nail-biting matches like the 2022 and 2018 World Cup finals.

With some of the greatest players, be it strikers, defenders, midfielders, or even goalkeepers, here is a list of the most famous French footballers.

Agreed, it’s hard to write about everyone but I’ll do my best to include the ones you must know about.

1. Michel Platini

We begin the list of French football players with one of the most famous footballers of all time, Le Roi (The King) or Michel Platini.

He won the Ballon d’Or and the Serie A capocannoniere (for being the top goal scorer for Juventus) three times in a row from 1983-85.

After this, he was awarded the title of Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur and later elevated to Officier in 1998.

He played for the French national team and was one-quarter of 4 midfielders forming the magic square.

Then, he became the 6^th president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in 2007.

A year prior, he held the position of vice president of the French Football Federation and was once the France national team coach from 1988 to 1992.

2. Didier Deschamps

Next on the list of the best French football players is Didier Deschamps, who was a defensive midfielder for some of the top European clubs, like Marseille, Chelsea, Valencia, and Juventus.

When Didier played for Marseille, they became the first and still the only French team to win the UEFA Champions League in 1992-93. He also became the youngest captain to win it.

He was captain of the French national team when they won the World Cup in 1998 and the EUFA European Championship (Euro) in 2000.

Since 2012, Didier has managed the French national team leading them to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and runners-up in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

This win made him one of three men to win it both as a player and a manager, and only the 2nd captain after Franz Beckenbauer to do so.

3. Just Fontaine

Former Moroccan born-French forward and one of the best France national team players, Just Fontaine has played for USM Casablanca, Nice, and Stade de Reims.

He was Reims’ top goal scorer, scoring 121 goals in 6 seasons and winning the Ligue 1 championship in 1958 and 1960.

Fontaine scored the most goals in the 1958 FIFA World Cup with 13 goals in 6 matches, the highest number scored by one player in a single World Cup tournament to date. This achievement won him the Golden Boot.

He also holds the 4^th place in FIFA World Cup’s top-scorers list with Lionel Messi.

Fontaine was named the best French player of the last 50 years by the French Football Federation in 2003.

4. Zinedine Zidane

One of the best French soccer players that 90s kids have grown up watching is Zinedine Zidane, lovingly called Zizou.

He played as an attacking midfielder for Bordeaux, Juventus, and Real Madrid.

He also played for the French national team and won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 by scoring two goals in the final. The same year, he was given the Legion of Honour.

Due to his skills and technics in the field, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003.

He is only one of eight players to win the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or.

He eventually transitioned to being one of the best coaches. In his first 2 years as coach of Real Madrid, in 2016 and 2017, the team won their 11^th and 12^th Champions League title.

This made him the 7^th man to win the title as a player and a coach and the 2^nd manager to win it in his first two seasons in management.

With this track record, it didn’t come as a surprise when he was named the Best FIFA Men’s Coach in 2017.

5. Arsène Wenger

Arsène Wenger, nicknamed Le Professeur had a more illustrious and glorious career as a manager than as a French football player.

He is most notably remembered for being Arsenal’s manager from 1996 to 2018, making him the longest-serving and most successful in the club’s history.

Arsenal won the Premier League and the FA Cup under him in 1998 and 2002. In 2004, they won the league title again with a record-undefeated season.

They also reached the Champions League final in 2006 for the first time losing to Barcelona.

He was awarded the Légion d’honneur in 2002 and appointed as an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.

Today, he is FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development.

6. Thierry Henry

Among the most famous French soccer players from the past decade is striker Thierry Henry who devoted most of his time and prime years to Premier League club Arsenal from 1999 to 2007, though he had previously played for other teams like Monaco and Juventus. He then went to Barcelona before returning on loan to Arsenal.

Alongside Zidane, Thierry was part of the FIFA World Cup-winning national team of 1998 after which he won the 2000 EUFA Euro Cup with them.

He became the country’s top goal scorer in 2007 holding that title until Olivier Giroud overtook him in the recently concluded 2022 World Cup.

Given his impeccable skills both on the club and international levels, Thierry was named French Player of the Year a record five times.

After retiring from professional football, Thierry coached the Arsenal youth team alongside being a sports pundit. He is currently the assistant coach of the Belgium national team.

To date, Thierry Henry is still considered one of the best strikers football has ever seen and has won various accolades including 4 Premier Ligue golden boots. In fact, he is one of the most famous French people.

7. Eric Cantona

When listing the best French footballers, it’s hard to forget one of the greatest players of his generation, Eric Cantona.

He was a powerhouse who could play many roles on the field, from striker to center-forward and even central midfielder.

A notoriously controversial player, Eric didn’t think before acting, displaying his anger by doing things like punching his goalkeeper, throwing the ball at the referee, and kung-fu kicking the opponent’s fan.

Eric played for clubs like Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, and Leeds United before joining Manchester United and ultimately retiring from it.

He is believed to have been one of the people that made Man United a strong force in the 1990s.

Within his first year at Manchester United, Cantona became the first player to win consecutive English top-division titles with different clubs.

He proceeded to win three more League titles with them, two of which were double wins with the FA Cup.

Besides football, Cantona also has other talents and while most popular footballers immediately think of coaching after their playing career, he took another route.

When he retired from footballer, he became a director, producer, and actor and has appeared in various movies like French Film and Looking for Eric.

He later took an interest in beach soccer and led the France national team to win the 2005 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup as a player-manager.

8. Kylian Mbappé

The star of the recently concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup, Kylian Mbappé is among the best French footballers of the current generation.

This Paris-born forward has been playing for the national team since his U-17 days. Club-wise, he has only played for Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to date.

When the latter bought him at age 18, Mbappé became the most expensive teenage player and the 2^nd most expensive player.

He has won four Ligue 1 titles, was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year 3 times and has top goal scorer awards. This is in addition to being PSG’s all-time 2^nd highest goal scorer.

When he was called to be part of the French National team that played in the 2018 FIFA world cup, he became the youngest French player to score at a World Cup and the 2nd teenager to score in the World cup finals, a record he holds with Pelé.

He also became the best French player of the year and FIFA World Cup’s Best Young Player after an electric performance.

Mbappé also won the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup by scoring 3 goals and a tie-breaker penalty in the finals and also made a record for scoring the highest number of goals in a world cup final.

At a young age, Mbappé’s football career is just getting started and the entire world can’t wait to see what becomes of this French superstar, and many believe he is a GOAT (Greatest of all Time) in the making.

In fact, he is already considered one of the best players in the world.

9. Patrick Vieira

Among the football players from France, if there’s a guy who was one of the top-notch midfielders of his time, it’s Patrick Vieira.

He showed his prowess at Cannes and AC Milan thus gaining a spot at Arsenal, where he spent most of his prime years.

After Arsenal, he bounced to Italy playing for Juventus and Inter Milan. He ultimately retired from Manchester City in 2011 and ventured into coaching.

He has coached teams like New York City FC, Nice, and later Crystal Palace where he still is currently.

Patrick played for the French national team for 12 years, even captaining the squad for some time.

He played alongside Deschamps, Zidane, and Henry Thierry when they won the 1998 World Cup and was a part of the 2006 runners-up team. He was also a part of the Euros 2000 winning team.

10. N’Golo Kanté

If Vieira was one of the best midfielders during his time, his successor is Paris-born N’Golo Kanté.

Kanté won the 2016 Premier League Championship with former club Leicester City and current club Chelsea making him the 2nd player to win 2 consecutive titles with 2 different clubs after Cantona.

While playing with Chelsea, he has won almost every cup and championship there is. From the UEFA Champions League, FA cup, and UEFA Europa League. Kanté was also awarded the Premier League Player of the Season in 2016.

In 2017, he was named French Player of the Year, and a year later, he was a crucial part of the national squad when they won the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

11. Karim Benzema

Lyonnais player Karim Benzema is one of the most well-known French football stars and one of the most prolific strikers currently playing.

After playing for Lyon in his initial years, he moved to Real Madrid in 2009 and is playing for them to date.

His goal-scoring talent has won him several accolades, like being the second-highest goal scorer for Real Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo and the fifth-highest all-time top goal scorer for the French team.

Karim also became the Champions League top scorer after they won the championship in 2022.

Karim was named French Player of the Year four times, was awarded the 2022 UEFA Player of the Year, and won the Ballon d’Or in the same year, making him the fifth French player to win it.

12. Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba has shuttled between Manchester United and Juventus since beginning his professional football career but currently plays for Juventus. He switches his role on the field between playing midfield and as a winger.

Paul has been playing for France since he was a part of the U-16 squad. He even captained the team that won the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

In 2014, after playing brilliantly for the senior team at the FIFA World Cup, he was awarded the Best Young Player Award.

He scored in the finals of the 2018 World Cup, ensuring the national team won the trophy that year.

13. Antoine Griezmann

One of the current forward position-playing France national team players is Antoine Griezmann.

He started at Real Sociedad after which Atlético Madrid picked him up. While playing for the Atlético, Antoine was nominated for the Ballon d’Or and Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2016 and 2018.

Subsequently, Barcelona bought him for a record transfer fee making him the 5^th most expensive player in the world.

Antoine played for them for 3 years before returning to Atlético Madrid. He is the 3^rd highest goal-scorer of all time for the team and his country.

He won the silver boot for being the 2^nd highest goal scorer when France won the 2018 World Cup and was named Man of the Match in the finals of the same year.

He was also part of the French National team that played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup where they became second.

14. Raphaël Varane

Raphaël Varane plays in the center-back position for the French national team and his current club, Manchester United where he is considered one of the best defenders of his generation.

Before joining United, Raphaël played at Real Madrid for a decade during which they won three La Liga titles, four EUFA Champions League titles, and the Copa del Rey.

Raphaël has been playing for the French team since his U-18 days. A year after joining the senior team, he played in the 2014 World Cup squad, which got him a nomination for the Best Young Player award but he lost to fellow teammate Paul Pogba.

In 2022, he was also part of the team that represented France in the FIFA World Cup further cementing his status as one of the most famous French footballers after the team finished as runners-up.

15. Robert Pires

Another one of the famous French footballers, Robert Pires is a winger and attacking midfielder who has played for Marseille, Arsenal, Villareal, and Aston Villa.

He was a fan favorite at Arsenal having been voted the 6th greatest player in the club’s history. His affinity with the club also made him join them as a coach in 2016.

While playing for France, Robert was a part of the squad with some of the best French footballers playing at the time, including Deschamps, Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Vieira.

He was also a part of the team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000. For 3 consecutive seasons, starting with 2001-02, Robert was included in the PFA (Professional Footballers Association) Team of the Year.

16. Patrice Evra

Recently retired Patrice Evra was one of the most famous soccer players from France of his time.

He played in the left-back position for Nice and Monaco, after which he was picked up by Manchester United.

He spent most of his professional career with United and won 5 Premier League titles and the Champions League trophy. He later moved to Juventus, Marseille, and West Ham United where he retired from!

Evra has had the bonne chance of being coached by greats like Didier Deschamps at Monaco and during the 2014 World Cup and Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Patrice’s leadership skills led him to be captain of Manchester United and the French national team during the 2010 World Cup.

As a French national player, he was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in the 2003-04 season.

17. Samir Nasri

Another recent retiree is Samir Nasri, who has played for clubs like Marseille, Arsenal, and Manchester City, in addition to playing for his country.

Like Robert Pires, Samir is an attacking midfielder and winger who has been compared to Zinedine Zidane given their similar playing styles.

In 2010, Samir won French Player of the Year, and the following year after joining Manchester City, he won the Premier League with them.

Samir has played for France since being a youth playing in the U-16 squad. When he was 17, he was a part of the team that won the 2004 European U-17 Championship.

18. Marcel Desailly

Marcel Desailly is one of the best center-back midfielders among all the French famous footballers and worldwide.

He played for top football clubs like Marseille, AC Milan, and Chelsea before retiring from Qatar SC in 2006.

Marcel even won the Champions League with Marseille and AC Milan. At Chelsea, he captained the team that won the FA Cup in 2000.

He was part of the squad that played and won the 1998 World Cup along with Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Patrick Vieira. In fact, he scored in the finals helping his team win.

Marcel was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998.

19. Ousmane Dembélé

Normandy-born winger Ousmane Dembélé is next on this list of famous French soccer players.

He currently plays for the Spanish club Barcelona in addition to playing for the French national team. His unique ability to use both feet makes him a great asset.

He played for Borussia Dortmund before joining Barcelona in 2017. At Dortmund, he was named the Rookie of the Season.

When Barcelona bought him, he jointly held the stature of being the 2^nd most expensive player with Paul Pogba.

He was a part of the team that won the 2018 World Cup and runners-up in 2022.

20. Olivier Giroud

Considered one of the most underrated strikers, Olivier Giroud is the all-time top goal scorer for the French national team.

He has won the Bronze Boot on two occasions; in Euro 2016 and the recently concluded 2022 World Cup. He was also a part of the team that won the 2018 World Cup.

Olivier has also been a consistent top goal scorer for his clubs! At 23 for Tours when he was named Ligue 2 Player of the Year, then for Montpellier in 2012, and in the Europa League in 2019 while playing for Chelsea.

Prior to this, in 2012, he played for Arsenal where he won 3 FA cups after 9 years of Arsenal not winning any trophy.

In 2017, he joined the list of few players to win the FIFA Puskás Award for scoring a beautiful/aesthetic scorpion kick goal with his heel against Crystal Palace.

As of 2022, he is playing for AC Milan.

21. Franck Ribéry

Left winger Franck Ribéry is one of his generation’s best French soccer players. He played for short stints at Metz and Galatasaray before joining Marseille.

However, he played for the longest time at Bayern Munich, winning 9 Bundesliga trophies and 1 Champions League. In Bayern’s treble-winning 2012-13 season, Ribéry was nominated for the Ballon d’Or.

Ribéry’s skills were excellent and his biggest strength was dribbling where he was even touted as Zidane’s successor.

He won the French Player of the Year award thrice and the German Footballer of the Year award once making him the only footballer to have achieved this.

22. Hugo Lloris

The only goalkeeper that’s been featured on this French football stars guide is Hugo Lloris.

In addition to playing for the French national team since the U-18 level, Hugo played for clubs like Nice and Lyon before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur, where he has played for the past decade to date.

Hugo was a part of the team that won the U-19 European Championship in 2005. He has captained France since 2012, taking them to victory in the 2018 World Cup and near-victory in the recent 2022 World Cup.

He has won the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year award thrice.

23. Theo Hernández

We conclude this list of French football players with Marseille-born Theo Hernández.

The left-back has played for France since being a part of the U-18 squad. Additionally, he has played for clubs like Real Madrid and AC Milan where he still currently plays.

He was a part of the team that won the Champions League in 2017-18. He was also a part of the 2022 World Cup squad.

Theo was the only defender to score two braces (two goals in one match) among the top European clubs in the 2020-21 season.

And while captaining AC Milan, Theo became the first defender to score three braces for them.

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Final Thoughts on the Famous Footballers from France

If reading about these famous footballers from France does not convince you, watch a couple of their matches and you will understand why they made it to the list.

If you have already watched them play, what do you think of their playing style and footie abilities? Is there anyone in particular you like that I’ve left out? Let me know in the comments below.

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