Top 5 Ligue 1 exports in the 21st century
Over the last few years, Ligue 1 Uber Eats has established itself as one of the best leagues in world football in terms of the quality of footballers produced. The French top-flight has excelled at nurturing and developing incredible young talent.
This upturn in both quality and quantity produced by French academies is one of the main reasons for Les Bleus currently boasting what is arguably the deepest international squad in the sport. 21 out of the 23-man squad that lifted the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia came through academies in France.
However, Ligue 1 clubs aren't focused solely on developing French players per se, as they have a long line of superb talents from other nations to play in the league. Belgium captain Eden Hazard, for instance, came through the ranks at LOSC Lille and went on to become one of the most recognisable names in modern football.
Ligue 1 clubs' brilliant scouting has given players of various nationalities and backgrounds a space to cut their teeth in one of the five best leagues in Europe. A great example of this is former Chelsea legend Michael Essien, who won the league twice with Olympique Lyon before sealing a move to Stamford Bridge.
Several other big names in the recent past have massively benefitted from Ligue 1's ability to nurture young talent. Players such as Bernardo Silva, Anthony Martial, Benjamin Mendy, Nicolas Pepe, Victor Osimhen, and several others were exported from France for big money.
On that note, here, we take a look at some of the best players exported by Ligue 1 in the 21st century.
Note: Only players who have either come through Ligue 1 clubs' academies or entered the top five European Leagues via France will be eligible for this list. For example, David Luiz's transfer from Paris Saint-Germain will not count as he had already played in the Premier League.
Honorable Mention: Didier Drogba
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was insistent on bringing Didier Drogba to Stamford Bridge during his first spell at the club. Based on what the iconic Ivorian achieved during his time in West London, it isn't hard to see why Mourinho wanted to sign him. Drogba took Chelsea by storm and was the spearhead of the side during one of their most successful periods in English football.
Chelsea's 2012 UCL final hero spent six years of his senior career learning his trade in France before a then-club record move €38.5m move to London.
Drogba moved from second-tier side Le Mans to Guingamp, and then to Olympique Marseille in 2003, where he had one of the best seasons of his career. Overall, Drogba scored 39 goals and assisted 11 across 80 Ligue 1 games.
#5 N'Golo Kante | Caen to Leicester City
Leicester City were praised for unearthing a true hidden gem when they signed N'Golo Kante. The Frenchman arrived in the Premier League in 2015 and took the top-flight by storm, winning plaudits from everywhere for his incredible reading of the game and work rate. Kante was often said to be doing the job of two midfielders for the Foxes as he was all over the pitch.
The World Cup winner propelled Leicester to their fairytale Premier League win in his debut season in England. Kante earned a move to Chelsea just a year later and won the title again, and in 2020/21, he played a mighty important role in firing the Blues to the UEFA Champions League final.
Kante is one of the most highly-rated products of French football, on the whole, not just Ligue 1. Just a year after helping Caen achieve promotion from Ligue 2, the energetic midfielder played a crucial role for them in the top-flight as well. The 30-year-old played 37 times in Ligue 1 before leaving for the King Power Stadium.
#4 Petr Cech | Stade Rennais to Chelsea
Petr Cech is one of the best examples of Ligue 1's record of recruiting and nurturing some of the most remarkable talents from across Europe. The legendary Chelsea man is considered by many as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the Premier League era, and like many famous names, he got his big break in France.
After keeping the most clean sheets in the Czech First League in 2001/02, Cech joined Rennes in the summer of 2002 for a fee of €5m and helped them avoid being relegated to Ligue 2. The towering Czech Republic international played a total of 70 Ligue 1 games, keeping 24 clean sheets and conceding 72 goals in that period.
Cech also won the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 award during 2003/04 before moving to Chelsea for €13m. He went on to establish a legacy for himself with the Blues, keeping 228 clean sheets in 494 games for Chelsea across all competitions and conceding 393 goals. Cech also holds a record 202 Premier League clean sheets and his tally of 24 shutouts in a season is yet to be beaten.
Also read: Premier League 2020-21: Final Golden Boot, most assists, and Golden Glove standings after Matchday 38