For most leagues around the world, the 2019/20 season hasn’t officially concluded but given its suspension because of COVID-19, its continuation – should it resume – would almost feel like a new mini-campaign to check off the remaining fixtures.
As such, it seems only fair to acknowledge the players who have performed admirably during the course of the normal campaign.
We’re putting together the Team of the Season for each of Europe’s top five leagues.
In this edition, we picked 22 of the best performing players in Ligue 1 and, with your help, narrow it down to the best XI. France’s top flight has been ended with Paris Saint-Germain officially crowned champions with a 12-point lead and a game in hand.
Using polls on our Instagram Stories, we pit players in each position against each other and let you decide who deserves to make the cut.
Predictably, PSG boast the most entrants with Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria, Marquinhos and Idrissa Gueye making the cut. However, there are four inclusions from Rennes as well after a fine season sees them occupy third place in the standings.
Follow our Instagram page to get involved. Here’s what our Ligue 1 Team of the Season looks like:
GK: Predrag Rajkovic (Reims)
Having spent the last four seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Predrag Rajkovic had managed to remain one of the best kept secrets where goalkeeping talent is concerned. The 24-year-old is a well-rounded keeper with no significant weakness while his handling and reliability is where he excels. After a superb campaign with Stade Reims during which he kept the most clean sheets (12) and conceded the fewest goals (21), he’s certainly not flying under the radar anymore.
RB: Hamari Traore (Rennes)
Hamari Traore is attracting a lot of interest from clubs around Europe because he’s shown this season to be an accomplished right-back and only has a year left on his current contract. The 28-year-old has been one of the key performers as Rennes earned Champions League qualification. He racked up five assists this season and managed the second most progressive passes (291) in the league.
CB: Damien Da Silva (Rennes)
Not only has Damien Da Silva led Rennes’ Champions League charge admirably as captain but he’s also been one of their most consistent players. Operating at the heart of defence, the centre-back has racked up the most clearances (131) in France’s top flight and his no nonsense approach has helped his team cut out mistakes and remain focused. In the opposition’s box, he lays claim to a goal and two assists this season.
CB: Marquinhos (PSG)
Thomas Tuchel craves tactical flexibility and in terms of fulfilling that need, Marquinhos has been the most important PSG player this season. His versatility has seen him operate at centre-back and in midfield within various systems, switching between the two seamlessly. At times, you couldn’t even tell which position he was playing, almost operating in a hybrid role. What remained unchanged though was his intelligence, physicality and a pass accuracy of 93.4 per cent.
LB: Faitout Maouassa (Rennes)
His opposite full-back has been impressive this season but Faitout Maouassa has eclipsed Traore’s performances for Rennes. The left-back immediately catches the eye with sheer pace and power that facilitates his desire to get forward and put his team on the front foot, scoring three times this season. He also has a fantastic engine to get back into position with recovery runs and make interventions leading to his tally of 15 blocked crosses (15), the most in the league.
CM: Idrissa Gueye (PSG)
When Idrissa Gueye was signed from Everton last summer, he was viewed as a destroyer in midfield but this season has shown that he’s more than that. Of course, averages of 3.3 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game still make him an elite ball-winner but he has also been one of PSG’s best passes not only in terms of volume or accuracy but manner, playing forward and through the lines.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes)
Not many players in French football can claim to have dominated a game against the mighty PSG but earlier this season, Eduardo Camavinga did just that as a 16-year-old during a famous 2-1 victory. The campaign since has only served to confirm the youngster’s superb talent while highlighting composure and consistency beyond his years. With a league-high 105 tackles, Camavinga has anchored Rennes’ midfield like a seasoned pro in his debut campaign.
RW: Angel Di Maria (PSG)
With excellent vision and a wand of a left foot, Angel Di Maria took on the mantle as PSG’s creator in chief this season. The Argentine was a constant threat to defences, ranking first in the league for for key passes (46) and smart passes (91). He was also the runaway leader for assists with 14, twice as many as Islam Slimani managed in second place.
CAM: Neymar (PSG)
If Di Maria was the creator for PSG then Neymar was the catalyst. His explosive runs and devastating dribbling in the final third helped break down the most stubborn defences while he linked up superbly with the likes of Mbappe and Di Maria. His 217 dribbles in just 15 appearances was the most in the division while his 13 goals and six assists helped cast intense speculation of a move to Barcelona to the back of Parisian minds.
LW: Dimitri Payet (Marseille)
With PSG well ahead, Marseille were the best of the rest this season and Dimitri Payet remained their most influential figure. He may be 33 but this campaign has prompted suggestions of a recall to the national team and left West Ham fans reminiscing. Nine goals and four assists was an impressive return for the playmaker while an average of four key passes per game was the best in the league.
ST: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
This season saw Kylian Mbappe continue to go from strength to strength. Under Tuchel, he’s honed his killer instinct and is becoming more focused on his output. It’s no surprise then that he’s had more touches inside the box than anyone else this term and along with AS Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, is the joint top-scorer with 18 goals. The young Frenchman is now scoring at a frightening rate with a goal every 84.2 minutes.
