Mbemba, Mbappé, Cabella... Our typical team of the tops of the Ligue 1 season

The choice was not very difficult. Indeed, our writing naturally turned to Brice Samba (29 years old). The RC Lens goalkeeper, who arrived in Artois last summer from Nottingham Forest, had an excellent 2022-23 season, conceding only 29 goals in 38 games and keeping his clean sheets in 15 matches. It is (largely) thanks to him that the Sang et Or finished by far the best defense in the championship … and one point behind PSG.

His remarkable performances have not gone unnoticed since he was voted best goalkeeper at the UNFP Trophies; he also had the opportunity, last March, to discover the France team. Anthony Lopes (32), author of an admirable season with Olympique Lyonnais (36 goals conceded, 8 clean sheets in 37 matches), and young Yehvann Diouf (23), very good with Stade de Reims (28 goals conceded, 14 clean sheets in 30 games), collected one vote each.

In central defense, there was not really a debate. Chancel Mbemba (28), who has been one of the driving forces behind Olympique de Marseille this season (notably with 5 goals!), has easily found his place in our standard team; and this, even if he experienced a slightly more difficult period in the last weeks of competition. He is accompanied by Lensois Kevin Danso (24 years old). The Austrian, who chained excellent performances, was one of the strong men of the sensational artesian exercise. His teammate Facundo Medina (24), Parisian Danilo (31), Niçois Dante (39), and Nantes native Andrei Girotto (31) were also mentioned.

On the right side, we find another Lensois: Przemyslaw Frankowski (28 years old). The Pole, chosen unanimously by our editorial team, had a full season, especially in attack (5 goals, 3 assists). He was thus decisive in the beautiful exercise of Blood and Gold. On the other side, it was Nuno Mendes (20 years old) who was selected. The Portuguese, author of magnificent performances with Paris SG, was preferred (by little) to Monegasque Caio Henrique. And this, while he played only 23 Ligue 1 matches, proof of the high level of his performances.

The battle was tough in the midfield. Salis Abdul Samed (23 years old), essential in the balance of Lensois this season through his activity and his physical impact, managed to pull out of the game. Just like Valentin Rongier (28 years old), who shone with Olympique de Marseille, in particular thanks to its great versatility. Several other players received votes: Lensois Seko Fofana (28), Lille's André Gomes (29) and Benjamin André (32), Rennais Benjamin Bourigeaud (29), Niçois Khéphren Thuram (22) and Toulouse's Branco van den Boomen (27).

For the attacking midfielder positions, our editorial staff chose a Parisian and a Lille resident. Lionel Messi (35), author of a statistically remarkable season (16 goals and 16 assists in 32 matches), appears quite logically on the right side of our typical Ligue 1 top team. On the other side, we find Rémy Cabella (33 years old), centerpiece of the offensive animation set up by Paulo Fonseca at LOSC (7 goals and 10 assists in 32 matches). The Clermontois Saîf-Eddine Khaoui (28 years old) and the Lorientais Enzo Le Fée (28 years old) were also cited.

SEE ALSO – Messi's last-second free kick during PSG-Lille last February (4-3)

Up front, there was no suspense. Alexandre Lacazette (32) and Kylian Mbappé (24) were selected unanimously. If he will not have succeeded in bringing OL back to the European Cup, the Rhodanian has nothing to reproach himself with as his season has been fantastic on an individual level (27 goals and 5 assists in 35 matches). The Parisian, for his part, will once again have been exceptional by being the great architect of his team's eleventh French championship title (29 goals and 6 assists in 34 matches). Lensois Loïs Openda (23), despite a few votes, was no match for these two (great) scorers. In addition, the Marseillais Alexis Sanchez (34 years old) and the Rémois Folarin Balogun each collected one vote.