awards

Paris Saint-Germain have dominated Ligue 1 this season, wrapping up the title in early April and being in cruise management for a lot of 2025. Their dominance, naturally, is mirrored on this 12 months’s  Ligue 1 Workforce of the Season, which incorporates eight PSG gamers.

To pick out the TOTS, your votes over the course of the previous fortnight have been weighted 50/50 with the GFFN crew’s picks, with the gamers chosen right into a 4-3-3 formation.

Goalkeeper – Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)

Since his arrival on a free switch from Milan in 2021, off the again of his Euro heroics with Italy, it has not been plain crusing all through for Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG. Thrown into a brand new atmosphere, with serial-winning Champions League winner Keylor Navas as a rival, the 6 ft 5 in goalkeeper fell in need of expectations, most notably with high-profile errors within the Champions League.

Commercial

Now, Donnarumma has made Europe’s premier membership competitors the stage of his redemption arc, guiding PSG to their second-ever last. The Italy worldwide is unequivocally the pivotal determine of PSG’s Champions League marketing campaign.

He displayed his wonderful penalty-stopping abilities at Anfield earlier than delivering man-of-the-match performances in opposition to Aston Villa and Arsenal, notably leaving Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard questioning how on Earth Donnarumma managed to get a hand on their makes an attempt together with his superhuman reflexes.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta was adamant the Gunners would have marched on to Munich if not for Donnarumma. “Whenever you take a look at the 2 video games, who was their finest participant? The goalkeeper.”

If he prevents Inter from lifting the Champions League, the PSG goalkeeper might obtain two surprising items: a contract renewal and even the forgiveness of Milan followers. Regardless of a everlasting scar on his proper cheek, after being hit within the face by Monaco centre-back Wilfried Singo, Donnarumma’s PSG profession has by no means regarded higher.

Left-back – Nuno Mendes (PSG)

Following his return from a long-term harm which noticed him sidelined for a lot of the 2023-2024 season, Nuno Mendes has returned and reasserted himself as one in all Europe’s finest full-backs. His lightning tempo in assault has ravaged groups in Europe this season, with the spotlight of his season coming within the two legs in opposition to Aston Villa the place he scored twice to assist Les Parisiens progress on their journey to the ultimate.

Commercial

The Portuguese worldwide has performed 1,586 minutes in Ligue 1 this season, scoring twice from full-back. But in Europe, he added 4 objectives and two assists. Below Luis Enrique, his common passing accuracy has elevated as much as 87%, recording 31 tackles and 79 ball recoveries within the Champions League this season. The horrifying truth is that Mendes continues to be solely 22 years previous: his ceiling underneath Luis Enrique appears limitless.

Mendes could be the most effective full-backs on the planet if it weren’t for his lengthy absences attributable to harm and a few expensive errors. He misplaced focus in opposition to Liverpool and Aston Villa and was run ragged by Bukayo Saka for big intervals within the return leg in opposition to Arsenal. However PSG supporters and French soccer observers will neglect all about that in the event that they go on to raise the Champions League trophy in opposition to Inter Milan on thirty first Might.

Centre-back – Willian Pacho (PSG)

Whereas it’s a rejuvenated and free-scoring frontline that’s stealing the present at Paris Saint-Germain this season, a newfound defensive stability has been simply as essential to their Treble push. 

Commercial

Since his arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt final summer season, Willian Pacho has quietly however authoritatively established himself as one in all Ligue 1’s standout defenders. The Ecuador worldwide has emerged as an efficient foil to Marquinhos, extra so than the Parisians’ higher-profile defensive signings of previous seasons, to the purpose of conserving Lucas Hernandez out of the beginning eleven after the Frenchman’s return from harm.

Whereas a couple of errors have blotted his copybook on the European stage – in opposition to Aston Villa most notably – the 23-year-old has been near-faultless domestically, barring some stray positioning at instances. His dominant aerial presence and disarming ease in one-on-one duels have neutralised a few of France’s most interesting counter-attackers, all of the whereas contributing to build-up phases with an astute eye for an extended move. 

Centre-back – Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille)

Lengthy-gone are the times of Leonardo Balerdi’s struggles within the Provence area. The Marseille fan who went on a starvation strike in 2023 demanding for the Argentine’s departure can now relaxation simple… Balerdi was promoted to captain standing by Roberto De Zerbi initially of the season, and the defender has promptly repaid that religion within the 2024-2025 marketing campaign. 

Commercial

Calmness and composure on the again has typically been lacking this season from Marseille, however when Balerdi has began matches he has led and organised teammates – there’s a noticeable distinction and reliance on the previous Dortmund prospect. Balerdi featured in 26 Ligue 1 matches, beginning every one and accumulating over 2,100 minutes on the pitch.

The spotlight is his renewed passing capacity out from the again, which has turn into extra apparent in De Zerbi’s expansive model: the Argentine has a powerful 94% move completion charge. His function has been extra evident with Marseille’s harm and suspension points, which led to a backline that has chopped and altered at numerous junctures all through the season. It was manifestly apparent: Marseille are extra defensively stable when Balerdi is within the aspect. 

If Les Olympiens certified for the Champions League due to a superb run of type on the tail-end of the season, it coincided with Balerdi’s return to type following harm. An outspoken but level-headed chief off the pitch, he’ll be taking a look at Champions League soccer subsequent season as a possibility to construct on this season’s relative success. GB

Proper-back – Achraf Hakimi (PSG)

The Moroccan is likely one of the first names that involves thoughts while you consider the constant performers is that this barn-storming PSG aspect that has reached the Champions League last. There isn’t a argument that Achraf Hakimi is among the many world’s finest, if not the most effective present full-back. With the departure of Kylian Mbappé to Actual Madrid final summer season, Hakimi has additionally stepped up within the dressing room as one of many aspect’s leaders – usually main by instance. This understandably amounted to him being named as PSG’s second captain behind Marquinhos.

Commercial

However the spotlight for the 2024 Olympics Bronze medalist has been his attacking output this season. Hakimi has recorded 21 purpose contributions throughout all competitions, comprising seven objectives and 14 assists, marking his best season so far. His essential purpose within the Champions League semi-final second-leg in opposition to Arsenal successfully fired Les Parisiens to a historic second-ever last. If it wasn’t for Ousmane Dembélé’s excellent season in entrance of purpose, Moroccan could be near clinching the membership’s participant of the season award. As an alternative, Hakimi would accept being named the most effective African participant in Ligue 1 for the 2024–2025 season – however there may be, in fact, an excellent greater prize on the road on thirty first Might for the Moroccan worldwide. GB

Mifielder – Vitinha (PSG)

Few would have anticipated that when Vitinha arrived in Paris in 2022, recent off a failed mortgage at Wolverhampton Wanderers that they might be taking a look at a participant who would become the best midfielder in Ligue 1.

Vitinha is the embodiment of this new look PSG, the participant that encapsulates the very essence of why this squad feels particular. He’s a participant who has grown from being criticised on the pitch by Neymar Jr. and in addition reportedly by Lionel Messi, into somebody who can orchestrate all of the whirling elements of Luis Enrique’s fluid crew. 

Commercial

It’s no shock that his head coach has positioned a lot belief in his skills, as Luis Enrique stated in a press convention, “He’s undoubtedly the most effective gamers on the planet in his place. I can’t consider anybody higher than him in midfield.” 

It’s arduous to seek out fault with Luis Enrique’s evaluation, particularly if Vitinha helps PSG to take the subsequent step and win the Champions League in opposition to Internazionale. Final season, Luis Enrique named Vitinha PSG’s Participant of the Season, and there are just a few midfielders on the planet who’re enjoying on the degree Vitinha is presently acting at.

Midfielder – João Neves (PSG)

Expectations have been excessive for João Neves when he arrived within the French capital from his boyhood membership Benfica in a big-money transfer. Regardless of solely having a season and a half {of professional} soccer underneath his belt, the younger midfielder had earned a fame as some of the promising gamers in world soccer. 

Commercial

It was a fame that Neves shortly lived as much as. There was no transition or teething stage for him as he was thrown into the PSG crew from the beginning of the season and picked up 4 assists within the first two video games. Since then, Neves has solely assisted 5 extra objectives, however his affect on the crew has grown exponentially past this stat line. 

It’s very simple to neglect that Neves solely turned 20 in September while you see him dominate the midfield. He performs as if he has a decade of expertise propping him up, he is aware of precisely how you can make Luis Enrique’s system tick, and when the crew lose the ball, he is likely one of the first to pounce on the opposition to start the counterpress. 

This PSG crew look to be a very completely different beast from their previous iterations, and it’s arduous to not assume that the introduction of Neves to the midfield has been a key purpose for a way this has been achieved, as Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal can all attest. NH

Midfielder – Andrey Santos (Strasbourg)

Andrey Santos’ transfer on mortgage to Strasbourg in January 2024 actually raised eyebrows and even drew fairly fierce criticism. It was a transfer that got here on the top of anti-BlueCo sentiment. It was troublesome to see how Les Alsaciens would really profit from the transfer, and that was the followers’ contestation. The Brazilian had simply come off a failed stint on mortgage at Nottingham Forest, was on worldwide obligation with the Brazil crew, and would stay so for a number of weeks. It was highlighted that he would solely be obtainable for 13 video games. However in his brief stint in Alsace, he made an impression, and Strasbourg completed the season determined to retain him, and so they did.

Commercial

Santos has kicked on this season underneath Liam Rosenior. Not solely has he been a cheat-code out-of-possession, making probably the most tackles in Ligue 1 this season and the third most in Europe’s prime 5 divisions, however he has additionally shortly established himself as a pacesetter within the group, evidenced by Rosenior’s choice at hand him the armband on a number of events. His aggression has been essential to RCSA’s out-of-possession strategy, and he has additionally chipped in with objectives, too, netting 9 in Ligue 1. 

Loads of younger stars have performed a giant function in Strasbourg’s achievement in making certain European qualification for subsequent season: Guéla Doué, Dilane Bakwa, Emanuel Emegha, and Diego Moreira, to call however a couple of. However there was no another essential than Santos, who, on this youthful aspect, has proven a maturity past his years. He might be an actual asset for Chelsea subsequent season, ought to he be built-in into the first-team set-up, as anticipated.

Left-wing – Bradley Barcola (PSG)

Questions have been raised at PSG following the departure of Kylian Mbappé as to how Luis Enrique’s crew would fare in an attacking sense. With no senior additions to the ahead line in the course of the summer season switch window, Les Parisiens have been reliant upon somebody stepping up from inside their ranks, and Bradley Barcola did simply that. 

Commercial

The France worldwide attacker burst out of the beginning blocks like nobody else in Ligue initially of the season, with 9 objectives and two assists in his opening 10 appearances. Whereas his output has dropped off since then and competitors for locations has elevated with Désiré Doué’s elevated standing, Barcola’s early-season type has nonetheless proved pivotal in a Ligue 1 title-winning season for PSG. Since his spectacular begin in entrance of purpose, the attacker has adopted a extra inventive function, and no participant has registered extra assists within the prime flight. 

It’s not simply domestically the place the previous OL winger has been important to the success of Luis Enrique’s aspect. With six purpose contributions within the Champions League, Barcola has performed a key function in what might be a treble-winning season for the Ligue 1 champions. This features a purpose and an help in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, which helped Les Parisiens keep away from an embarrassing early league part knockout from the competitors.

Centre-forward – Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

It was thought that Kylian Mbappé’s astonishing output at PSG must get replaced within the combination. When the France captain left Les Parisiens on the finish of final season, he had simply completed a marketing campaign through which he netted 27 objectives in Ligue 1, securing his sixth consecutive Golden Boot in Ligue 1. 

Commercial

Different gamers have stepped up, granted, particularly Bradley Barcola initially of the season, nonetheless, when it comes to objectives, this crew has been carried by Ousmane Dembélé’s goalscoring exploits. It’s a flip of occasions that nobody anticipated. A destabilising winger, Dembélé, all through his profession, has at all times been derided for his lack of finish product. 

That modified definitively this 12 months for Dembélé, who has reinvented himself as a scientific No.9. Taking part in centrally, the Frenchman has proven a very completely different aspect to his sport. His 21 objectives heading into the ultimate matchday ought to be sufficient to see him win the Golden Boot, however his type has additionally carried over into Europe. He has 33 objectives in all competitions, together with eight within the Champions League. An unimaginable 25 of these objectives have are available in 2025 alone. 

He has helped PSG win their fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title, while objectives in opposition to Liverpool and Arsenal have helped Les Parisiens advance to the ultimate of the Champions League. Not that particular person accolades ought to be linked to collective titles, however ought to PSG win their UCL last in opposition to Inter Milan, he could be the excellent candidate to win the Ballon d’Or later this 12 months. Arguably, he already is. LE

Proper-wing – Rayan Cherki (Lyon)

A ‘breakout season’ is a time period that’s usually overused in soccer, however utilizing it to explain Rayan Cherki’s marketing campaign at Lyon could be greater than justified. The France U21 worldwide has assumed the function of chief creator at Les Gones this season and is lastly dwelling as much as his untapped potential.

Commercial

Technically, the Frenchman is considered the most effective skills that the distinguished Meyzieu academy has produced. This prowess has been evident this season. Whether or not it’s lightning-quick toes or a defence-splitting move, Cherki has been remodeled from a sporadic influence participant to a vital starter. 

No participant has created extra huge possibilities, domestically, than the 21-year-old and solely his former teammate Bradley Barcola has registered extra assists than him in Ligue 1. Creatively, there haven’t been many higher than the OL academy graduate this time period. This manner has carried into Europe too, with Cherki breaking the document for probably the most assists in a Europa League marketing campaign regardless of Lyon’s exit within the quarter-finals. 

Cherki was usually criticised for squandering goal-scoring alternatives or making the incorrect choice within the last third. Nonetheless, the attacking midfielder has proven a renewed confidence in entrance of purpose and is presently setting his highest scoring season with 12 in all competitions. 

Given his spectacular breakout season and the gentleman’s settlement he has to depart the membership, the playmaker might be destined for large issues this summer season. LW

GFFN’s Ligue 1 TOTY in full:

GFFN | Luke Entwistle