France - Footballer of the Year


Elected by the magazine France-Football. The award is for the calendar year and not for the season. Apparently since some year in the 90’s any French player is eligible no matter where he plays.


List of Winners

Year   Player                   Club             

1963   Yvon DOUIS               Monaco
1964   Marcel ARTELESA          Monaco
1965   Philippe GONDET          Nantes
1966   Philippe GONDET          Nantes
1967   Bernard BOSQUIER         Saint-Etienne
1968   Bernard BOSQUIER         Saint-Etienne
1969   Hervé REVELLI            Saint-Etienne
1970   Georges CARNUS           Saint-Etienne
1971   Georges CARNUS           Saint-Etienne/Olympique de Marseille
1972   Marius TRÉSOR            Ajaccio/Olympique de Marseille
1973   Georges BERETA           Saint-Etienne
1974   Georges BERETA           Saint-Etienne
1975   Jean-Marc GUILLOU        Angers/Nice
1976   Michel PLATINI           Nancy
1977   Michel PLATINI           Nancy
1978   Jean PETIT               Monaco
1979   Maxime BOSSIS            Nantes
1980   Jean-François LARIOS     Saint-Etienne
1981   Maxime BOSSIS            Nantes
1982   Alain GIRESSE            Girondins de Bordeaux
1983   Alain GIRESSE            Girondins de Bordeaux
1984   Jean TIGANA              Girondins de Bordeaux
1985   Luis FERNANDEZ           Paris Saint-Germain
1986   Manuel AMOROS            Monaco
1987   Alain GIRESSE            Olympique de Marseille
1988   Stéphane PAILLE          Sochaux
1989   Jean-Pierre PAPIN        Olympique de Marseille
1990   Laurent BLANC            Montpellier
1991   Jean-Pierre PAPIN        Olympique de Marseille
1992   Alain ROCHE              Paris Saint-Germain
1993   David GINOLA             Paris Saint-Germain
1994   Bernard LAMA             Paris Saint-Germain
1995   Vincent GUÉRIN           Paris Saint-Germain
1996   Didier DESCHAMPS         Juventus [ITA]
1997   Lilian THURAM            Parma [ITA]  
1998   Zinedine ZIDANE          Juventus [Ita]
1999   Sylvain WILTORD          Girondins de Bordeaux
2000   Thierry HENRY            Arsenal [ENG]
2001   Patrick VIEIRA           Arsenal [ENG]
2002   Zinedine ZIDANE          Real Madrid [SPA]
2003   Thierry HENRY            Arsenal [ENG]
2004   Thierry HENRY            Arsenal [ENG]
2005   Thierry HENRY            Arsenal [ENG]
2006   Thierry HENRY            Arsenal [ENG]
2007   Franck RIBERY            Bayern München [GER]   
2008   Franck RIBERY            Bayern München [GER] 
2009   Yoann GOURCUFF           Bordeaux
2010   Samir NASRI              Arsenal [ENG] 
2011   Karim BENZEMA            Real Madrid [SPA]
2012   Karim BENZEMA            Real Madrid [SPA]
2013   Franck RIBERY            Bayern München [GER]
2014   Karim BENZEMA            Real Madrid [SPA]
2015   Blaise MATUIDI           Paris Saint-Germain
2016   Antoine GRIEZMANN        Atlético Madrid [SPA]
2017   N'Golo KANTÉ             Chelsea [ENG]
2018   Kylian MBAPPÉ            Paris Saint-Germain
2019   Kylian MBAPPÉ            Paris Saint-Germain´
2020     not awarded 
2021   Karim BENZEMA            Real Madrid [SPA]
2022   Kylian MBAPPÉ            Paris Saint-Germain

Note: unless otherwise stated all clubs are French.

Other Awards

Trainer of the Year

Year   Trainer                  Club             

1970   Albert Batteux           Saint-Etienne
       Mario Zatelli            Marseille
1971   Abdelkader Firoud        Nîmes
       Jean Prouff              Rennes
1972   Jean Snella              Nice
1973   Robert Herbin            Saint-Etienne
1974   Pierre Cahuzac           Bastia
1975   Georges Huart            Metz          
1976   Robert Herbin            Saint-Etienne
1977   Pierre Cahuzac           Bastia
1978   Gilbert Gress            Strasbourg
1979   Michel Le Milinaire      Laval
1980   René Hauss               Sochaux
       Jean Vincent             Nantes
1981   Aimée Jacquet            Bordeaux
1982   Michel Hidalgo           French national team
1983   Michel Le Milinaire      Laval
1984   Aimée Jacquet            Bordeaux
1985   Jean-Claude Suaudeau     Nantes
1986   Guy Roux                 Auxerre
1987   Jean Fernandez           Cannes
1988   Guy Roux                 Auxerre
1989   Gérard Gili              Marseille
1990   Henry Kasperczak         Montpellier
1991   Daniel Jeandupeux        Caen
1992   Jean-Claude Suaudeau     Nantes
1993   Luis Fernandez           Cannes
1994   Jean-Claude Suaudeau     Nantes
1995   Francis Smerecki         Guingamp
1996   Guy Roux                 Auxerre
1997   Jean Tigana              Monaco
1998   Aimée Jacquet            French national team
1999   Elie Baup                Bordeaux
2000   Alex Dupont              Sedan
2001   Vahid Halilhodzic        Lille
2002   Jacques Santini          Lyon
2003   Didier Deschamps         Monaco
2004   Paul Le Guen             Lyon
2005   Claude Puel              Lille
2006   Pablo Correa             Nancy
2007   Pablo Correa             Nancy
2008   Arsène Wenger            Arsenal [ENG]
2009   Laurent Blanc            Bordeaux
2010   Didier Deschamps         Marseille
2011   Rudi Garcia              Lille  
2012   René Girard              Montpellier      
2013   Rudi Garcia              Roma [ITA]
2014   Rudi Garcia              Roma [ITA]
2015   Laurent Blanc            PSG
2016   Zinedine Zidane          Real Madrid [SPA]
2017   Zinedine Zidane          Real Madrid [SPA]
2018   Didier Deschamps         French national team   
2019   Christophe Galtier       Lille
2020     not awarded 
2021   Christophe Galtier       Lille/Nice

Foreign Player of the Year

NB: for players in French first division.

Year   Player                   Country         Club

1968   Salif Keita		Mali		Saint-Etienne
1969   Roger Magnusson		Sweden		Marseille
1970   Josip Skoblar		Yugoslavia	Marseille
1971   Josip Skoblar		Yugoslavia	Marseille
1972   Leif Eriksson		Sweden		Nice
1973   Hugo Bargas		Argentina	Nantes
1974   Carlos Bianchi		Argentina	Reims
1975   Osvaldo Piazza		Argentina	Saint-Etienne
1976   Ivan Curkovic		Yugoslavia	Saint-Etienne
1977   Mustapha Dahleb		Algeria		PSG		
1978   Johny Rep		Netherlands	Bastia
1979   Nenad Bjekovic		Yugoslavia	Nice
1980   Delio Onnis		Argentina	Tours
1981   Umberto Barberis		Switzerland	Monaco
       Andrzej Szarmach		Poland		Auxerre
1982   Umberto Barberis		Switzerland	Monaco
       Andrzej Szarmach		Poland		Auxerre
1983   Safet Susic		Yugoslavia	PSG
1984   Vahid Halilhodzic	Yugoslavia	Nantes
1985   Vahid Halilhodzic	Yugoslavia	Nantes
1986   Jorge Burruchaga		Argentina	Nantes
1987   Enzo Francescoli		Uruguay		Matra Racing Paris
1988   Glenn Hoddle		England		Monaco
1989   Klaus Allofs		Germany		Bordeaux
1990   Enzo Scifo		Belgium		Auxerre
1991   George Weah		Liberia		Monaco
1992   Lubomir Moravcik		Slovakia	Saint-Etienne
1993   Alen Boksic		Croatia		Marseille
1994   Japhet N'Doram		Chad		Nantes
1995   Rai			Brazil		PSG
1996   Sonny Anderson		Brazil		Monaco
1997   Rai			Brazil		PSG
1998   Marco Simone		Italy		PSG
1999   Shabani Nonda		Burundi		Rennes
2000   Marco Simone		Italy		Monaco
2001   Pedro Miguel Pauleta	Portugal	Bordeaux
2002   Pedro Miguel Pauleta	Portugal	Bordeaux
2003   Didier Drogba            Ivory Coast     Marseille
2004   Juninho			Brazil		Lyon
2005   Juninho			Brazil		Lyon
2006   Juninho			Brazil		Lyon
2007   Johan Elmander		Sweden		Toulouse
2008   Fernando Cavenaghi	Argentina	Bordeaux

Rookie of the Year

NB: for players in French first division.

Year   Player                   Club

1973   Marc Berdoll		Angers
1974   Dominique Bathenay	Saint-Etienne
1975   Dominique Rocheteau	Saint-Etienne
1976   Didier Six		Valenciennes
1977   Bernard Lacombe		Lyon
1978   Léonard Specht		Strasbourg
1979   Didier Christophe	Monaco
1980   Jean Castaneda		Saint-Etienne
       Jean Tigana		Lyon
1981   Bruno Bellone		Monaco
1982   Jean-Marc Ferreri	Auxerre
1983   Pascal Olmeta		Bastia
1984   Basile Boli		Auxerre
1985   Fabien Debotte		Nantes
1986   Gérald Passi		Marseille
1987   Eric Cantona		Auxerre
1988   Christian Pérez		PSG
1989   Didier Deschamps		Marseille
1990   Emmanuel Petit		Monaco
1991   François Calderaro	Metz
1992   Gérald Baticle		Auxerre
1993   Zinédine Zidane		Bordeaux
1994   Florian Maurice		Lyon
1995   Patrick Vieira		Cannes
1996   Thierry Henry		Monaco
1997   David Trezeguet		Monaco
1998   Nicolas Anelka		Arsenal
1999   William Gallas		Marseille
2000   Philippe Mexès		Auxerre
2001   Djibril Cissé		Auxerre
2002   Olivier Kapo		Auxerre
2003   Sébastien Squillaci      Monaco
2004   Franck Ribéry		Metz
2005   Yohann Pelé 		Le Mans
       + Julien Faubert		Bordeaux
2006   Karim Benzema		Lyon
2007   Steve Mandanda		Marseille
2008   Yoann Gourcuff		Bordeaux

Player of the Year of D2 (Ligue 2)

NB: for players in French second division.

Year   Player                   Club

1969   Daniel Horlaville	Quevilly
1970   Bernard Guignedoux	Paris Saint-Germain
1971   René Riéfa		Avignon
1972   Gérard Tonnel		Troyes	
1973   Paul Imiela		Amiens
1974   Yvon Delestre		Châteauroux
1975   Jean-Paul Pottier	Caen
1976   Jean-Paul Bouffandeau	Caen
1977   Jacky Manic		Tours
1978   Jean-Paul Delahaye	Epinal
1979   Antoine Trivino		Gueugnon
1980   Michel Albaladejo	Orléans
1981   Frédéric Dobraje		Thonon
1982   Jean-MGodart		Noeux-les-Mines
1983   Philippe Tibeuf		Guingamp
1984   Pascal Théault		Caen
1985   François Lemasson	Red Star
1986   Abedi Pelé		Niort		[Ghana]
1987   Philippe Prieur		Caen
1988   Eugène N'Goy Kabongo	Lyon		[Zaïre]
1989   Youri Djorkaeff		Grenoble
1990   Didier Monczuk		Strasbourg
1991   Jean-Pierre Orts		Rouen
1992   Frédéric Johansen	Mulhouse
1993   Jocelyn Gourvennec	Rennes	
1994   Stéphane Guivarc'h	Guingamp
1995   Tony Cascarino		Marseille	[Ireland]
1996   Franck Priou		Martigues
1997   Samuel Lobé		Lille	
1998   Jérôme Alonzo		Saint-Etienne
1999   Claude Michel		Guingamp
2000   Francileudo Santos	Sochaux		[Brazil]
2001   Alexander Vencel		Le Havre	[Slovakia]
2002   Daniel Cousin		Le Mans
2003   Baky Koné		Lorient		[Ivory Coast]
2004   Laurent Dufresne		Nancy
2005   Karim Ziani		Lorient		[Algeria]
2006   Jean-Michek Lesage	Le Havre
2007   Guillaume Hoarau		Le Havre
2008   Grégory Thil		Boulogne 

Trainer of the Year of D2 (Ligue 2)

NB: for trainers in French second division.

Year   Trainer                  Club

1969   Paco Matéo		Pierrots Strasbourg
1970   Edmond Boulle		Montélinar
1971   Roger Quenolle		Poissy
1972   René Dereuddre		Le Mans
1973   Yves Cros		Malakoff
1974   Jacques Sucré		Martigues
1975   Michel Le Millinaire	Laval
1976   Casimir Novotarski	Gueugnon
1977   Jacques Sucré		Martigues
1978   Alain De Martigny	Brest
1979   Guy Roux			Auxerre	
1980   Jacky Lemée		Orléans
1981   Gérard Houllier		Noeux-les-Mines
1982   Jean-Pierre Carayon	Thonon
1983   Léonce Lavagne		Alès
1984   Pierre Mankowski		Caen
1985   Christian Gourcuff	Lorient
1986   Léonce Lavagne		Alès
1987   Pierre Mankowski		Caen
1988   Pierre Mankowski		Caen
1989   Paul Orsatti		Martigues
1990   Robert Dewilder		Mulhouse
1991   Alain Laurier		Istres
1992   René Exbrayat		Bastia
1993   Denis Goavec		Saint-Brieuc
1994   Roland Gransart		Gueugnon
1995   Denis Troch		Laval
1996   Thierry Froger		Le Mans
1997   Christian Gourcuff	Lorient
1998   Alain Perrin		Troyes
1999   Vahid Halilhodzic	Lille
2000   Angel Marcos		Niort
2001   Denis Troch		Amiens
2002   Erik Mombaerts		Toulouse
2003   Philippe Hinschberger	Niort
2004   Thierry Froger		Gueugnon
2005   Christian Gourcuff	Lorient
2006   Rudi Garcia		Dijon
2007   Didier Ollé-Nicole	Clermont
2008   Jean-Louis Garcia	Angers

Referee of the Year

Year   Referee

1971   Robert Wurtz
1972   Robert Heliès
1973   Robert Frauciel
1974   Robert Wurtz
1975   Robert Wurtz
1976   Georges Konrath
1977   Robert Wurtz
1978   Robert Wurtz
1979   Michel Vautrot
1980   Michel Vautrot
1981   Michel Vautrot
1982   Michel Vautrot
1983   Michel Vautrot
1984   Michel Vautrot
1985   Joël Quiniou
1986   Michel Vautrot
1987   Michel Vautrot
1988   Michel Vautrot
1989   Michel Vautrot
1990   Gérard Biguet
1991   Gérard Biguet
1992   Alain Sars
1993   Alain Sars
1994   Joël Quiniou
1995   Marc Batta
1996   Alain Sars
1997   Gilles Veissière
1998   Marc Batta
1999   Stéphane Bré
2000   Gilles Veissière
2001   Stéphane Bré
2002   Bertrand Layec
2003   Bertrand Layec
2004   Eric Poulat
2005   Eric Poulat
2006   Eric Poulat
2007   Bertrand Layec
2008   Stéphane Lannoy

Etoile d'Or

Award for the most regular player of the season.

Season   Player                         Points	Club             

1956/57	 Kees Rijvers		NED	117	Saint-Etienne
1957/58  Maurice Lafont 		139	Nîmes
1958/59  Jules Sbroglia			158	Angers/Lyon
1959/60  Raymond Kopa 			169	Reims
1960/61  Pierre Bernard 		154	Sedan/Nîmes
       	 Khennane Mahi 		ALG/F	154	Rennes
1961/62	 André Lerond 			155	Stade Français
1962/63	 Daniel Charles-Alfred		161	Nîmes
1963/64  Rachid Mekloufi	ALG/F	146	Saint-Etienne
1964/65  Robert Herbin			143	Saint-Etienne
1965/66  Rachid Mekloufi	ALG/F	161	Saint-Etienne
         Roger Lemerre			161	Sedan
1966/67  Rachid Mekloufi	ALG/F	153	Saint-Etienne
1967/68  Roger Lemerre			165	Sedan
1968/69  Roger Lemerre			147	Sedan
1969/70  Bernard Bosquier		146	Saint-Etienne
         Mohamed Salem		ALG	146	Sedan
1970/71  Pavel Kouba		CZE	160	Angoulème
1971/72  Robert Herbin			164	Saint-Etienne
1972/73  Henri Michel			160	Nantes
1973/74  Jean-Marc Guillou		157	Angers
1974/75  Jean-Marc Guillou		157	Angers
         Ignacio Prieto		CHL	157	Lille
1975/76  Dominique Baratelli		159	Nice
1976/77  Raymond Kéruzoré		168	Laval
         Daniel Leclercq		168	Lens
1977/78  Maxime Bossis			153	Nantes
1978/79  André Rey			157	Metz
1979/80  Pierrick Hiard			157	Bastia
1980/81  Dominique Dropsy		151	Strasbourg
1981/82  Pierrick Hiard			157	Bastia
1982/83  Maxime Bossis			153	Nantes
1983/84  Pascal Olmeta			155	Bastia
1984/85  Ruben Umpierrez	URU	159	Nancy
1985/86  Luis Fernandez			151	Paris Saint-Germain
1986/87  Bruno Martini			146	Auxerre
1987/88  Bernard Pardo			156	Toulon
1988/89  Basile Boli			145	Auxerre
1989/90  Jean-Luc Ettori		142	Monaco
1990/91  Bruno Martini			142	Auxerre
1991/92  Fabien Piveteau		148	Le Havre
1992/93  Jean-Pierre Cyprien		135	Saint-Etienne
1993/94  Franck Durix			143	Cannes
1994/95  Jean-Guy Walleme		138	Lens
1995/96  Sonny Anderson		BRA	3.79	Monaco
1996/97  Ali Benarbia		ALG/F	3.80	Monaco
1997/98  Vikash Dhorasoo	MAUR	3.94	Le Havre
1998/99  Nestor Fabri		ARG	3.77	Nantes
1999/00  Marcelo Gallardo	ARG	4.04	Monaco
2000/01  Pascal Cygan			3.76	Lille
2001/02  Philippe Mexès			3.90	Auxerre
2002/03  Ludovic Giuly			3.86	Monaco
2003/04  Vikash Dhorasoo		3.73    Lyon
2004/05  "Cris" 		BRA	3.61    Lyon
2005/06  Franck Ribéry			?       Marseille
2006/07  "Cris" 		BRA	3.63    Lyon
2007/08  Karim Benzema			6.27    Lyon

Gardien d'Or

Award for the most regular goal keeper of the season.

Season   Keeper                         Points	Club             

1992/93  Luc Borelli			137	Toulon
1993/94  Fabien Piveteau		144	Le Havre
1994/95  Christophe Revault		146	Le Havre
1995/96  Christophe Revault		3.82	Le Havre
1996/97  Christophe Revault		3.92	Le Havre
1997/98  Fabien Barthez			3.57	Monaco
1998/99  Alexander Vencel	SVK	3.83	Strasbourg
1999/00  Bernard Lama			3.70	Paris Saint-Germain
2000/01  Farid Mondragón	COL	3.73	Metz
2001/02  Ulrich Ramé			3.68	Bordeaux
2002/03  Mickaël Landreau		3.64	Nantes
2003/04  Petr Cech              CZE	3.56	Rennes
2004/05  Stéphane Cassard		3.58    Strasbourg
2005/06  Yohann Pelé			?       Le Mans
2006/07  Jérémie Janot			3.67    Saint-Etienne
2007/08  Hugo Loris			6.17    Nice


Century Election

The French magazine France-Football consulted 34 former "French Footballer of the Year" (1963-99)
or "Etoile d'Or" (1958-62) to elect the French Player of the Century, the French Trainer of 
the Century and the French Team of the Century.
All former winners have voted except Jean-François Larios which was impossible to reach.
France Football journalist Gérard Ernault has voted.
 
Each of the 34 voters choose 5 players: 5 points for the 1st place, 4 points for 2nd,
 3 points for 3rd, 2 points for 4th and 1 point for 5th.
One vote with two fith places. The former winners cannot voted for themselves.
 
After each player points, between brackets is the number of votes for every place. 

Fench Player of the Century
---------------------------
 1. Michel PLATINI	       143 pts     (22 - 5 - 4 - 0 - 1)
 2. Zinédine ZIDANE	       121         ( 9 -11 - 9 - 2 - 1)   
 3. Raymond KOPA                88         ( 3 -11 - 9 - 1 - 0) 
 4. Laurent BLANC		28         ( 0 - 3 - 1 - 5 - 3)
 5. Just FONTAINE		22         ( 0 - 0 - 2 - 3 -10)
 6. Marius TRESOR		17         ( 0 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 3)
 7. Alain GIRESSE		15         ( 0 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 0)
 8. Jean-Pierre PAPIN		12         ( 0 - 0 - 2 - 2 - 2)       
 9. Didier DESCHAMPS		 9         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 4 - 1)   
10. Eric CANTONA		 8         ( 0 - 0 - 1 - 2 - 1)    
11. Manuel AMOROS		 7         ( 0 - 0 - 1 - 1 - 2)     
12. Larbi BEN BAREK              6         ( 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0)
13. Robert JONQUET               6         ( 0 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0)
14. Marcel DESAILLY              5         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 2 - 1)
15. Maxime BOSSIS                4         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 2 - 0)
16. Roger PIANTONI               3         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 1)
17. Jean BARATTE                 2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0)
18. Fabien BARTHEZ               2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 2)
19. Julien DARUI                 2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0)
20. Bernard LAMA                 2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 2)
21. Roger MARCHE                 2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0)
22. Joseph UJLAKI                2         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0)
23. Patrick BATTISTON            1         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1)
24. David GINOLA                 1         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1)
25. Thierry HENRY                1         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1)
26. Etienne MATTLER              1         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1)
27. Jean TIGANA                  1         ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1)
                                ---        --------------------
                               511 pts     (34 -34 -34- 34- 35)

French Trainer of the Century
-----------------------------
 1. Aimé JACQUET		136 pts		[France 1993-98]
 2. Albert BATTEUX		 72             [Reims, Saint-Etienne, France 1955-62]
 3. Michel HIDALGO		 65             [France 1976-84]
 4. Arsène WENGER		 59             [Monaco]
 5. Guy ROUX			 39             [Auxerre]
 6. José ARRIBAS		 30             [Nantes, France 1966]
 7. Jean SNELLA			 27             [Saint-Etienne]
 8. Jean-Claude SUAUDEAU 	 23             [Nantes, France 1966]
 9. Luis FERNANDEZ		 16             [Paris SG]
 9. Robert HERBIN		 16             [Saint-Etienne]
11. Lucien LEDUC		 11             [Monaco]
12. Roger LEMERRE		 10             [France 1998- ]
13. Pierre PIBAROT		  7             [Racing Club Paris, France ca 1950]
14. Gaston BARREAU		  2             [France 1930-50]

French Team of the Century
--------------------------
 1. FRANCE 1998-2000		163 pts
 2. FRANCE 1982-1986            102
 3. SAINT-ETIENNE 1974-1977      68
 4. MARSEILLE 1989-1993		 64
 5. REIMS 1955-1960		 36
 6. FRANCE 1958		         35
 7. PARIS SG 1993-1997           21
 8. BORDEAUX 1984-1987           10
 9. SAINT-ETIENNE 1967-1970       5
 9. NANTES 1979-1983              5
11. AUXERRE 1993-1996             4

About this document

Thanks to Roberto Di Maggio

Prepared and maintained by Erik Garin and José Luis Pierrend for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Erik Garin (garinerik@hispeed.ch) and José Luis Pierrend (josepie@hotmail.com)
Last updated: 24 May 2023

(C) Copyright Erik Garin, José Luis Pierrend and RSSSF 1999/2023
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.