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Ever since the formation of the Clairefontaine academy, France has gained a superb reputation for producing and nurturing some of the most exciting young players in Europe.
You just have to look through some of Europe’s top sides and you will see a spate of top-class players that have passed through Ligue 1.
Yaya Toure, Raphael Varane, Franck Ribery and Miralem Pjanic, just some of the names that played in France when they were younger, now you have Paris Saint-Germain joining Europe’s elite with young stars Marco Verratti, Lucas Digne and Marquinhos playing a crucial part.
Let’s look at four talents aged 21 or under that are set to be the next stars to come out of Ligue 1.
1. Florian Thauvin – Marseille (21 years old)
The talents of Florian Thauvin are hard to escape; whenever he is on the pitch he is one of those players that instantly catches the eye. He plays in that old fashioned style of winger, the type of player that just wants to get on the ball and attack the defence.
In his 26 appearances this season Thauvin has attempted 101 take ons, he has only completed 41% of them, but this is part of his enthusiasm, and the older he gets the higher the completion rate will grow.
Blessed with excellent ball control and great pace, Thauvin is a danger whenever he gets on the ball. He has scored six goals this season and created 26 chances, three of them assists.
Marseille inconsistent form has affected Thauvin’s play at times this season, he has adapted well after the controversial move from Lille to Marseille last summer, now is the time to put that fully behind him and becoming a huge star before Euro 2016.
2. Samuel Umtiti – Lyon (21 years old)
Samuel Umtiti
After spending most of last season playing in any position Remi Garde asked of him, this campaign he has established himself as one of Lyon’s starting centre-backs, and now in his natural position he has flourished and impressed.
Umtiti uses his physical presence and agility to win 67% of his headed duels 44 out of 66 to be precise, he has also improved defensively, winning 54% of his tackles. He averages eight defensive actions per game, making a huge 145 clearances this season.
Probably most impressively he has shown great control for someone so young. He has only picked up one yellow card this season, along with one red. The basis is there in the next few years for Umtiti to become a wonderful centre-back.
3. Uros Spajic – Toulouse FC (21 years old)
Uros Spajic
This season most of the plaudits in the Toulouse defence have gone to the eye-catching 21-year-old, Serge Aurier, but quietly under the radar, Uros Spajic, has been adapting to life in France and becoming an important part of Le Téfécé’s defence.
After moving from Red Star Belgrade, the Serbian defender has been excellent in his 29 appearances this season. Averaging nine defensive actions per game, including 74 interceptions, winning 56% of his 77 tackle attempts and there is space to improve as his record of nine yellow cards and two red cards will show (one of the red cards was given incorrectly).
He is comfortable in the air, winning 62% of his headed duels and great with the ball at his feet, with a 85% pass accuracy, there are definitely similarities to Lille’s towering centre-back Marko Basa, and Toulouse will be very happy if he can go on to emulate the Montenegro international.
4. Layvin Kurzawa – AS Monaco (21 years old)
Layvin Kurzawa
In Monaco’s rise from Ligue 2 to second place in Ligue 1, one of the revelations of the season has been attacking full-back, Layvin Kurzawa, and the 21-year-old left-back isn’t going to rest on the laurels of his first successful season back in the top-flight.
The French defender played a few games as Monaco were relegated to Ligue 2 back in 2010, but he was only young then, now he has matured and developed both mentally and physically and looks a complete threat all over the pitch.
Defensively he can still improve but is already impressive in wining 53% of his tackles and 69% of his headed duels. He has made 116 clearances and 96 interceptions so far this season, averaging eight defensive actions to dispel that theory of modern day full-backs not being able to defend.
Always eager to break forward, Kurzawa has brought that experience of playing as a striker in his younger days and used it to his advantage. He has scored five goals this season and created 20 chances in his 28 appearances.
Kurzawa has made the step up to the France Under-21 squad, and if he continues this path it won’t be long until he is making the move up to the senior national side.
