The Ligue 1 young guns to watch this season
Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery and Zinedine Zidane are among the superstars who blossomed from Ligue 1's hotbed of young talent, and there's a new crop of stars set for a breakout season in 2020-2021.
The Ligue 1 season finally kicks off on 22 August after COVID19 cut the 2019-2020 campaign short, and Europe's top clubs will be closely monitoring a few wonderkids on display.
In a league stacked with exciting young stars, here are nine of the very best prospects poised for a breakout season.
Xavi Simons, PSG
Xavi Simons quickly became one of the most sought-after teenagers in football after dominating at Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy.
PSG won the race for the Dutchamn’s signature offering the ten-16 year-old €1 million per-year to come to the Parc des Princes.
At 17, the 'Sideshow Bob' look-alike just made his debut for the senior team in a 1-0 win over Socheaux, suggesting manager Thomas Tuchel may be ready to give the prodigy a shot in Ligue this season.
Eduardo Camavinga, Rennes
Eduardo Camavinga’s rapid rise at Rennes has been incredible, with 32 senior appearances already for the 17 year-old.
The midfielder is seemingly immune to pressure under the bright lights and his composure has caught the eye of Real Madrid.
Another strong season in Ligue 1 could see the Frenchman lured to the Bernabeu by Zinedine Zidane.
Maxence Caqueret, Lyon
Maxence Caqueret joined Lyon’s youth academy aged 11 and has been a regular feature at international level for France’s junior sides.
Hailed as ‘the future of the club’ by club president Jean-Michel Aulas, 20 year-old midfielder’s elegance on the ball has seen him compared to Lyon legend Juninho.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Angers
The 19 year-old left-back has emerged as one of the hottest prospects in French football after 16 starts in 17 league appearances for Angers last season.
With Nouri represented by super agent Jorge Mendes, and Manchester United reportedly interested, Angers could be forced to start preparing for life without its prized asset.
Boubacar Kamara, Marseille
Strong, assured and boasting composure well beyond his 20-years, Kamara was a regular starter in Marseille’s side which finished runner-up to PSG last season.
The commanding defender is already being compared to former PSG captain and Brazil great Thiago Silva.
Adil Aouchiche, St Etienne
A midfielder with a devastating knack for scoring goals, Aouchiche bagged 14 goals in 18 games for France u17. Aouchiche became an international star in 2019, with nine-goals in 5 games at the U17 Euros.
After struggling for game time at PSG, we could be set to see more of the 18 year-old in 2020-2021, with more minutes on the cards at new club St Etienne.
Khephren Thuram, Nice
Another gem from the Thuram family tree, Khephren is the son of former FIFA World Cup winner Lillian and younger brother of Borussia Monchengladbach gun Marcus.
Nice boss Patrick Vieira - a former France team-mate of Khephren’s father - called on the durable 19 year-old 14 times in Ligue 1 last season.
Make no mistake, Thuram’s form undoubtedly warranted selection, and for those citing favouritism, here’s some footage of the midfielder in action to change your mind.
Boubakary Soumare, Lille
A graduate of PSG’s youth academy, Boubakary Soumare was a regular for France as he climbed up the junior ranks, before moving to Lille in 2017.
The 21 year-old has already amassed 52 appearances for Lille, and if 'the next Paul Pogba' continues on this trajectory, it won’t be long before a European giant swoops in.
Aurelien Tchouameni, Monaco
A commanding presence at the heart of midfield, Tchouameni was poached by Monaco in January after a stellar start to the season at Bordeaux.
With the arrival of former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac who is renowned for grooming young talent, the 20 year-old has all the support in place to flourish this campaign.
