After the usual world team to finish 2022, place last year’s typical Ligue 1 team. Starting with the goalkeeper and side positions. In the goal, they missed the World Cup cart, but they distinguished themselves in the tournament: Nantes player Alban Lafont, who did not appear in the Blues list for Qatar, and Parisian Gianluigi Donnarumma, the European champion, did not. Those eligible to compete are the candidates.
Brice Samba, who arrived at Lens last summer, has only played half a season in France in 2022, but his performances have already made him a reliable candidate. Familiar with pre-picks for the job, Anthony Lopez and Steve Mandanda are also in attendance.
On the right of defense, the name of the Parisian Ashraf Hakimi inevitably returns, who ranked second in the world eleven votes for this position, right behind Kyle Walker. Jonathan Klaus, who also has an attacking appearance, brilliantly managed his passage from Lens to Marseille. He was on the typical 2021 team ahead of the Moroccan. With a more solid defensive style, Hamari Traore continues to be a regular at Stade Rennes. Youngsters Fanderson (21 years old, Monaco) and Malo Gusto (19 years old, Lyon) are also starting to appear.
This is also the case on the left flank, with Rene’s Adrien Travert (21), who became an international in September, and Nantes’ player Quentin Merlin (20), with Espeurs. But it may be necessary to go to the foreign side in order to find a successor to Reneldo, who left Lille for Atletico Madrid. Caio Henrique finished second in votes behind the Mozambican in 2021 and the Brazilian continued to provide assists with his left foot, both on play and from set-pieces.
The Portuguese Nuno Mendes and Nuno Tavares make a huge impact in their lanes, respectively at PSG and OM. On the OL he was the only real satisfaction of this past summer’s transfer window: Nicolás Tagliafico is world champion with Argentina, of which he’s been left-handed. But the question is for this team’s typical year of performance in L1.
