Soccer Players from France

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Frenchs Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Frenchs Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Frenchs Soccer Players.

1. #1

   

   Zinedine Zidane

   b. 1972

   HPI 78.64119 langs

   Zinedine Zidane is best known for his headbutt on Italian player Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup Final.

2. #2

   

   Michel Platini

   b. 1955

   HPI 78.2691 langs

   Michel Platini is most famous for being the president of UEFA and the president of the Union of European Football Associations.

3. #3

   

   Raymond Kopa

   1931 - 2017

   HPI 75.0355 langs

   Raymond Kopa is most famous for being the first French player to win the Ballon d'Or in 1958.

4. #4

   

   Eric Cantona

   b. 1966

   HPI 70.8366 langs

   Eric Cantona is most famous for his performance in the 1995 FA Cup Final, in which he scored two goals and captained Manchester United to a...Read moreShow less

   Eric Cantona is most famous for his performance in the 1995 FA Cup Final, in which he scored two goals and captained Manchester United to a 4-0 victory over Chelsea.

5. #5

   

   Lucien Laurent

   1907 - 2005

   HPI 69.9740 langs

   Lucien Laurent is most famous for being the first person to climb Mount Everest.

6. #6

   

   Thierry Henry

   b. 1977

   HPI 68.8188 langs

   Thierry Henry is most famous for being a French professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona,...Read moreShow less

   Thierry Henry is most famous for being a French professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls, and Arsenal.

7. #7

   

   Laurent Blanc

   b. 1965

   HPI 68.7357 langs

   Laurent Blanc is most famous for being the manager of the French national football team, which he led to victory in the 1998 World Cup.

8. #8

   

   Kylian Mbappé

   b. 1998

   HPI 68.06109 langs

   Kylian Mbappé is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is...Read moreShow less

   Kylian Mbappé is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is considered one of the best young players in the world, known for his speed, dribbling ability, and finishing. Mbappé rose to prominence as a teenager at Paris Saint-Germain, where he helped the club win four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, as well as the 2018 Coupe de la Ligue and the 2018 Coupe de France. He has also enjoyed success with the French national team, winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup and finishing as the tournament's best young player.

9. #9

   

   Franck Ribéry

   b. 1983

   HPI 67.5083 langs

   French footballer

10. #10

    

    Karim Benzema

    b. 1987

    HPI 66.9497 langs

    French association football player