The 2025-26 Ligue 1 season delivered memorable moments, standout performances, and surprising disappointments. Here is a comprehensive review of the campaign's best and worst.
Best Player: Vitinha (PSG)
Vitinha described his role at PSG as feeling the match go through him, and the 26-year-old Portuguese midfielder was indeed central to everything the team produced. He was the only PSG player to feature regularly in both league and Champions League, missing only a handful of matches in April due to a heel injury. With Marquinhos rested for European duties from February onwards, Vitinha often captained the side in the second half of the season. Equally adept at weaving through dense midfields or playmaking from a withdrawn position, he thrived in the latter role as most opponents set up conservatively. Before Ousmane Dembélé's move to center, Vitinha's retraining as a defensive midfielder was Luis Enrique's most impactful change. The manager rebuilt PSG as a collective, but Vitinha's individual talents allowed the rest to shine.
Best Manager: Pierre Sage (Lens)
In under three years, Pierre Sage rose from an unassuming interim manager at Lyon to the most in-demand French coach. Hired by Lens last summer after being dismissed mid-season at Lyon, Sage made an immediate impact. In his first season, Lens posed the most credible challenge to PSG's dominance in years. Though they fell short of the title, they won the Coupe de France for the first time in 120 years. Built on high-intensity pressing, incisive counterattacks, and Florian Thauvin's creativity, Lens were a devastating force. Sage's likely departure this summer, potentially to Crystal Palace, would be a major setback for the club.
Best Young Player: Afonso Moreira (Lyon)
Signed for just €2 million from Sporting CP's reserve side, Moreira was expected to play a bit-part role. But an injury to Malick Fofana in autumn gave him an opportunity he seized, finishing with 19 goal contributions (8 goals, 11 assists) in 37 appearances. The Portuguese winger's defensive work and relentless running stood out. Coach Paulo Fonseca used his performances to challenge Endrick, saying, 'If Afonso has that courage, the others must do the same.' Moreira's breakout campaign suggests a bright future.
Best Signing: Florian Thauvin (Lens)
Returning to France after four years, Thauvin was the leading man in Lens's history-making campaign. The 33-year-old World Cup winner thrived as the main creative force, scoring 14 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions, and was named Ligue 1 player of the month three times. He shone brightest in the Coupe de France run, with a goal and assist in every match from the quarter-finals onward. Thauvin's performances earned him a France call-up in March, though he did not make the World Cup squad.
Biggest Shock: Nice's Near Miss
Nice's season began with a Champions League qualifier against Benfica in August and ended in a relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne, which they survived by the skin of their teeth. Poor transfer dealings linked to Ineos's waning interest put the club on the back foot. Franck Haise left after fans attacked the team bus in November, and Claude Puel returned after five years out. Fans invaded the pitch on the final day, leading to a ban from the playoff. When safety was secured, supporters were not present to celebrate a season described as 'catastrophic' by senior figures.
Best Goal: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG vs Lille)
Dembélé's chip against Lille in January confirmed his form was no fluke. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he jinked back twice, created space, and looped a chip over the advancing goalkeeper. Luis Enrique called it a 'PlayStation goal.' It narrowly edged Folarin Balogun's similar effort for Monaco.
Best Save: Hervé Koffi (Angers vs Nice)
On loan from Lens, Koffi made the most saves in Ligue 1, had the highest prevented goals and save percentage, and kept 10 clean sheets. His finest save came against Nice in March, when he denied Jonathan Clauss's curling free-kick destined for the top corner with a strong left hand.
Biggest Flop: Paul Pogba (Monaco)
Pogba's return to football was marred by fitness issues. He did not play until late November and made his only start in May, totaling 115 minutes with no goals or assists. Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro called the deal a 'win-win,' but the club only qualified for the Europa Conference League, and Pogba failed to make France's World Cup squad. The risky move felt like a lose-lose.
Best Match: PSG 5-0 Marseille
In February, PSG fielded a full-strength side for one of the last times before focusing on the Champions League. After Marseille had beaten them earlier in the season, PSG delivered a 5-0 thrashing, the widest margin in Classique history. Dembélé scored a first-half double and added an assist, showcasing PSG's devastating potential.
Biggest Flashpoint: Clashes in Nice
After a defeat at Lorient in November, Nice players were attacked by angry fans at the training ground. Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi were assaulted, leading to their departures on loan. Manager Franck Haise said fans came 'in balaclavas with petanque balls.' The incident triggered the exits of two players, the president, and the manager.
Departures of the Season: Rabiot and Rowe
A dressing room bust-up between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe after Marseille's opening-day defeat led to both players leaving for Serie A. The fight was described as 'extremely violent' by the club president. Their departures hamstrung the squad, leading to a chaotic season with changes in manager, sporting director, and president. Despite this, Marseille clinched an unlikely Europa League spot at the end.
Team of the Season
4-3-3: Robin Risser; Nuno Mendes, Malang Sarr, Willian Pacho, Achraf Hakimi; Adrien Thomasson, Vitinha, Mamadou Sangaré; Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Esteban Lepaul, Florian Thauvin. Bench: Hervé Koffi, Matthieu Udol, Charlie Cresswell, Moussa Niakhaté, Saud Abdulhamid, Corentin Tolisso, Warren Zaire-Emery, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Joaquín Panichelli.
