France, the great exporter: is it the new forge of football?

French football will arrive at the Qatar 2022 World Cup to defend the title obtained in Russia 2018, the second in its history, the first as a guest. There is no coincidence in the achievement of four years ago or in the competitiveness of his team. Nor in his capacity as a candidate.

It is not based, among other things, on its Ligue 1 which has Paris Saint-Germain as a hegemonic protagonist, a team that since 2013 has won 25 local titles (between Championships and Cups), with the economic boost of Qatar Sports Investments. In the local tournament he has won eight of the last ten editions and in the remaining two he finished second (Monaco and Lille).

A club capable of putting together the most expensive striker in history: Messi, Mbappé, Neymar. Yet the Champions League continues to be a stigma. There is a relevant detail regarding that trio: They represent the best of the three countries that export the most to the major leagues: first, France (123); second, Brazil (97); third, Argentina, tied with Portugal (both with 68).

The keys to seduction

The hierarchy of the French footballer is the key. With the pardons of the companions of Michel Platini and then of Zinedine Zidane, this He is the best generation of French footballers. A perfect fusion between the children of the former colonies that have been developing for at least two decades.

Indeed, specialists in youth recruitment point out that the suburbs of Paris and Marseille are what the favelas of Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo once represented, or the incomparable Villa Fiorito bastion, the Grande Buenos Aires or the Grande Rosario.

Consequently, the French are so highly regarded. They added power to their traditional technical ability. It is not accidental: several figures of him (such as the supersonic Mbappé or the octopus Kanté) resemble the representative athletes of Africa at the Olympic Games.

I just closed the free of pass The influence of French footballers in elite leagues is well known. By eliminating Ligue 1, of course, 123 players born or nationalized in the country of Napoleon and the Eiffel Tower are competing in the first 4 leagues (in order of UEFA coefficient: Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A). In three of them it is the main exporter.

The only exception is the Spanish league where the number one belongs to the 32 Argentines who play there.. The data is convincing. France looks like the new (or not so new) hotbed of the world, basically of the football elite.

make names

Let’s review: Karim Benzema, figure and scorer of Real Madrid champion of Champions League and League, author of 44 goals and 14 assists in 46 games. He is the main candidate to win the Ballon d’Or (delivery will take place on 17 October this year at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris).

Among the 30 finalists of the Ballon d’Or there are two other Frenchmen: Attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku, decisive for Leipzig in the Bundesliga (35 goals and 15 assists in all competitions; won the German Cup). Goalkeeper Mike Maignan (born in French Guiana, South America, Gallic representative), a key AC Milan player who reached his 19th Scudetto last season.

In addition, another goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris – captain and holder of the French national team and consolidated in English Tottenham Hotspur- was selected for the Yashin Award. Maignan also competes there. And on that list is also Édouard Mendy-born in France, representative of his blood country, Senegal.

In the Kopa Prize list (another Frenchman, from the time of Di Stéfano to Real Madrid and Just Fontaine to The Blues) to the best Sub 21 there is Eduardo Camavinga (born in Angola, nationalized French) also him he has already worn the white shirt of Real Madrid and the blue one of the selected.

There are more foreigners than nationals in four of the top five leagues

In percentage terms, the Premier League it is the one with the most foreigners: 66.8%. In other words, two out of three are not English or Welsh. There are 348 in total. The leader in terms of advantages is France, with 32 players. The one with the highest market value is Manchester United’s central Raphael Varane with 48 million euros.

Brazil is the second in terms of contribution of players, with 28. The midfielder Fabinho, of Liverpool, is the most popular with 60 million. Portugal completes the podium with 26. Bruno Fernandes, of Manchester United, is the most highly rated (85 million). Argentina is twelfth with 12. Defender Cristian Romero, with 48 million, is the most valuable according to data from the specialized site Transfermarkt. Play for Tottenham

The second with the greatest foreign influence is the Italian Serie A, with 61.2%. foreigners. Although in gross values ​​it adds more foreigners than in the Premier League: 371 against 348. The greatest contribution is made by France with 35 players. Theo Hernández (Milan) and Pogba (Juventus) are the most relevant.

The podium of appearances in Italy is completed by Brazil (24) and Argentina (20). Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) and Paulo Dybala (Rome) are the most sought after considering the 44 players from both South American countries.

Germany (52.1%) and France (51.9%) have almost half and half of local and foreign. In the Bundesliga, the top 3 contributors are made up of: France, Austria and the Netherlands. Nkunku and England’s Jude Bellingham (of Borussia Dortmund) are the most valuable. Meanwhile, in Ligue 1 they appear in the top three: Brazil, Senegal and Portugal. Neymar, Abdou Diallo and Nuno Mendes are the most sought after; the three of the PSG and the three representatives of the most present countries.

Spain is the only league that has a majority of players born in their homeland. Its percentage of foreigners is 41.4%. Argentina, Brazil and France are the ones that contribute the most. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Uruguayan Valverde (Real Madrid) and Portuguese Joao Félix (Atlético de Madrid) are the most valuable. Among the Argentines the first in the standings is Angel Correa, from Diego Simeone’s team.