Best defensive players in Ligue 1

The best defensive players in Ligue 1, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

W. Zaïre-Emery of Paris Saint Germain is the standout for raw talent across players in Ligue 1, with a Field Insider Rating of 94.3, and E. Lepaul has been the form player this season, grading 81.3.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: M. Sangaré has improved his Season rating most, up +55.3 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, M. Sangaré of Lens is the most valuable name in this group at 142.1.

Best talent

W. Zaïre-Emery94.3RTG

50 players · ranked by most clean sheetsCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	CS	Season	Rating
1	M. Niakhaté Centre-back	Lyon	30	14	6551.7%	5215.5%
2	Clinton Mata Centre-back	Lyon	33	14	6544.5%	3616.5%
3	W. Zaïre-Emery Full-back	Paris Saint Germain	20	14	6894.3%	9412.3%
4	I. Zabarnyi Centre-back	Paris Saint Germain	23	14	6871.3%	849.8%
5	D. Greif Goalkeeper	Lyon	29	13	64273.5%	5619.3%
6	M. Udol Defensive midfielder	Lens	30	12	522.1%	55±0%
7	R. Risser Goalkeeper	Lens	21	12	45395.6%	8948.9%
8	T. Morton Defensive midfielder	Lyon	23	12	4515.1%	8412.3%
9	Vitinha Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	26	12	434.4%	757.8%
10	A. Maitland-Niles Full-back	Lyon	28	12	6754.9%	666.7%
11	W. Pacho Centre-back	Paris Saint Germain	24	11	6156.7%	792.3%
12	Abner Full-back	Lyon	26	11	56196.3%	7610.3%
13	C. Tolisso Defensive midfielder	Lyon	31	11	6967.3%	4913.7%
14	A. Thomasson Defensive midfielder	Lens	32	11	6812.4%	4314.1%
15	M. Sarr Full-back	Lens	27	11	68125.3%	713.1%
16	H. Haraldsson Attacking midfielder	Lille	23	11	4238.5%	851.1%
17	J. Lefort Centre-back	Angers	32	10	4724.9%	4018.9%
18	B. Barcola Winger	Paris Saint Germain	23	10	4732%	839.5%
19	Senny Mayulu Full-back	Paris Saint Germain	20	10	60323.2%	9112.4%
20	A. Mandi Centre-back	Lille	34	10	5486.8%	298.7%
21	L. Hernández Full-back	Paris Saint Germain	30	10	47281.1%	466.9%
22	T. Tessmann Central midfielder	Lyon	24	10	2840.1%	788%
23	F. Thauvin Attacking midfielder	Lens	33	10	5861.5%	368.9%
24	A. Bouaddi Defensive midfielder	Lille	18	10	3463.9%	8714.6%
25	M. Fernandez-Pardo Centre-forward	Lille	21	10	49	8986.4%
26	N. Ngoy Centre-back	Lille	23	10	53111.6%	8358.7%
27	R. Perraud Full-back	Lille	28	10	50163.2%	658.5%
28	B. André Defensive midfielder	Lille	35	10	513.1%	3010%
29	M. Sangaré Defensive midfielder	Lens	24	9	62825.4%	8870.6%
30	L. Chevalier Goalkeeper	Paris Saint Germain	24	9	6065.9%	7810.6%
31	B. Samba Goalkeeper	Rennes	32	9	2838.3%	4214.2%
32	E. Lepaul Centre-forward	Rennes	26	9	81134.3%	809.7%
33	H. Koffi Goalkeeper	Angers	29	9	32265.9%	557.5%
34	O. Camara Centre-back	Angers	23	9	471082.5%	7924.5%
35	G. Restes Goalkeeper	Toulouse	21	9	261.9%	851.9%
36	M. Camara Central midfielder	Rennes	28	9	4916.7%	6117.5%
37	V. Rongier Central midfielder	Rennes	31	9	5749%	47±0%
38	Beraldo Central midfielder	Paris Saint Germain	22	9	3018%	802.4%
39	Lee Kang-In Winger	Paris Saint Germain	25	9	2923.1%	776.1%
40	K. Kvaratskhelia Winger	Paris Saint Germain	25	9	4273.6%	782.1%
41	M. Penders Goalkeeper	Strasbourg	20	9	26536.6%	8673.8%
42	Félix Correia Attacking midfielder	Lille	25	9	3321.3%	8019.8%
43	H. Belkebla Central midfielder	Angers	32	9	311.3%	393.5%
44	P. Šulc Winger	Lyon	25	8	54	80
45	J. Chotard Defensive midfielder	Stade Brestois 29	24	8	4980.4%	7811.1%
46	R. Del Castillo Attacking midfielder	Stade Brestois 29	30	8	4851.3%	498.2%
47	K. Lala Full-back	Stade Brestois 29	34	8	3622.3%	3120.4%
48	W. Saïd Attacking midfielder	Lens	31	8	54296.3%	430.5%
49	Afonso Moreira Attacking midfielder	Lyon	21	8	41	8759.6%
50	I. Soumaré Attacking midfielder	Le Havre	25	8	4639.9%	828.7%