Julien Le Cardinal

Cardinal's current-season form is level with last season (Season 16→17), while his Rating held around 35. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 49).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Saint Etienne · 1st	3	0	0	7.3	35	17
2025/26	Saint Etienne · 3rd	11	1	0	7.33	34	16
2025/26	Stade Brestois 29 · 12th	8	1	0	6.92	39	10
2024/25	Stade Brestois 29 · 9th	16	0	1	7.03	62	32
2023/24	Stade Brestois 29Loan · 3rd	14	0	0	6.91	64	18
2023/24	Lens	2	0	0	6.91	—	—
2022/23	Lens · 2nd	8	0	0	6.7	64	5
2022/23	Paris FC · 7th	13	1	0	7.04	54	27

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 7 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

J. Le Cardinal is a 29-year-old central defender at Saint Etienne, rated 34.3 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (29.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.62 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Cardinal.

On the season, Cardinal graded 16 for current form (age-blind), on 4 clean sheets and 2.621 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 16 → 17). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 34. At 29 Cardinal is in his prime years, and a market index of 7.1 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2021/22Holding levelBreakout: 2021/22Stepped up 2021/224 clubs

34.3

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

16.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

29.4%

Minutes

limited game time

2.62

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Saint Etienne finished 3rd of 18 · an upper-table side

Apps

2.62

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.62 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 11 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (3rd of 18) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Watch points

Game time. Only 29.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 34.3 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.62 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %29.4%

Available fixtures35 of 35

Goals / 900.097

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.097

Defensive actions / 902.621

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Cards / 900.097

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~13), then tapers with age. At 29, Cardinal sits on 7.1, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Cardinal's projected Rating — 34.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Ligue 2 with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles12

Interceptions12

Blocks3

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

€1.9M total transfer fees · 6 moves

Saint EtienneFeb 2026 – now

Stade Brestois 29Jul 2024 – Feb 2026€ 1.7M

Stade Brestois 29(on loan)Sept 2023 – Jul 2024

LensNov 2022 – Sept 2023€ 230K

Paris FCJul 2022 – Nov 2022

BastiaJul 2019 – Jul 2022

Stade Briochinuntil Jul 2019

About J. Le Cardinal

Julien Le Cardinal is a 29-year-old centre-back who plays for Saint Etienne, born on August 3, 1997 in Saint-Brieuc, standing 182 cm tall. He is from France. Saint Etienne currently sit 1st of 18 in the Ligue 2.

This season

In the current season, J. Le Cardinal has made 3 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 270 minutes.

J. Le Cardinal's next match is on August 31, 2026, when Saint Etienne face Dijon away in the Ligue 2.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Le Cardinal at 34.3 with a Season form score of 16.1. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the National 1. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, J. Le Cardinal has totalled 202 club appearances with 13 goals and 3 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 31 appearances for Bastia.

J. Le Cardinal's career has also included time at Stade Brestois 29, Lens, Paris FC, Bastia and Stade Briochin.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.