Top 5 French players in Premier League history
Since Premier League's inception in 1992-93, French players have made their presence felt in England's top-tier football competition. According to the Premier League, a total of 207 Frenchmen have played in the competition, making France the second most-represented country. Here we pick the top five French players who have graced the Premier League over the years.
Patrick Vieira was simply class at Arsenal
French mid-fielder Patrick Vieira was magnificent for the Gunners across nine seasons at the club. He was a complete mid-fielder and boasted of all the leading attributes to dominate in his position. He was tactically sound and was decisive with his tackles, besides surging forward and winning balls back. He won three Premier League titles, besides making 307 appearances for Arsenal and Manchester City.
Arsenal's Robert Pires was an unsung hero
Robert Pires was a sensation for Arsenal under manager Arsene Wenger. The two-time Premier League champion made 198 appearances and scored 62 goals, besides claiming 41 assists. Pires didn't boast of express pace, rather, he was technically gifted. He had the vision and guile to drop the shoulder and come inside off the left flank. Pires was right-footed and boasted of creativity going front.
Patrice Evra was a world class left-back for Manchester United
Former Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra was a dominating force for the club during his nine seasons at the club. He went on to become a trusted asset for Sir Alex Ferguson. Evra was extremely quick, agile and good in the air. He was tactically intelligent both in defense and attack. Evra went on to win five EPL titles and made 278 appearances.
Eric Cantona was an all-round forward
Eric Cantona was a catalyst for Manchester United's Premier League dominance in the 90s. He went on to define his play by scoring many crucial goals. Cantona had all the major attributes of a forward that made him world class. Cantona made 156 Premier League appearances, scoring 70 goals and making 56 assists. He won four EPL titles with United.
Thierry Henry: The greatest Frenchman to have graced the EPL
Thierry Henry will always go down as one of the best strikers in the world. The Frenchman was a lethal goal-scoring machine and made the fans at Highbury dance to his tunes. He scored a whopping 175 goals and made 74 assists. Henry won four Golden Boots and three in succession. The two-time Premier League Player of the Season won two titles with Arsenal.
Other notable French players in Premier League history
David Ginola made 195 appearances and scored 21 goals, besides making 42 assists. The winger was two-footed, intelligent and terrified full-backs. Two-time Premier League winner Nicolas Anelka was prolific and scored 125 EPL goals. Chelsea mid-fielder N'Golo Kante deserves a special mention as well.
