The French Player of the Year is an association football award presented annually by the French magazine France Football since 1959. Originally, only French players playing in France were eligible, but starting in 1996 French players playing abroad were in contention to win the trophy. Since 2001, former winners have elected the Player of the Year. [1]
In 2023, France Football changed the format of its award by changing its time frame from the calendar year to the football season. They also decided to introduce a French Player of the Year award for women's footballers. [2]
At the end of the 20th century, the magazine also voted on the French Player of the Century, won by Michel Platini. [1]
| Rank | Player | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Platini | 143 |
| 2 | Zinedine Zidane | 121 |
| 3 | Raymond Kopa | 88 |
| 4 | Laurent Blanc | 28 |
| 5 | Just Fontaine | 22 |
| 6 | Marius Trésor | 17 |
| 7 | Alain Giresse | 15 |
| 8 | Jean-Pierre Papin | 12 |
| 9 | Didier Deschamps | 9 |
| 10 | Eric Cantona | 8 |
Every year, the magazine elects the best French manager of the year. The jury is composed of former laureates. [1]
