In 2022 World Cup Team Previews, we talk about the reigning World Champions, France as the Le Bleus start their defence in Qatar.

Quick Facts:

Best Finish: Champions (1998, 2018)

How they got here: France went undefeated in qualifying and finished top of UEFA Group D ahead of Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kazakhstan.

Coach: Didier Deschamps (French)

Strongest XI: (3-4-3) Hugo Lloris; Lucas Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Jules Koundé; Theo Hernández, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Benjamin Pavard; Antoine Griezmann, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé

Injuries: Raphaël Varane (hamstring), N'Golo Kanté (hamstring), Paul Pogba (knee), Lucas Hernandez (torn left adductor)

Positives:

They're the defending World Cup champions, defending UEFA Nations League champions, have the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, are ranked fourth in the world and have this 23-year-old kid named Kylian Mbappé. France is more than capable of going back-to-back and winning the 2022 World Cup. 

Negatives:

France has shown the world some chinks in the armor over the past year. First, the team crashed out of Euro 2020 after blowing a two-goal lead to Switzerland. In this year's Nations League the French were poor and narrowly avoided relegation. France was outclassed by Denmark twice and will have to play the Danes again at the World Cup.

The injury bug hasn't hit any team harder than France. Four players who would be starters are out, with arguably the biggest being Kanté. While Deschamps has incredible depth on the roster, it will be difficult to retain the trophy.

Recent history is also going against France. The World Cup winning curse, where the defending champion fails to get out the group stage, has existed for two decades now. France started the curse when they won in 1998 but crashed out of the group in 2002. It will be up to the French to end the curse.

Key Player:

Kylian Mbappé. His performances during the 2018 World Cup made him a household name. Can he repeat his success four years later?

World Cup 2022: Prediction:

Most likely to mess it all up: Hugo Lloris

What will make this a good World Cup: Becoming the third-ever team to win back-to-back World Cups and the first to do it since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Bonus prediction: There's at least one argument over who gets to take a penalty kick.

For more 2022 World Cup news, follow Sportz Point.

Football is a sport that often brings limelight to certain footballers but sometimes keeps many at bay. Around football discussions worldwide, these footballers are not mentioned often, even after achieving significant accolades. 

Talking about the underrated footballers in International football, we must understand that it is very different from club football. It is tougher to leave a mark except performing in the continental and World Cup-like tournaments in every four years.

However, these footballers have always performed masterfully well while donning their national kit, bringing noteworthy achievements to their respective nations. Still, they have remained underrated in the consideration of either the fans or the football pundits.

Sportz Point explores the top 20 most underrated players in international football in this special article. This list is not a rank, but a summarisation of some underrated footballers who deserve more praise. 

Top 20 Most Underrated Players in International Football

Angel Di Maria

• National team: Argentina
• Position: Right Winger
• Appearances: 145
• Goals: 31
• Assists: 32

Notable trivia: Angel Di Maria is not given the importance he deserves for the recent successes of the Argentina National team. The 36-year-old winger retired from international football in July 2024, leaving behind an unmatched legacy. 

Most importantly, Di Maria won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles in 2020 and 2024, and the Finalissima 2022, as he scored in each of the finals for Argentina except for the 2024 Copa, showing his towering presence for the national team. 

Di Maria remained underrated for the gigantic presence of Lionel Messi as his teammate, but nothing can belittle his huge contribution to Argentina's recent success of winning four trophies in four years.

Thomas Muller 

• National team: Germany
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 131
• Goals: 45
• Assists: 41

Notable trivia: Thomas Muller has 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 World Cup appearances for Germany. The attacking midfielder registered 5 goals and 3 assists in his first-ever World Cup campaign in 2010, earning him the Golden Boot.

In the following World Cup, Muller was pivotal in Germany's World Cup glory, having scored 5 goals and 3 assists. Although he lost the Golden Ball to Lionel Messi that year, Muller was undoubtedly the best player of the German team, along with Manuel Neuer and Miroslav Klose.

Muller won the 2014 World Cup and finished third in EURO 2012 with Germany, as he retired in July 2024 after Germany's elimination from the EURO 2024.

Olivier Giroud

• National team: France
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 137
• Goals: 57
• Assists: 15

Notable trivia: Despite playing for a country that produced goalscorers such as Thierry Henry, Michel Platini, Karim Benzema, and David Trezeguet, Olivier Giroud tops the list of the all-time top scorers for the France national team with 57 goals.

Giroud's achievements are often overlooked both at the international and club levels, though he is one of the best French footballers of this generation. Giroud finished the EURO 2016 as the joint second-highest scorer, with 3 goals and 2 assists. 

Giroud was also part of the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League-winning France team, providing significant contributions to the team. He also scored 4 goals for France in the 2022 World Cup. However, the striker retired from international football in July 2024.

Davor Šuker

• National team: Croatia
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 68
• Goals: 45
• Assists: 6

Notable trivia: Davor Šuker is arguably the greatest Croatian footballer ever, leaving an unparalleled legacy behind him for the national team.

The year 1998 is popularly known as the 'Davor Šuker Year' among football fans, as the forward led the Croatia team to a third-place finish in the 1998 World Cup. He also scored 6 goals in 7 appearances in the tournament to earn the Golden Boot. 

Šuker also won the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament in 1998 WC. He is the top Croatian goalscorer of all time as well, bagging 45 goals in 68 official appearances before retiring in 2002.

Antoine Griezmann

• National team: France
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 137
• Goals: 44
• Assists: 38

Notable trivia: Antoine Griezmann achieved innumerable honours with the France national team, but sadly, is often not regarded as one of the greatest international footballers ever. 

Griezmann led France to a second-place finish in EURO 2016, scoring 6 goals and 2 assists to win the Golden Boot. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in that edition.

However, Griezmann achieved his first senior international silverware in 2018, when France won the World Cup in Russia. The attacking midfielder was crucial for the team with a tally of 4 goals and the tournament-most of 4 assists, also being named the third-best player of the tournament.

Apart from the 2021 UEFA Nations League title, Girezmann orchestrated the French attack in the 2022 World Cup, providing three assists to be the joint-top assist provider. However, he retired from international football in September 2024.

Sergio Busquets

• National team: Spain
• Position: Defensive Midfielder
• Appearances: 143
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 9

Notable trivia: We all are yet to see a central-defensive midfielder in modern football who has such a high IQ in reading the game, such as Sergio Busquets. 

Busquets was popularly called 'Octopus' for his immaculate passing ability and intimidating defensive screening without breaking a sweat most of the time. the Spanish midfielder became the heart of Barcelona but his contribution was often overlooked at the national team level.

In a star-studded midfield with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, Busquets emerged as the only one of his kind, making significant contributions to Spain's World Cup glory in 2010 and EURO 2012 victory. Busquets retired from international football in December 2022.

Hugo Lloris

• National team: France
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 145
• Clean sheets: 68

Notable trivia: It is said in football, that being a goalkeeper is a 'thankless job'. Goalkeepers are always the last guardian of a team, but their contributions are hugely overlooked. Hugo Lloris, the former French goalkeeper is a burning example of that sensation.

Lloris kept three clean-sheets in all 7 appearances for France in the World Cup 2018, leading the team to the final glory. The French custodian has kept a staggering 68 clean-sheets overall for France in 145 appearances.

He also captained the Les Bleus in three World Cup editions from 2014 to 2022. Lloris retired from the national team in January 2023, being the most-capped player for France in history.

Edin Džeko

• National team: Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 139
• Goals: 67
• Assists: 29

Notable trivia: Edin Džeko is not often mentioned as one of the best international footballers in the modern era, only because he represents a country like Bosnia, that mostly fail to apear in big tournaments.

Yet Džeko, the greatest Bosnian footballer, led the Bosnia team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 2014 after scoring a whopping 10 goals to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round.

He also scored 9 goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying round to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round as well. Džeko also ranks sixth among the active footballers with most international goals.

Michael Laudrup

• National team: Denmark
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 103
• Goals: 37
• Assists: 14

Notable trivia: Michael Laudrup is often considered the greatest Danish footballer of all time, yet he doesn't always receive the full recognition that his remarkable talent deserves. He delivered outstanding performances for Denmark, scoring 37 goals in 103 appearances.

Laudrup won the 1995 Confederations Cup with Denmark, providing commendable performances throughout the tournament. German legend Franz Beckenbauer praised the Danish midfielder in the best possible way, saying, “Pele was the best in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s, and Laudrup in the 90s.”

Gabriel Batistuta

• National team: Argentina
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 56
• Assists: 14

Notable trivia: Gabriel Batistuta was nicknamed 'Batigol' for his ability to score from almost anywhere on the pitch with unmatched power and precision.

Batistuta was mostly recognized for his inhuman performance in the 1991 Copa America, as Argentina won the title and he was the highest goalscorer of the tournament with 6 goals. He won his second Copa with Argentina in 1993, scoring a brace in the final.

Although he could not achieve the coveted success in the World Cups, Batistuta was one of the greatest footballers for Argentina in the World Cups, with 10 goals in 12 appearances.

Andrea Pirlo

• National team: Italy
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 116
• Goals: 13
• Assists: 25

Notable trivia: Current UEFA vice-president and former Polish footballer Zbigniew Boniek praised Andrea Pirlo by saying something that probably best defines the Italian midfielder. He stated, "To pass the ball to Andrea Pirlo is like to hide it in a safe."

Andrea Pirlo is inarguably one of the most prolific playmakers who ever graced the football pitch. Famous for his outstanding passing and free-kick skills, Pirlo was essential to Italy's victory in the 2006 World Cup. Pirlo won three man of the match awards in the tournament, most by any player in that edition. 

Retiring in 2017, Pirlo remains one of the supreme players who played exceptionally well at international levels, but the recognition was never enough to praise the midfied maestro.

Ronald Koeman

• National team: Netherlands
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 14
• Assists: 10

Notable trivia: Ronald Koeman is often overlooked, but he was a top-tier central defender known for his exceptional passing ability and masterful free-kick skills. With a record of 238 goals across club and international levels, Koeman is the highest-scoring defender in football history. 

However, the defender was a crucial part of Rinus Michels' formidable Netherlands team in the 90s, which won the 1988 European Championship. He also won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award twice in 1987 and 1988.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

• National team: Netherlands
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 76
• Goals: 42
• Assists: 12

Notable trivia: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is often overlooked among the contemporary Dutch stars of his generation. The forward is the third-highest goalscorer for the Dutch national team, with 42 goals.

Although he had a brief appearance in the 2010 World Cup, Huntelaar proved himself crucial for the team, scoring the most goals (12) in the 2012 European championship qualification round.

However, he was also a part of the Netherlands squad that finished third in the 2014 World Cup. He retired in 2021 but never got the recognition he deserved.

George Best

• National team: Northern Ireland
• Position: Winger
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 9
• Assists: 0

Notable trivia: "Maradona Good, Pele Better, George Best" is the greatest quotation that can define how good George Best was. The Irish winger is also considered as the greatest footballer who never played in a World Cup. 

Despite having immense talent and potential, he is often overlooked in the discussion of the greatest footballers. He was named European Player of the Year in 1968, delivering consistent performance for his club and national team.

If he did not struggle with his self-destructing lifestyle, he may have achieved more accolades with Northern Ireland before retiring in 1982.

Gheorghe Hagi

• National team: Romania
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 124
• Goals: 35
• Assists: 23

Notable trivia: Gheorghe Hagi was such a good player that he was nicknamed "Maradona of the Carpathians". The attacking midfielder was also called 'Regele', which translates to 'The King' for his immaculate shooting ability, playmaking skills, and vision on the pitch.

The attacking midfielder was the heart of an exciting Romania team of the 1990s. Hagi put up a memorable performance for Romania in the 1994 World Cup, scoring 3 goals and providing 4 assists to lead the team to the quarter-finals, where they eventually lost against Sweden.

He retired in 2001 but still holds the record for the most goals scored for the Romania national team, alongside Adrian Mutu, with 35 goals.

Günter Netzer

• National team: Germany
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 6
• Assists: 9

Notable trivia: Günter Netzer played an integral role in Germany's 1972 European Championship victory.
The midfielder provided two assists in the semi-final of the tournament, inspiring a 2-1 win over Belgium.

Netzer was also included in the 1974 World Cup squad for Germany. Although he did not play in the final, Netzer is still regarded as the first World Cup winner who, at the time of his victory, played for a club based outside his home country.

Despite not having many opportunities to represent the national team, he was often considered as one of the best German footballers in the 70s.

Hristo Stoichkov

• National team: Bulgaria
• Position: Winger
• Appearances: 83
• Goals: 37
• Assists: 8

Notable trivia: Hristo Stoichkov was the standout performer in the 1994 World Cup as he inspired Bulgaria to a fourth-place finish and was awarded the Golden Boot for being the top scorer with 6 goals. In the tournament, he scored in the shock wins against Argentina in the Group stage and against Germany in the quarter-finals.

Stoichkov, who re-defined the 'inverted winger' role in world football, scored 37 goals in 83 games for the Bulgarian national team before retiring from international football in 1999.

Gaetano Scirea

• National team: Italy
• Position: Sweeper Defender
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 1

Notable trivia: Despite Franco Baresi's absence, Gaetano Scirea was pivotal in Italy’s victorious 1982 World Cup-winning campaign. The defender, who played mostly as a sweeper, remained underrated due to his contemporary Italian defenders. 

Playing for a country where the best defenders are born and brought up, Scirea always stayed out of the recognition. His untimely death at the age of 36 in 1989 also restricted his legacy.

Rudi Völler 

• National team: Germany
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 90
• Goals: 47
• Assists: 18

Notable trivia: Rudi Völler was a very dependable player striker at both club and international levels. He came off the bench to equalize in the 1986 World Cup Final after scoring in the semi-final against France. Unfortunately, the Germans lost the final against Argentina. However, after four years, he played a crucial role for Germany that became World Champions in 1990, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists.

His contemporary Jurgen Klinsmann always received the highlight for the Germans, but it can not tear down his achievements with the national team. Völler's international goal-scoring record is impressive with a staggering 47 goals in 90 caps.

Matthias Sammer

• National team: Germany
• Position: Defensive/Central Midfielder
• Appearances: 51
• Goals: 8
• Assists: 3

Notable trivia: Matthias Sammer was sometimes overlooked compared to their contemporary Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. However, he played a crucial role in Germany's victory at the 1996 European Championship, where he was named the tournament's best player. 

The midfielder also won the Ballon d'Or in 1996 and was also named the German Footballer of the Year in 1996, after earning the same accolade in 1995.

Many great players have taken the football pitch and left the fans in awe. However, only a few players have gone on to win various trophies in their careers. In this special article, we will take a look at an elite list of players who have won the most trophies in football as a player. 

Argentine football star Lionel Messi is the player with most trophies in football history. In his career so far, with club and country, he has won 46 major trophies. Moreover, he is one of the very few players to win FIFA World Cup. Ballon d'Or, and UEFA Champions League in his career. 

But, yes, the below list only counts the major trophies won with teams and only only individual awards. We wanted to be clear with that at the start. With this list of "11 players who have won the most trophies in football history," we will able to judge which player has been a part of a winning team mostly. 

Though, it is not always the case that when you win a trophy, you have a big role to play in that. But, in this list, all the players listed always had big contributions to their team's success. So, without further a due, let's checkout the list. 

Top 11 players with the most trophies in football:

11. Vitor Baia (34 trophies)

Vitor Baia spent most of his career with FC Porto except playing two years for Barcelona. Baia started his career with FC Porto in 1988 and left the club to join Barcelona in 1996. 

Before retiring in 2007, he played for Barcelona in two stints and won the La Liga in 1997-98 season. His most success came his boyhood club FC Porto, where he won the Liga Portugal 10 times.

However, the biggest achievement was to win the UEFA Champions League in 2004 with the Dragons. Under the visionary eyes of Jose Mourinho, they created one of the greatest underdog success stories in European football.

In a total, Baia won 25 trophies with the Porto while adding the rest to his collection of glories for Barcelona. Unfortunately, he was not able to add any trophy while playing for Portugal.

10. Kenny Dalglish (34 trophies)

Scottish legend Sir Kenny Dalglish is Liverpool's one of the most legendary players. Apart from playing 13 years for the Reds, he played for Celtic for 8 years at the start of his career.

For Liverpool FC, he won a club record 8 Premier League titles along with three Champions League titles. He had won 7 English Super Cups and 2 FA Cup titles as well.

While playing for Celtic, he became the Scottish Champion four times.

9. Angel di Maria (35 trophies)

One of the most underrated players in modern football history, Di Maria always had to shine under the shadows of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Di Maria played alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina and then shared club dressing room with Cristiano at Real Madrid.

With his latest trophy for Benfica in the Portuguese Super Cup, he now has won 35 trophies in his career. Di Maria won five Ligue 1 titles with PSG and won his only Champions League title with Real Madrid.

Read Also | Football facts: 10 players who have played most games with Lionel Messi

However, just like Lionel Messi, his international success bloomed late in his career. He won the Copa America twice in 2021 and 2024. But, his major success was to win the FIFA World Cup 2022, where he scored an important in the final.

Di Maria retired from international football after the 2024 Copa America final.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo (35 trophies)

Arguably one of the greatest players in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo has 35 trophies in his cabinet at the moment. The Portuguese legend won his latest trophy for Al-Nassr FC as he helped them win the United Arab Club Champions Cup 2023.

Ronaldo, who started his club career with Sporting CP, won the Portuguese Super Cup with the club in 2003. That was the start to a historical career which gave football fans joy for over two decades.

Read Also: Top 10: Most Free-kick Goals In Football History (Updated)

The Portuguese legend flourished under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He then joined Real Madrid where he won four of his five UEFA Champions League titles. Ronaldo has won a title for every club he has played for so far.

However, one of his biggest achievements as a player was to win the UEFA Euro Cup with Portugal in 2016. Beside scoring over 900 career goals, Ronaldo's success for every team is what makes him a legend.

7. Ryan Giggs (37 trophies)

Ryan Giggs played all his life for one football club; Manchester United. In his 24-year career at the club, he won a total of 37 trophies, a record for the club.

Not only that, with 13 Premier League titles, he is league's most successful player ever. With the Red Devils, he also went on to win two UEFA Champions League title.

For United, he played 963 games and has 168 goals and 265 assists, another record for United.

6. Sergio Busquets (38 Trophies)

Sergio Busquets, the FC Barcelona and Spain legend is one of the most underrated players ever to play. The central defender was part of one of the greatest international team which won 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2010 Euros for Spain.

Read Also: Barcelona team that won "EVERYTHING" in 2009: Busquets to leave as the last man of that team

The former Barcelona captain won 9 La Liga titles. Not only that, he won 7 Spanish Cups and Spanish Super Cups as well for the Catalan club.

However, his biggest achievement in club football was to win three UCL titles for Barcelona. His latest trophy is the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners with Inter Miami CF.

5. Maxwell (38 trophies)

Maxwell, the Brazilian left back might be the only unknown player on this list. The defender achieved most of his success playing for PSG in France.

However, he found success with FC Barcelona as well. But, joined PSG to find more chances as well.

Maxwell's first trophy was with Cruzeiro, winning the Brazilian Cup in 2000. Soon the joined Ajax, wining two Dutch League titles.

His move to Barcelona via Inter Milan and FC Empoli saw him winning the UEFA Champions League title in 2011. But his most success came with PSG, winning the Ligue 1 four times in a row from 2013 to 2016.

Read Also: Messi vs Ronaldo: The hat-trick battle

4. Gerard Pique (39 trophies)

Another player from that legendary Spanish and Barcelona team, who features in this list. Although known for his career at FC Barcelona, Gerard Pique had success with Manchester United as well.

It might be quite revealing for many that, he played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, against whom he had some tough battles later.

Read Also | Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

Pique won 9 La Liga titles for Barcelona to go with 3 UCL titles for the club. But before reaching there he had won the Premier League and Champions League for United in the 2007-08 season.

He was also an integral part of the Spanish team which won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA Euro in 2012.

3. Andres Iniesta (39 trophies)

Probably the best midfielder of the modern era, Andres Iniesta with 41 trophies is the third most successful footballer ever.

Another important player of that iconic Spanish and Barcelona team, Iniesta found success early in his career. He won his first major trophy with Spain U-17 team winning the U-17 Euros in 2000. He followed that up with the U-19 Euro title next year.

His Barcelona career started in 2002 which continued till 2018. In those 17 year at Barcelona, he won 32 trophies. Post that, he joined Japanese club Viseel Kobe where he won three trophies as well.

Read Also | Andres Iniesta: Who has won the most trophies for FC Barcelona?

Along with all club level success, Iniesta's greatest achievement was to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup alongside lifting the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cup. His goal in the 2010 World Cup final to hand Spain their first-ever World Cup, is regarded as one of the greatest World Cup moments.

Iniesta called it a day in 2024 after spending a year at the Emirates Club. 

2. Dani Alves (43 trophies)

Before Lionel Messi took over as the player with most trophies in football history, it was Dani Alves who had the record. The defender won 23 trophies in eight years at Barcelona.

Dani Alves won six La Liga and three Champions League titles with Barcelona. He then won 19 more titles while playing for Juventus, PSG, and Sao Paulo. He won domestic titles in Italy, France, Brazil and Spain as, which makes him one of the greatest of his era.

Read Also: All the FIFA World Cup winners and runners-up since 1930

The defender won six major titles with his national team, Brazil. He started his Brazil career by winning the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2003. Alves then won two Copa America titles in 2007 and 2019. He concluded his international career by winning the Olympic gold in 2021.

Despite the recent off-field controversies, with 43 trophies in his cabinet, Dani Alves is one of the greatest ever to play the game.

1. Lionel Messi (46 trophies)

Leo Messi is the player with the most trophies in football history. With his latest triumph at the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners, the magician from Argentina won his 46th trophy in his career.

Messi won back-to-back four international trophies with Argentina within three years. He won the Copa America 2021 and then went on to win the Finalissima 2022. Then he capped off his greatest achievement by winning FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Argentine maestro has also won the Olympic Gold Medal with his country in 2008. His latest international success came in Copa America 2024.

In club football history, Messi is the most successful player with 41 club trophies to his name. He started his career with his boyhood club Barcelona and played 18 seasons for the club, scoring a record 672 goals.

Read Also | Top 10 La Masia Graduates who ruled football

The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner won four Champions League titles with Barcelona. Alongside European success, he won 10 La Liga titles as well, most for Barcelona. He has also won Spanish Cup seven times.

After his great stint at Barcelona, Messi went to the French League to play for PSG. However, he was unable to bring the UCL to the French giant, he won the French League with them. In addition, he won the French Super Cup for the season 2022-23 with PSG.

According to reports, the French Football Federation (FFF) has failed to submit documents to UEFA regarding the ongoing dispute between Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain. 

The French forward lodged a demand of €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses from his former club, which was sanctioned by the legal commission of the LFP. 

However, the FFF has failed to provide documents and reportedly has not taken any action, leaving the door open for Mbappe's camp to directly notify UEFA about the negligence.

The Mbappe-PSG dispute keeps escalating

The conflict between the two parties started taking shape from an agreement made in mid-August 2023 between the striker and PSG's management.

At that time, Kylian Mbappe was sidelined from the team after refusing to extend his contract with PSG. If he had agreed to the extension, the club would have received transfer fees.

However, Mbappe did not sign the contract and ultimately joined Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the 2023-24 season.

After joining Madrid in August 2024, Mbappe demanded €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses from PSG and contacted LFP concerning the issue.

🚨 Kylian Mbappé has contacted the LFP and UEFA to report PSG for not paying him money owed.

The Real Madrid star is demanding €55M in unpaid wages and bonuses.

If found guilty, PSG risk being expelled from the Champions League. ⏳

(Source: @lemondefr) pic.twitter.com/00BgLSMK5y

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 20, 2024

On September 11, 2024, the legal commission of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) ruled in favor of Mbappe, stating that the French club is obligated to pay the asked sum to the player.

Subsequently, on October 25, the joint commission of the League also supported Mbappé's case and ordered PSG to make the payment.

However, on December 11, the disciplinary commission of the Professional Football League determined that the application filed was invalid due to PSG summoning the LFP to the Paris Judicial Court. As a result, the club has not yet made the payment.

According to AFP on 22 November, The FFF rejected PSG’s request to reconsider an order from the French league to pay the demanded fee to their former striker.

Another turn in this long-standing fall-out

The dispute has now taken another turn as per the reports from L'Equipe. According to the French outlet, Mbappe's lawyer Delphine Verheyden questioned the FFF in a letter about whether they had notified the European body on this matter.

Verheyden explained that the FFF acts as an intermediary for the "UEFA club license" required to participate in European competitions. According to L'Equipe:

However, the FFF did nothing, because they believe the case is still open as PSG has appealed to the Paris judicial court to contest the decisions made by the French Professional Football League (LFP) against them.

By 15 January 2025, PSG had to demonstrate to UEFA that they were not indebted to their employees or that they were behind on any payments. In such cases, clubs are sanctioned or may be expelled from the UEFA-licensed club competitions.

However, PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi holds the position of the ECA's (European Clubs Association) head, making this whole dispute a sensitive matter.

With FFF taking no action, the proceeding has taken a different turn and may continue for a long period in the upcoming months.

France's 2018 World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps has announced his decision to step down as the head coach of France after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Speaking to French Broadcaster TF1, the longest-serving coach of the France national team confirmed his decision as he admitted: "In 2026 it will be over. In my head, it's very clear,"

🗞 "One Last Time in America"
L'Equipe's frontpage for Didier Deschamps' 2026 exit as France manager. pic.twitter.com/fjhwSKv29G

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 7, 2025

However, this news has stormed into the headlines and consequently raised an old but very popular question for football fans. What if this decision has finally opened the doors for France legend Zinedine Zidane to take over the helm of Les Blues?

Zidane's long-standing desire to coach France's national team

Zinedine Zidane, the superstar of the 1998 FIFA World Cup-winning France squad, has always expressed his aim to coach the French national team. He told L’Equipe the following in 2022:

With France, it’s not over. Of course, I want it. I hope I’ll be one day. When? It’s not up to me. But I want to close the loop with France. Playing for France is the best thing that happened to me,

Zidane has not taken any other managerial job since quitting his position at Real Madrid in 2021, but was repeatedly discussed at times as the potential successor of Didier Deschamps. However, Deschamps renewed his contract for four years in 2023, but he will step down earlier in 2026.

As per reports by Marca in 2022, the former France Football Federation (FFF) President Noel De Graet revealed that Deschamps might be replaced if France failed to reach the semi-finals.

The Spanish media outlet also revealed that Zidane was already being considered as the next Les Blues coach. However, France became the runners-up in the 2022 tournament and Deschamps continued with the team.

FFF President Philippe Diallo's statement raised speculations

In an interview on RMC Sport's Afert-Foot program in December 2024, current FFF President Philippe Diallo admitted the 'growing speculation' about the appointment of Zinedine Zidane. He said the following:

Do people talk to me about Zidane? I would be lying if I said no one has mentioned it to me. I don’t deny it. I go out into the field, I hear people, I listen to you, and I know there’s demand. I’m not deaf.

He also confirmed at that time, that FFF would not sack Deschamps despite the situation as 'it is not on the cards'. He stated:

I arrived in January 2023 with Didier Deschamps, who had just renewed his contract for four years. I respect that contract. He has met the objectives set by the FFF,

Would it be costly to break his contract? Obviously, that’s one aspect. But the primary consideration is that I asked Didier Deschamps to reach the semifinals of the European Championship. And he did,

However, following Deschamps' announcement regarding his unexpected decision, Diallo concealed the speculations and possible hints. He told L'Equipe:

I will not engage in this debate. Didier has two years left on his contract, and out of respect for him, his staff, and the players, the question of his succession does not arise today. I want Didier to work in peace, as we have significant challenges ahead

Diallo revealed nothing but shared his warm appreciation for Zidane and acknowledged his success with Real Madrid. He stated:

He is one of the pillars of French and world football. He contributed to our first star on the jersey. I have immense respect and admiration for one of the greatest players in football history.

I have seen that he achieved very high-quality results with Real Madrid, He has already won the most beautiful trophy of all, the Champions League, multiple times. Thus, he has demonstrated the full extent of his talent.

Zidane may not receive unanimous support

Zinedine Zidane has an impressive trophy cabinet as a manager with 11 trophies, especially marked by three back-to-back Champions League trophies with an unstoppable Real Madrid team from 2016 to 2018. 

Although Zidane has been mentioned the most as the potential candidate to take the France job, he may not be the only option to be considered by FFF in the upcoming eighteen months.

In an interview with RMC Sport back in August 2024, President Diallo himself declined to rule out the possibility that another France legend, Thierry Henry may succeed Didier Deschamps as manager of the France national team. Diallo remarked: 

Henry, when I appointed him to this position [head coach of the U21s and the Olympic U23s], there were some who had doubts given what he had done previously. I had confidence in him and he is proving it.

We still have one more game to go. There is still this step to take and then next year there will be the U21 Euros… Each of the steps must be taken before talking about anything else.

Although Henry's club-level managerial experience was not marked by success at AS Monaco, his spell with the French U-21 team was more fruitful, leading them to the final of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Former French footballer Jean-Michel Larqué also shared his disapproval of appointing Zidane via RMC.

The future coach might be Zidane; I don’t know. I would almost wager that it won’t be him,

On the other hand, another former French national footballer Christian Dugarry admitted in December 2024 that Zidane will not take any other job than the France national team.

He has already offered his services to the French national team, stating that he wants to coach them and is waiting for a response; this is no longer a secret. Who am I to speculate whether Zidane wants to go to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere? He has proposed his services to the French team, but the doors have been closed to him for many years, with them saying: 'It's impossible.'

The stage is set for an epic showdown as Italy takes on France in what promises to be an exciting Nations League clash. With a storied history of rivalries and memorable encounters, both teams come into this match with high stakes.

Italy secured their spot in the Nations League knockout phase on Thursday night with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Belgium, thanks to Sandro Tonali’s early strike. The Azzurri’s fourth win in five matches came after overcoming a few nervy moments, extending their unbeaten run since their disappointing Euro 2024 exit.

Luciano Spalletti's men have shown remarkable improvement, previously defeating Israel twice and holding Belgium to a draw in Rome despite being reduced to 10 men for nearly an hour. The campaign began on a high in September when Italy bounced back from conceding in just 13 seconds to beat arch-rivals France at Parc des Princes.

Now through to the quarter-finals in March, Italy could secure top spot in Group 2 with a result on Sunday. They need to avoid a loss by two goals or more. Meanwhile, although France has also qualified for the next round, their November camp has been far from smooth.

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Match Details

Match: Italy vs France

Date: 17 November 2024

Time: 1:15 AM IST

Venue: San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy

Streaming Details

Indian viewers can stream the game live on the SonyLIV app and website. The TV broadcast will be on Sony Sports Network channels.

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Head-to-Head Stats

Matches Played: 13

France wins: 7

Italy wins: 5

Draws: 1

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Team News and Injury Update

🌅🍂 pic.twitter.com/TW4qYHuQik

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) November 16, 2024

With qualification already secured, Italy may opt for some changes to their lineup, potentially rotating their attack. 

Italy's injury concerns include Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori, Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci, and long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini. Manuel Locatelli has been called up to replace Ricci and will compete with Nicolo Rovella for a midfield spot.

😶‍🌫️ pic.twitter.com/iMh21A0kB7

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) November 16, 2024

On the other hand, France will be without Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, whose absence remains unexplained, as well as injured players Wesley Fofana, Ousmane Dembélé, Loïc Badé, and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

AC Milan duo Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan are expected to start on familiar ground at San Siro. At the same time, Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram will contend with Randal Kolo Muani for the central striker role. Kingsley Coman, brought in to replace the injured Dembélé, is in the mix alongside Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola for starting spots in France's attacking lineup.

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Possible Starting XI

Italy's possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui

France possible starting lineup: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Olise, Zaire-Emery, Barcola; Thuram