I ended Part 1 talking about how Ligue 1 produces and develops some of the world’s greatest players. I am now going to discuss the quality of play and excitement of the league.
The goals scored in Ligue 1 are spectacular as a rule. For example, both these goals were scored just last weekend:
(First goal)
You La Liga, Prem, etc. fans may respond…
“So what, Ronaldo and Messi can do 5 of those a game”
…(which wouldn’t be true) but these two teams (Auxerre and Le Mans) currently are hanging out in 16th and 17th place respectively, and before that goal Auxerre had not yet found the net. Then defender Cedric Hengbart pops up with this piece of brilliance. Everyone has heard of Cristiano Ronaldo (unfortunately) so of course if he did something like that he would be made much of, but people would kind of expect it, due to his fame. The beauty of Ligue 1 is that goals like this are completely unexpected, and they happen and then pass. They are a wondeful surprise, but completely comenplace. Which is exactly why nobody has ever heard of Cedric Hengbart.
There isn’t exactly a shortage of goals either, 35 goals were scored on Matchday 6. That’s 3.5 goals a game, or between 3 and 4 goals for those of you who were never quite top in your math class. And yet Ligue 1 has this weird reputation for being boring? I personally blame Serie A fans who couldn’t think of a better adjective for that misconception, because I can’t really see another reason for the boring label.
It is in my mind undoubtedly the best league in the world. It is where the stars are formed, it is the place where youngsters make their breakthrough. It’s where the next bit of magic seems about as unlikely the second before it happens as Boulogne ever winning the Champions League.
C’est Ligue 1.
Filed under: Ligue 1 Commentary Tagged: | Auxerre, Cedric Hengbart, Le Mans, Ligue 1
Agreed. Ligue 1 is where the playes ‘earn their stripes’. Then they go to England and play, as I call it…’The Boring Game’. English soccer is only successful because they are burying their teams into huge debts. And because Ligue 1 won’t allow their teams to go into debt, they, kind of, have a salary cap.
Now does that help the top teams like Lyon and Marseille? Of course it does.
Still, with the new Champions League structure, allowing teams from other leagues to get in, French teams might have an easier time moving to the knock-out stage.
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