Mbappé, Griezmann, Benzema: Who are France's top UEFA Champions League performers?
Sunday, December 18, 2022
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Which French players have the most appearances and goals in Europe's leading club competition?
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France are a major force in international football, but the nations' clubs have often come up just short in the continent's top club competition; Marseille were UEFA Champions League winners in 1992/93, but French clubs have been losing finalists on six other occasions. French players have always been in demand, Raymond Kopa notably appearing on the losing side with Reims in the first European Cup final in 1955/56 before transferring to Real Madrid and winning the next three editions.
Most appearances by French players in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)
150: Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)
115: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)
111: Patrice Evra (Monaco, Man. United, Juventus)
96: Claude Makelele (Nantes, Real Madrid, Chelsea)
89: Franck Ribéry (Bayern)
88: Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid, Man. United)
87: Gaël Clichy (Arsenal, Manchester City, Başakşehir)
87: Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona)
87: Mikaël Silvestre (Inter Milan, Manchester United, Arsenal, Bremen)
83: Florent Malouda (Lyon, Chelsea)
Top-scoring French players in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)
90: Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)
51: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)
40: Kylian Mbappé (Monaco, Paris)
32: David Trezeguet (Monaco, Juventus)
31: Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona)
28: Jean-Pierre Papin (Marseille, AC Milan, Bayern)
24: Olivier Giroud (Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan)
20: Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris, Fenerbahçe, Chelsea, Juventus)
18: Franck Ribéry (Bayern)
17: Michel Platini (St-Étienne, Juventus)
Most appearances by French players in UEFA club competition*
151: Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)
140: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)
134: Claude Makelele (Nantes, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Paris)
132: Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille, Dinamo Moskva, Lyon, Fenerbahçe, Olympiacos)
124: Patrice Evra (Monaco, Man United, Juventus, Marseille)
122: Zinédine Zidane (Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid)
117: Robert Pirès (Metz, Marseille, Arsenal, Villarreal)
117: Franck Ribéry (Marseille, Bayern)
113: Lilian Thuram (Monaco, Parma, Juventus, Barcelona)
110: Hugo Lloris (Lyon, Tottenham)
Top-scoring French players in UEFA club competition*
92: Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)
59: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)
40: Kylian Mbappé (Monaco, Paris)
40: Jean-Pierre Papin (Club Brugge, Marseille, AC Milan, Bayern, Bordeaux)
40: Olivier Giroud (Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan)
37: Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona)
37: David Trezeguet (Monaco, Juventus)
33: Kevin Gameiro (Strasbourg, Paris, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Valencia)
30: Michel Platini (St-Étienne, Juventus)
29: Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla, Monaco)
Key facts
Most successful European club: Marseille (1 European Cup win)
Most European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League games: Lyon (148)
Most European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League goals: Paris (283)
First team to compete in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League: Stade de Reims (runners-up,1955/56)
First team to win the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League: Marseille (1992/93)
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*UEFA club competitions means European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, Europa Conference League, European/South American Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup