Ousmane Dembélé and Mason Greenwood have taken the lead. The offensive front of the Ligue 1 2025 team of the season is shaping up around them, propelled by a record year and heated scenarios. Between the Parisian triumph in Europe and Marseille’s resurgence, the benchmarks have shifted. The UNFP Awards voting, revealed at the Pavillon Gabriel, confirmed a strong trend: the decisive zone belongs to hybrid profiles, capable of being both a goal scorer and a playmaker on the same evening. The numbers lean towards Paris and Marseille, as does the play. Yet, a nuance is necessary. Emerging talents have shaken up the established order, from Désiré Doué to Estéban Lepaul, passing through Gonçalo Ramos as a lethal “super-sub.” Debates are lively, as creativity and dribbling weigh as much as finishing. One question guides the selection: who carried the performance in high-stakes matches, and how? The answers lead back to five central names, surrounded by pressing contenders. The rest belongs to voters and coaches, already leaning towards a 4-4-2 modulated into 4-2-4. The duel for places is on, and the battle of the final third never forgives.
Ligue 1 2025 Team of the Season: attacking midfielders and forwards who turn matches
The framework has solidified around a quartet of high added value: Dembélé, Greenwood, Kvaratskhelia, and Doué. Paris swept everything with a decisive axial Dembélé, Ballon d’Or in the autumn. OM kept pace thanks to Greenwood, with 26 goals and 10 assists in 2025 with Marseille.
Around them, the Parisian machinery multiplied the link-ups. Kvaratskhelia piled up 14 goals and 13 assists after his winter arrival. Ramos scored 24 goals as a specialist in late finishes. Readers’ vote confirms this grid: efficiency comes first, but the creative link is worth the spot.
The battle for fifth place remains open. Thauvin, Lepaul, and Barcola line up convincing arguments, each with a clear tactical signature.
Ousmane Dembélé, the standard-bearer of dribbling and creativity
Dembélé overturned the hierarchy in six months. Scoring as never before in the spring (co-leader with 21 goals), constant regulator and playmaker, he orchestrated the Parisian sextuple. His axial repositioning freed the flanks while fixing entire blocks with his outside-inside feint.
The impact is also measured without the ball. Targeted pressing, attracting runs, decisive acceleration over 15 meters: his play made others better. When he triggers, the defensive line steps back, and the opposing midfield cracks.
His consistency in big matches settled the debate. When intensity rises, precision remains.
Mason Greenwood, OM’s complete finisher
Greenwood led the top scorer chart in winter. He ended 2025 with 26 goals and 10 assists under the Marseille jersey. Ambidextrous, he varies angles, triggers quickly, attacks half-spaces, and finishes cleanly.
His contribution goes beyond shooting. He pulls centrebacks by dropping deep, then darts behind at the right moment. In a 4-3-3 or 4-2-4, he connects the box and wing with a cold, almost surgical reading.
In late matches, he doesn’t drop a gear. OM found its silent killer.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the ball magnet and laser passer
Arriving in January, Kvaratskhelia laid down 14 goals and 13 assists on the table. His early information gathering creates advantage even before the first control. He attracts two opponents, then frees the weak zone.
His short-long relationship with Dembélé and the fullbacks broke low blocks. The Georgian varies the pace: pause, short cut, tense cross, or curled shot. The range is complete.
When Paris needed a detonator, he answered the call. Decisive without forcing, he stabilizes the high possession.
Désiré Doué, the vertical accelerator who changes tempo
Doué skipped steps. Man of the match in a European final before turning 20, he embodies the modern attacking midfielder: oriented ball control, pressure release, pass to the right foot at the right speed. His first move opens doors.
Used as a false winger or offensive relay, he sets triangles that break pressing. His lucidity in the last 30 meters has smoothed Parisian sequences at high frequency.
With him, transitions gain a level. The team attacks faster, but better.
Gonçalo Ramos, the surgical joker
Ramos piled up 24 goals accepting a rotation forward role. His timing at the near post and dropping runs weigh on the defense. He senses free space, and the shot goes off without delay.
His late efficiency closed tight matches. He also provides intelligent screens to free Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia. A luxury reinforcement turned structural.
When the game tightens, he decides the duel in the box. Cool and clinical.
The challengers shaking up the established order in 2025
The hierarchy doesn’t stop at the headliners. Bradley Barcola dominated the French Cup final and offered precious link-up play in the sextuple. Florian Thauvin regained major influence at Lens, while Estéban Lepaul changed scale by piling up 18 goals in Ligue 1 plus 3 in the Cup.
At Strasbourg, Emmanuel Emegha scored 11 goals between January and May, then 7 in the autumn. At Nantes, Matthis Abline held the maintenance course with 6 goals in spring. The window remains slightly open for these sharp profiles.
The imaginary coach of the week will love these options. Each profile imprints a specific style on the final third.
Key performance table (year 2025)
The numbers confirm the visual impression. Here are the benchmarks shaping the offensive selection.
| Player | Club 2025 | Position | Goals | Assists | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Greenwood | Marseille | Forward | 26 | 10 | Top scorer leader in winter, two-footed volume |
| Ousmane Dembélé | Paris-SG | Attacking midfielder / axial | 21 (spring L1) | — | Ballon d’Or, engine of sextuple |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Paris-SG | Creative winger | 14 | 13 | Winter arrival, immediate impact |
| Gonçalo Ramos | Paris-SG | Forward | 24 | — | Most prolific super-sub |
| Estéban Lepaul | Rennes | Second striker | 18 (L1) | 3 (French Cup) | Confirmed step up |
| Emmanuel Emegha | Strasbourg | Mobile striker | 18 | — | No losses when he scores |
| Matthis Abline | Nantes | Axial forward | 6 (spring L1) | — | Decisive for survival |
| Bradley Barcola | Paris-SG | Link winger | — | — | Man of the match in French Cup final |
The statistical snapshot fits the pitch: efficiency, influence, and impact on big nights count.
Selection criteria for the 2025 team of the season
To differentiate elite profiles, the following reading grid served as a compass. It values decisive action as much as game intelligence.
- Decisive weight: goals, assists, and high-value expected actions in key matches.
- Quality of dribbling: ability to beat a man and create local advantage.
- Repetition of performance: consistency from September to May, without major drops.
- Versatility: adaptation between flank, axis, and different systems.
- Reading the rhythms: choosing to fix, accelerate, or pause at the right instant.
At the top, all check the boxes. Fine nuances separate the ultimate winners on the edge of the tactical battle.
The Barcola, Thauvin, Akliouche case: balance, experience, and projection
Barcola provides link between the lines, useful in 4-2-4 when the team stretches. Thauvin stabilizes Lens’s right wing with running volume and clean finishing. Maghnes Akliouche at Monaco adds a touch of control and a sense for the final pass.
These profiles make the finishers’ lives easier. They create conditions for the final act, without monopolizing the spotlight.
In a team of the season, balance counts as much as spark. The collective outweighs the sum of talents.
Express zoom: singular trajectories that count
Olivier Giroud struck immediately with Lille at 39, reminding that experience remains a major asset. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang kept the pace returning to Marseille, while Joaquin Panichelli bridged the Spanish D2 – Ligue 1 gap with 10 goals in all competitions at Strasbourg.
Mika Biereth started off fast at Monaco, 10 goals in 7 games, before easing off. Rayan Cherki finished best spring assist provider (11), before moving to Manchester City. Ligue 1’s offensive DNA exports more than ever.
At the time of reviews, these trajectories tell a simple story: Ligue 1 remains a field of conquest.
Which formation best showcases Dembélé, Greenwood, and Kvaratskhelia?
A 4-2-4 modulated from a 4-3-3. Dembélé expresses himself in the axis, Greenwood alternates between right half-space and box, Kvaratskhelia fixes the left flank before moving inside.
Why does Ramos appear despite being a substitute?
His 24 goals and sense of timing decide key matches. He optimizes spaces created by Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia and remains lethal over 30 minutes.
What criteria separate the last nominees for the team of the season?
Decisive weight, consistency, versatility, and impact in big games. The ability to be both scorer and playmaker is decisive.
What about Barcola if his stats drop?
His contextual influence is strong: he stretches, attracts, and frees. His French Cup final and role in the sextuple weigh in the overall evaluation.
How to vote to compose your 2025 eleven?
Go to dedicated voting platforms, such as the special pages of sports media. A link is available on fpfrance.com during election periods.