ligue1-logo
Legends

Atlético Madrid: The French Connection

Ahead of this evening's box office clash between Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, we take a look at the connections between Los Colchonneros and France. While Real Madrid, with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, and Raphäel Varane in the past and Aurélien Tchouameni, Kylian Mbappé and Eduardo Camavinga in the present, may have more recognizable names, the Spanish capital's other side has also benefited from several players with French roots.
E. DEVIN
Published on 11/06/2024 at 14:00
2-minute read
Atlético Madrid have a long history with players from France and Ligue 1

Antoine Griezmann, 2014-19, 2021-

The highly decorated French international was born in Mâcon in eastern France, but never played the game professionally in the country. Having completed his development at Real Sociedad, where he helped get the Basque side into the Champions League, he joined Atléti in 2019, and aside from a two-season stint with Barcelona, he has been the fulcrum of Diego Simeone's side, having made more than 400 appearances for the club.

Lucas Hernández, 2014-19

Along with his brother Theo, Hernández came through the ranks in Spain, before making his France debut in 2018 while still an Atléti player. He joined Bayern Munich the following year, but is now back in the country of his birth with Paris Saint-Germain. While currently injured, the versatile defender has impressed since arriving in France, and will be eager to get on the Ligue 1 pitches soon.

-dsc2785.jpg

Thomas Lemar, 2018-

While the diminutive winger has struggled with injury and form in the last two seasons, he was a key piece of the team that helped Atlético to the La Liga title in 2020-2021. Having come through at SM Caen, he then moved to AS Monaco, where he was one of the creative hubs of the Principality side in 2016/17, having helped them win the Ligue 1 title in style.

Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, 2015-2023

While the Belgian international spent parts of that eight-year span with Chinese club Dailan Yifang, he still turned out more than two hundred times for the Spanish side, having arrived off the back of an impressive 2014/15 season with AS Monaco. A versatile player able to play as a wingback or wide player on either flank, he played more than a hundred time for the Principality side between 2011 and 2015, having joined from KRC Genk.

Other players who have featured in Ligue 1 and for the Spanish side include Tiago Mendes, who played to seasons with Olympique Lyonnais and six in Spain, and Kévin Gameiro, who spent two seasons in Madrid towards the end of a career that has also seen him feature for FC Lorient, RC Strasbourg and PSG themselves. 

Read more:

>> UCL Preview: Upstarts Brest look to keep strong form going

>> UCL Preview: PSG welcome Atl´éti

ligue1-logo
Squads overview