Olympique Lyon Players Of All Time (Updated 2023)

Top 10 Best Lyon Players Of All Time

Olympique Lyonnais, or simply Lyon, is a French football club based in Lyon. It plays in Ligue 1 which is ranked France’s top football league. The club was founded in 1950. It won its first Ligue 1 title in 2002. Thereafter, it kicked off a national record-breaking streak of seven consecutive titles. Lyon has also won five Coupes de France, and three Ligue 2 championships. The club has appeared in the UEFA Champions League seventeen times. Let’s take a look at the top 10 best Lyon players of all time.

Olympique Lyon Players Of All Time: Top 10

RankingsLyon Players
1Alexandre Lacazette
2Juninho Pernambucano
3Hugo Lloris
4Gregory Coupet
5Nabil Fekir
6Florent Malouda
7Kim Kallstrom
8Sidney Govou
9Bafetimbi Gomis
10Karim Benzema

1. Alexandre Lacazette – Best Striker at Lyon

Alexandre-Lacazette - One of the Best Lyon Player Of All Time

Alexandre Lacazette was born on May 28, 1991. He is a French footballer who plays as a forward for Arsenal in the Premier League. Lacazette will join Ligue 1 club, Lyon, on July 1, 2022. He plays as a striker, but he has also served as a second striker, wide forward, and attacking midfielder. Lacazette started his career with Lyon in 2010.

Initially, he played as a wide forward. Later on, he became a striker in the 2014–15 season. He became Ligue 1’s top goalscorer and won Ligue 1 Player of the Year. Further, he was signed by Arsenal in a transfer worth up to £47.5 million in 2017. The transfer amount was a club record for an association football transfer.

He started playing for the France team in 2013, after playing for the country at all youth levels. He was the main player in France’s victory in the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Further, he scored a game-winning goal against Spain in the final. He has scored three goals while playing in sixteen matches for his country.

2. Juninho Pernambucano – Left Lyon in 2009 and currently sporting director of the French club

Juninho Pernambucano - Left Lyon in 2009 and currently sporting director of French club

Juninho Pernambucano was born on January 30, 1975. He is a former footballer from Brazil. Further, he has most recently served as the sporting director of the French club Olympique Lyonnais. Juninho, a dead-ball specialist is known for his bending free kicks. He was famous for his knuckleball technique. Juninho holds the record for the most goals scored via free kicks. He is widely famous as the greatest free-kick taker of all time. Juninho’s career began in 1993 with the Brazilian club Sport do Recife. He joined Vasco da Gama two years later. There, he played over 100 matches and won six titles.

Juninho joined Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais in 2001. He spent the next eight years and won seven consecutive league titles. Further, he has scored 100 goals in 343 matches. He left Lyon in 2009 to play for Al-Gharafa in Qatar and the New York Red Bulls in the United States. Juninho started his international career in 1999. He played 40 matches for Brazil and scored six goals. Juninho also played for Brazil in the 2001 Copa America. He was a player on the team that won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2005. Later on, he took retirement from international football after the 2006 World Cup. Juninho worked as a football commentator for the Brazilian sports network Rede Globo from 2013 to 2018.

3. Hugo Lloris – One of the best Lyons Goalkeeper

Hugo Lloris -  One of the best Lyons Goalkeeper

Hugo Lloris was born on December 26, 1986. He is a French football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He captains both the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the France team. Lloris has been named three times as Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year. He began his career with his hometown club OGC Nice. He made his debut as a teenager in October 2005. After three seasons at the club, Lloris moved to seven-time Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyonnais.

Lloris has played for his country at the under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels. Before his senior debut, he was a player on the under-19 team that won the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Lloris started playing his senior career against Uruguay in November 2008. He helped France in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Further, he was praised by the media for his performance against the Republic of Ireland. He captained the national team for the first time in 2010. Thereafter he became the first-choice captain on February 28, 2012. He played a key role for the France team. Further, he helped the team to move to the quarter-finals of both the UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also assisted the team in winning runners-up at UEFA Euro 2016, and winners of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

4. Gregory Coupet – he achieved “Lyon Keeper of the Year” twice

Gregory Coupet - he achieved "Lyon Keeper of the Year" twice

Gregory Coupet was born on December 31, 1972. He is a former French football goalkeeper. He played for Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain in his career. Further, he also played for the France team. He also holds the joint record for winning the most Ligue 1 titles seven times. Coupet began his club career with his hometown club, Club Olympique Le Puy. He then moved on to Saint-Etienne in 1994. He made his Ligue 1 debut on March 26, 1994. After three seasons, he moved to Lyon in January 1997. Lyon has consistently dominated Le Championnat since 2002. They are also the regular fixtures in the UEFA Champions League.

Coupet was voted into the top ten for the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper Award for the first time in 2005. He was also named Ligue 1 Keeper of the Year twice, in 2004 and 2005. Coupet was sold to Atletico Madrid on July 18, 2008, for €1.5 million with a bonus of €250,000. He moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2009, where he finished his career before retiring in 2011.

5. Nabil Fekir – Youngest Player of the Year title in Olympique Lyonnais

Nabil Fekir - Youngest Player of the Year title in Olympique Lyonnais

Nabil Fekir was born on 18 July 1993. He is a French football player who plays as a forward for Real Betis in La Liga. Further, he also plays for the France team. He was promoted to the senior team in July 2013 after graduating from Lyon’s academy. Fekir broke into the first team in his second season after being named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. He appeared in 192 games for Les Gones, scoring 69 goals, and became team captain in 2017. Fekir made his France debut in March 2015 and was a player on the team that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Fekir joined the Lyon squad for the first time on July 30, 2013. On August 28, 2013, he started playing for Lyon’s first team. He made his Ligue 1 debut three days later and played the entire match. Fekir scored his first goal for Lyon’s first team on April 27, 2014. He also assisted one goal each for Bakary Kone and Alexandre Lacazette. Fekir made 17 appearances in all competitions for Lyon’s first team in his first season (2013–14), scoring one goal.

On 17th May 2015, he was named Ligue 1 Younger Player of the Year. Fekir was also named to the Team of the Year. He had scored 13 goals and 9 assists in the 2014–15 Ligue 1 season. Fekir scored a hat-trick at Caen on August 29, 2015. Liverpool negotiated the transfer of Fekir with Lyon in June 2018, offering a maximum fee of €60 million.

6. Florent Malouda – He was known as Lyon’s left flank

Florent Malouda -  He was known as Lyon's left flank

Florent Malouda was born on 13 June 1980. He is a former football player and coach in France. He spent most of his career as a left-winger for Lyon and Chelsea. Further, he won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2012. From 2004 to 2012, Malouda represented France on 80 occasions, including two FIFA World Cups and two European Championships. He was a member of France’s World Cup-winning team in 2006. Malouda played for his home nation French Guiana in 2017.

Malouda appeared in 57 games for Chateauroux, making his senior debut in Ligue 2 at the age of 16. Guingamp, the top division club, then signed Malouda. Malouda’s performances drew the attention of the French club Lyon. They decided to sign Malouda after winning their second consecutive title in 2002–03. Malouda established himself on Lyon’s left flank, forming excellent link-ups with all of the team’s strikers. His performances for Lyon earned him a call-up to the France national team.

7. Kim Kallstrom – Famous for skills and free kicks

Kim Kallstrom - Famous for skills and free kicks

Kim Kallstrom was born on August 24, 1982. He is a former Swedish football player who played as a midfielder. He was famous for his playing skills and free kicks. Kallstrom began his career with several Swedish clubs, winning consecutive Allsvenskan titles with Djurgarden. He then moved to France and represented Rennes and Lyon. Kallstrom won several domestic awards with Lyon before joining Spartak Moscow in 2012. He spent the second half of the 2013–14 season on loan at Arsenal. There he won the 2013-14 FA Cup.

Kallstrom left Spartak in 2015 to join Grasshoppers. There he played 49 matches before finishing his career with Djurgradens IF. He earned 131 caps for Sweden between his debut in 2001 and his retirement in 2016. Kallstrom became the country’s fourth most-capped player of all time. He played in four European Championships (Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012, and Euro 2016), as well as the FIFA World Cup in 2006.

  • Lyon players has won eight Trophees des Championships
  • They have five Coupes de France Championships
  • And Three Ligue 2 titles on their belts
  • Olympique Lyonnais or Lyon Track records info

8. Sidney Govou – He won Lyon Young Player of the Year in 2001

Sidney Govou - He won Lyon Young Player of the Year in 2001

Sidney Govou was born on July 27, 1979. He is a former French footballer who most recently played for Limonest in the Championnat de France Amateur 2. Govou mostly played as a winger, but he was also used as a striker on a few occasions. He also holds the joint record for winning the Ligue 1 titles seven times. In 1996, he joined Lyon’s youth academy at the age of 17. Govou remained loyal to his first club until 2010. He spent his entire career at the Stade Gerland. Govou made his Ligue 1 debut in 2000–01. He helped Lyon finish second, just four points behind champions FC Nantes. Govou was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2001 as a result of his outstanding performances for the club.

9. Bafetimbi Gomis – He scored 95 goals in five seasons at Lyon

Bafetimbi Gomis - He scored 95 goals in five seasons at Lyon

Bafetimbi Gomis was born on August 6, 1985. He is a French football player who plays as a striker. Gomis was a Saint-Etienne youth player before making his debut for the club in 2004. He joined Lyon for €13 million in 2009. Gomis played 244 games and scored 95 goals in five seasons at Stade Gerland. He played a key role in winning the Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions in 2012. On a free transfer, he joined Swansea City in the Premier League in 2014. After a loan spell with Marseille in France, he joined Galatasaray. From 2008 to 2013, Gomis made 12 appearances for the French national team, scoring three goals. He was a member of the UEFA Euro 2008 squad.

10. Karim Benzema – He achieved League Player of the Year and Team Player of the Year titles

Karim Benzema - He achieved League Player of the Year and Team Player of the Year titles

Karim Benzema was born on December 19, 1987. He is a French football player who plays for Real Madrid in La Liga. Further, he also plays for the France national team. He is one of the best forward players of his generation. Benzema is a creative and prolific forward who is famous for his playmaking and finishing skills. He is Real Madrid’s joint-second all-time leading goalscorer. Benzema began his senior playing career with Olympique Lyonnais in 2005. He played a key role in winning three Ligue 1 titles. He was named League Player of the Year and Team Player of the Year in 2008 after finishing as the league’s top goalscorer and winning his fourth league title and first Coupe de France. Benzema was the subject of a French record football transfer in 2009. He created a record by signing with Real Madrid for €35 million.

Benzema struggled to establish himself in his debut season. But he finally established himself as a consistent goalscorer for the club. He became a part of a highly-rated trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. They were integral to Real Madrid and helped the team in winning four UEFA Champions League titles from 2014 to 2018.

He was named to the La Liga Team of the Season in 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21. In 2019–20, he was named the league’s Best Player, and in 2021–22, he won the Pichichi Trophy. His notable career performance as captain during Real Madrid’s 2021–22 Champions League was one of the finest individual campaigns in the competition’s history. Further, he received the award for the top scorer and player of the season titles. With Real Madrid, he has got 22 trophies, including four La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey, and five Champions League titles.

FAQs about Lyon FC players


Who is the best player in Lyon?

Lucas Paqueta is currently one of the best players at Lyon. At 25 years old, he has made a name for himself as one of the best players at the club.

What is Olympic Lyon Worth?

As of 2022, Olympic Lyonnais or Lyon is currently valued at 456 million euros, the highest value recorded for Lyon in the past 5 years.

Conclusion

Lyon FC or Olympique Lyonnais has seen some extraordinary players over the years. This article would be very small to try and define the achievements of all the players who have represented Lyon, so we have compiled a list of the 10 best Lyon players.

We hope you enjoy reading the article. The information contained herein is purely collected from Google and Wikipedia, and as such, there may be players we have missed who deserve to be included. We would be grateful for any suggestions or feedback you may have. Thank you. Also, This page’s content is subject to change at any time. Our website (www.urfootball.com) makes no guarantees about the accuracy of the information.

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