What’s the hardest honour a footballer can obtain of their profession?
Possibly going by means of a complete league season unbeaten? Or maybe taking part in in 5 consecutive World Cups?
Really, for some unknown cause, it’s receiving an ideal rating of ten marks from a French each day sports activities newspaper. L’Equipe have a worldwide status for doling out notoriously harsh participant rankings regularly.
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Whichever recreation they’re protecting, the French publication have traditionally been a really powerful bunch to impress.
As just lately as 2010, solely 4 gamers had ever acquired an ideal rating. We’ve seen them a bit extra usually since however nonetheless, as of August 2024, solely 15 gamers are on the unique record.
Let’s check out each participant to have made it thus far…
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1. Franck Sauzee (France U21 v Greece U21, 1988)
Contemplating they have been based in 1946 L’Equipe held off for a very long time earlier than awarding an ideal ten marks.
The honour of the primary participant to realize this feat goes to Franck Sauzee, who would later handle Hibs and the marginally much less glamourous honour of captaining France. Sauzee earned his ten for scoring twice within the under-21 European Championship closing in opposition to Greece, France successful 3-0
2. Bruno Martini (France U21 v Greece U21, 1988)
Like London buses, you wait ages for a L’Equipe 10/10, then two come alongside directly. Technically goalkeeper Bruno Martini can also be the primary participant to have earned a ten, alongside teammate Sauzee.
Martini produced a superb show that evening in opposition to Greece to maintain a clear sheet. With Sauzee doing the enterprise on the different finish, France had their first ever under-21 Euros title.
3. Oleg Salenko (Russia v Cameroon, 1994)
Oleg Salenko grew to become the primary non-French participant to scoop full marks after he lit up the 1994 World Cup for Russia. Striker Salenko hit an unimaginable 5 objectives throughout Russia’s 6-1 thrashing of Cameroon in Group B, the one participant to take action in a finals match.
His gorgeous show not solely earned him a ten from the French paper but in addition the match Golden Boot – shared with Hristo Stoichkov on six objectives after Salenko had scored in an earlier loss in opposition to Sweden. He stays the one participant to win the title while solely taking part in within the group stage, with Russia eradicated regardless of the win over Cameroon.
4. Lars Windfeld (Aarhus v Nantes, 1997)
Spoiler alert: There are finally a number of the largest names in soccer on this record.
Nevertheless, there may be additionally Lars Windfeld. Windfeld is a Danish goalkeeper who spent nearly all of his profession at AGF Aarhus and is thought primarily for getting a ten from L’Equipe.
In 1997, Aarhus surprised French facet Nantes within the decisive second leg of a primary spherical UEFA Cup tie. Windfeld was excellent between the sticks with a sequence of gorgeous stops. The match highlights for this recreation might simply be confused for YouTube compilation entitled ‘Unimaginable goalkeeper saves.’
5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona v Arsenal, 2010)
Simply when L’Equipe 10/10s appeared to be heading for extinction, Lionel Messi dropped a masterclass for the ages.
In a 2010 Champions League tie in opposition to Arsenal, Messi lit up the Nou Camp with a surprising four-goal haul, serving to the Catalans overturn a first-leg deficit. The Barcelona No.10 was near his peak, beating gamers for enjoyable and producing gorgeous finishes nearly at will. For followers of the attractive recreation, this efficiency is properly value re-watching time and again – Gooners apart.
6. Lionel Messi (Barcelona v Bayer Leverkusen, 2012)
Two years after single-handedly destroying the Arsenal defence, Messi grew to become the primary participant in historical past to obtain the well-known full marks for a second time.
It was history-making evening for the Argentine in opposition to German facet Bayer Leverkusen, Messi additionally changing into the primary participant to attain 5 objectives in a Champions League fixture. Barcelona ran out 7-1 winners, with Messi’s efficiency as near perfection as you would want to see.
7. Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund v Actual Madrid, 2013)
Actual Madrid appeared on the right track for a primary Champions League closing in over a decade again in 2013. That was till they bumped into Robert Lewandowski and one of many biggest shows from a centre-forward in fashionable instances, when going through Dortmund within the semi-final.
It was the sport that put Lewandowski on the best way to changing into one of many world’s finest quantity nines and deservedly acquired an ideal ten.
8. Carlos Eduardo (Guingamp v Good, 2014)
Remarkably Carlos Eduardo solely scored 10 objectives for Good in the course of the 2014/15 season, with half of them coming on this one recreation. Struggling Guingamp have been thrashed 7-2 on their very own turf with Eduardo on fireplace.
His first aim, a surprising 30-yard free kick that left Stade de Roudourou surprised and set the tone for an unimaginable one-man efficiency.
9. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain v Dijon, 2018)
In fact, Neymar ought to have already had an ideal ten from L’Equipe within the bag for his inspirational show in La Remontada a 12 months earlier.
However the French outlet lastly gave in when the Brazilian celebrity moved to PSG and destroyed Dijon in a routine Ligue 1 victory at hand out prime marks. Neymar acquired 4 of the Parisians objectives in an 8-0 win, incomes the primary full marks from the paper in 4 years.
10. Dusan Tadic (Actual Madrid v Ajax, 2019)
One of many largest Champions League’s shocks in current instances additionally noticed one of many match’s most memorable particular person performances.
Former Southampton winger Dusan Tadic saved one of the best show of his profession to assist Ajax smash Actual Madrid 4-1 in Santiago Bernabeu and eradicate the Spanish giants from the 2019 competitors.
Tadic scored a superb aim and assisted two extra, together with his staff finally occurring to succeed in the semi-finals.
11. Lucas Moura (Ajax v Tottenham, 2019)
Only some months after Tadic’s Madrid masterclass, his staff have been on the flawed finish of the following L’Equipe 10/10 efficiency.
With Ajax main Tottenham 3-0 on mixture within the second half of the Champions League semi-final, Lucas Moura determined to show the tide. The Brazilian ahead burst into life – scoring twice in fast succession to place Spurs inside a aim of the ultimate. With time working out in second-half stoppage time, Moura acquired on the top of Deli’s flick to fireplace house and full an astonishing turnaround.
Spurs have been by means of on away objectives. Regardless of this miraculous efficiency, Lucas didn’t begin the ultimate which his staff duly misplaced to Liverpool.
12. Serge Gnabry (Tottenham v Bayern Munich, 2019)
Former Arsenal prospect Serge Gnabry saved what’s going to certainly go down as the best efficiency of his Bayern Munich profession for his return to north London.
Spurs have been the unlucky opponents in one of many worst nights of their European historical past, Bayern producing a surprising staff show to win 7-2. Gnabry although was undoubtedly the star, working riot on the wing by scoring 4 objectives all within the second half.
Not dangerous for a participant who wasn’t on the “stage” required by Tony Pulis when he was at West Brom three years previous to this recreation.
13. Kylian Mbappe (France v Kazakhstan, 2021)
Simply the least spectacular efficiency on this record. Sure celebrity Kylian Mbappe grew to become the primary France to participant to attain 4 objectives in a recreation, and be a part of former pal/foe Neymar on this record.
However it was a World Cup qualifier, at house, in opposition to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan have by no means been to the World Cup and barely rank inside FIFA’s prime 100. Absolutely Mbappe’s scintillating World Cup closing efficiency from 2022 would have been worthy of a most rating, too? Nah, not in response to L’Equipe.
14. Alban Lafont (Nantes v Paris Saint-Germain, 2022)
The third goalkeeper to make the record however the first in 25 years, Alban Lafont acquired a ten after a flawless efficiency in opposition to PSG.
Nantes upset the runaway league leaders after scoring thrice inside the primary half, finally successful 3-1. However that scoreline was solely preserved due to Lafont who was in impressed type, making a string of sensational saves and maintaining out a Neymar penalty. Not a nasty evening’s work.
15. Erling Haaland (Manchester Metropolis v Manchester United, 2022)
Not shy of a document or two, Erling Haaland joined the unique membership in 2022 after a dominant show within the Manchester derby.
Metropolis ran out 6-3 winners, Haaland rattling his third consecutive house hat-trick and in addition acquired two assists as United crumbled. Phil Foden additionally acquired a hat-trick on this recreation however merely scored a 9. That is the one time in historical past a Premier League fixture has led to a L’Equipe ten.
16. Erling Haaland – Manchester Metropolis v RB Leipzig – 2023
Haaland claimed his second most from the French newspaper after scoring 5 instances in Manchester Metropolis’s 7-0 Champions League romp over RB Leipzig.
Surprisingly this provides him an accolade not but achieved by the golden boy of French soccer Kylian Mbappe, by twice incomes 10/10. Though you wouldn’t wager in opposition to both incomes a couple of extra excellent scores earlier than they grasp up their boots.
17. Ademola Lookman – Atalanta v Bayer Leverkusen – 2024
L’Equipe could also be doling out excellent scores on a extra common foundation lately, however few might argue that Ademola Lookman didn’t deserve a ten within the 2024 Europa League closing.
Lookman’s Atalanta facet have been large underdogs in opposition to Leverkusen however took the German champions aside in Dublin, with the previous Charlton and Everton man the star. The dynamic winger netted a surprising hat-trick with three excellent finishes to go away Leverkusen surprised and Xabi Alonso’s dream of an invincible season in tatters.
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