Ligue 1 2022-23: All award winners

Kylian Mbappe is dominating the scoring chart in the French first-division

The Ligue 1 2022-23 season provided fans with thrilling matches, breathtaking goals, and exceptional performances. Paris Saint-Germain edged out Lens to win their 11th Ligue 1 title. The 2022-23 Ligue 1 title race was closer than people thought, as the Parisians sneaked out the title by a single point, all thanks to that last-minute Messi free-kick against Nice.

This is PSG's 11th league honour and the ninth Ligue 1 title in 11 seasons. The Parisians won the league because of their fantastic start to the campaign. As the season came to a close, the league recognised the outstanding individuals who made significant contributions to their respective teams.

In this article, we look at the award winners who left a mark on Ligue 1 during the 2022-23 campaign:

Ligue 1 winner: Paris Saint-Germain

In a dramatic Ligue 1 season, PSG were always threatened by the likes of Lens. PSG, who won the title by just one point, finished the league with 85 points in 38 matches played, and Lens finished with 84 points in the same amount of matches.

PSG had a tough season across all competitions; they were beaten in the Champions League by Bayern Munich and the French Cup by Marseille. Messi was just one French Cup win away from winning every trophy in all the domestic leagues he has ever played in. With Messi leaving the club, Neymar's uncertain future at PSG means the club will look to make better decisions this summer.

Player of the year: Kylian Mbappe

PSG forward and French world champion Kylian Mbappe was named Best Player of the Year for the Ligue 1 2022-23 season. Mbappe joined teammate Nuno Mendes (young player of the year) as the only player to win an individual award while representing PSG. 

This award marks the fifth time Mbappe has been crowned Ligue 1 Player of the Year, and he has won all of them in a row, getting clear of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's record, also earned when he played at PSG. The French forward scored 29 goals and provided five assists in the 2022-23 campaign.

Coach of the year: Franck Haise

It was a vintage season for Lens and its coach, Franck Haise, as they finished the league just one point behind the mighty PSG. The club won its only league title in 1998 and has not come close to finishing second since 2002.

The rise of Lens just three years after its promotion back to the top flight is credited to its manager, Haise, and his leadership. A tactical genius, he has a relaxed personality, and his comfortable nature with players helped them finish second, earning them a Champions League spot as well.

Young player of the year: Nuno Mendes

The Portuguese defender was named the Young Player of the Year for the Ligue 1 2022–23 season. Aged 21, Mendes won this trophy after failing to win it last season. He finally broke through this campaign, showcasing his impressive performances throughout the course of the competition.

Mendes edged Elye Wahi (Montpellier), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Lyon), and Rayan Cherki (Lyon) to win the award for the first time in his young career. The Portugal left-back wrapped up his Ligue 1 season by appearing in 23 games and scoring one goal through 1,548 minutes. He also assisted six goals during this campaign.

Goalkeeper of the year: Brice Samba

The French international, who earlier played for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League until the start of this season. At the beginning of the season, Lens signed him and made him their first-choice goalkeeper between the posts. He kept 15 clean sheets in 37 matches in Ligue 1 this season.

He was called up by Didier Deschamps for his maiden national call for France, and he has his eyes set on taking that Number 1 position from Hugo Lloris. With his dominant style of play inside the box, he can regularly pull off antics to inspire his defence and intimidate the opposition.