Who are the top ten all-time leading goal-scorers in Ligue 1?

The league has seen some of the best attackers play in its history.

French Ligue 1 has always been home to brilliant upcoming young players. The league has given a good platform to budding talents who go on to become superstars in their careers and have long and illustrious careers. 

The Ligue 1’s all time goal scoring records are held by some of the world’s biggest names, who have created their own legacies while playing in the competition. 

Here are the top-ten all-time leading goalscorers in the French Ligue 1’s history:

Jimmy Briand - 100 (458)

Jimmy Briand is one of the oldest and currently active strikers in the Ligue 1. The 35-year-old plays for Girondins Bordeaux and has played over 458 games in the competition for clubs like Stade Rennais, EA Guingamp and Olympique Lyonnais. With a few more years of football left in him, the striker will look to rise in the rankings.

Alexander Lacazette - 100 (203)

Alexander Lacazette scored a century of goals in the Ligue 1 before making a high-profile move to the Premier League where he plays now for Arsenal FC. The Frenchman solely featured for Olympique Lyonnais in the league and represented them 203 times in the league alone. He won the golden boot in the 2014/15 season with 27 goals. 

Andre Pierre Gignac - 103 (292)

Andre Pierre Gignac currently plays for TIGRES in the Mexican league, after the striker moved out of France in a shocking move back in 2015. The 35-year-old played over 292 games in the Ligue 1 in his time and scored 103 goals, featuring most prominently for Olympique de Marseille. He also won the golden boot during the 2008/09 season. 

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 113 (122)

Even the Ligue 1 has been graced by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has excelled everywhere he has played. In the league, he featured for Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored over 113 goals in merely 122 appearances, and also made 43 assists to add to the tally. The forward, at 39-years-old, is still on the top of his game, currently playing for AC Milan in the Italian Serie A.

Bafetimbi Gomis - 122 (340)

Bafetimbi Gomis featured extensively in the Ligue 1, making a total of 340 appearances and scoring 122 goals. He represented teams like Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint Etienne and Olympique de Marseille. He is currently employed with Al Hilal FC in Saudi Arabia. 

Lilian Laslandes - 126 (401)

One of the few players to play over 400 games, Lilian Laslandes is a well-renowned figure in Ligue 1’s history. He retired as a professional player back in 2008. The forward played 401 games in the league for the likes of AJ Auxerre, Girondins de Bordeaux and OGC Nice among others.  

Sonny Anderson - 138 (221)

Sonny Anderson is pegged as one of the best players to have featured for Lyon. The striker from Brazil scored 138 times in the French first division in 221 appearances. However, he also featured for AS Monaco and Marseille in the competition. He also won the golden boot award on three occasions and retired from the game in 2006. 

Edinson Cavani - 138 (200)

Currently at Manchester United, Edinson Cavani featured 200 times in the league alone for PSG and scored 138 goals for them. He was loyal to the club and did not feature for any other club while in France. The Uruguayan has two golden boot awards and six league titles with the Parisians. If not for being sidelined by the club, the striker had a real chance at becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in the competition.  

Pauleta - 141 (266)

Before PSG hit the jackpot and recruited the most expensive talents, they had the likes of Pauleta who were loyal to the cause. The Portuguese is considered one of Ligue 1’s best strikers due to his long stay in it. He featured heavily for PSG, playing over 211 games in all competitions for them. He also played extensively for Girondins de Bordeaux. In terms of goals scored, he sits second with 141 strikes to his name in 266 league games. 

Jean Pierre Papin - 156 (270)

Jean Pierre Papin is widely regarded as one of the best football players that France has ever produced. The striker was lethal, and it is no surprise that he is the all-time leading goalscorer in the Ligue 1’s history. One of Marseille’s greatest players, Papin scored 156 goals in 270 appearances in the competition. He also featured for teams like Girondins de Bordeaux and EA Guingamp. 

The Frenchman won the Ballon d’Or in 1991 and has won the golden boot five times among other individual accolades.