There have been plenty of young talents playing in Ligue 1 over the years, with some making more of an impact than others.
With data given to us by mybettingsites.co.uk, we’ve provided you with the youngest players used in the 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign to date.
1. Ayyoub Bouaddi – 16 years & 20 days old
Bouaddi has come through Lille’s academy to make his first-team debut, both in European competitions and Ligue 1. He made his senior debut in a Europa Conference League clash against Faroese club Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag, before making his Ligue 1 debut against Stade Brestois at the age of 16 years and 20 days old, which makes him the youngest player to feature in the French top-flight so far this season.
The French Under-17s international will be hoping that he can go from strength to strength moving forwards with Lille, and it’ll be interesting to see if the club keep him in and around the first-team squad moving forwards, as he’ll benefit from regular game time.
🔥 The celebrations led by Ayyoub Bouaddi, who played his first @Ligue1_ENG match 👏 #LOSCSB29
— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) October 22, 2023
2. Yanis Issoufou – 16 years, 11 months & 24 days old
Issoufou spent the majority of his youth career with Nimes, but moved to Montpellier in 2022. He clearly made a positive impression on their first-team staff, as he made his senior debut just a year later in October 2023, when he became the club’s youngest ever debutant at the age of 16 years, 11 months, and 24 days old in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of FC Nantes.
The forward is regularly playing for the French Under-18s, and could potentially benefit from a loan move to a club that can guarantee him regular minutes in senior football. We’ve seen promising signs from this youngster, and it’ll be interesting to see how he progresses in the future.
3. Eli Junior Kroupi – 17 years, 1 month & 28 days old
Eli Junior Kroupi is at number three, and is following a similar path to the one his father took. Élie Kroupi was a regular for Lorient 2000-2004, and his son seems to be heading in the right direction with his former club. Eli Junior Kroupi made his Ligue 1 debut in the 2022/23 season, but has already featured in this year’s campaign, which came in a 1-1 draw with Nice.
He became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer in September 2023, when he found the back of the net in a 5-3 defeat to FC Nantes. Kroupi then followed that up with a brace in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Lyon in October, which made him the youngest player to score a brace in Ligue 1, a record that had been held by Bernard Zénier since 1974.
4. Warren Zaire-Emery – 17 years, 5 months & 4 days old
Warren Zaire-Emery is probably the most well-known player within the top-five, with the midfielder becoming a regular in the PSG starting XI in the last few months. He has over 30 senior appearances under his belt in the early stages of his career, which is hugely impressive for any youngster, let alone a player that is playing his football at such a high standard.
Zaire-Emery made his first appearance during the 2023/24 season in a goalless draw with Lorient, and he’s a player that could dominate world football if he builds on a hugely impressive start to his senior career, which has resulted in him making his first senior start for the French national team.
Warren Zaïre-Emery lighting it up at just 17 years old 🇫🇷🤯 pic.twitter.com/wq2o2uDEZO
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) October 26, 2023
5. Bastien Meupiyou – 17 years, 5 months & 13 days old
The young centre-back made his debut for FC Nantes early into the 2023/24 season, as he was named in the starting XI against French giants Marseille.
It wasn’t a debut to remember for Meupiyou though, as he was sent-off after just nine minutes for a foul, which brought an early end to his first senior start.
He hasn’t featured in the FC Nantes first-team since that forgetful debut, but that isn’t to say he won’t play his part for their senior side in future seasons. He’s capped internationally for France’s Under-18s team, and will be keen to progress through their youth ranks in future seasons.
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