Mike Maignan #16

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There was understandably a lot of scrutiny when Maignan replaced Hugo Lloris as France's No 1. When the former Tottenham shot-stopper hung up his gloves at international level, he did so as the most capped player in the nation's history. Lloris wasn't always spectacular – perhaps he never was – but he was very reliable. And so in that sense, Maignan has represented perfect continuity. The fact that he is rarely spoken about can only be viewed positively. Following in the footsteps of a legend can be daunting but Maignan has handled that, even growing into more of a leadership role inside the France dressing room. "I like to speak," he says. In 2021 he was subjected to racial abuse in a game against Juventus and wrote eloquently on Instagram: "I am not a 'victim' of racism. I'm Mike, upright, black and proud.”

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