The 2025-26 Ligue 1 season drew to a close on Sunday night. Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their crown, but were run close by surprise package Lens. Lille, meanwhile, finished third, one point and one place ahead of Lyon.
Metz and Nantes were relegated following disappointing campaigns. The latter saw their final game of the season abandoned after 22 minutes as fans invaded the pitch in protest of their relegation.
Here, we run through the relevant end-of-season awards following the culmination of the 2025-26 campaign.
Ligue 1 awards:
Player of the Season
Vitinha (PSG)
Ousmane Dembele won the official award, despite only starting 11 league games this season. However, we’re opting for PSG’s tempo-setter. Vitinha was again brilliant as the Parisian powerhouse won the league.
The Portuguese pass-master managed the fourth highest pass accuracy (93.8%) and more passes per 90 (116.3) than any other player. What’s more, the 26-year-old finished the season with seven assists to his name. Only two players managed more.
Vitinha is absolutely instrumental to the way PSG dominate opponents. He may not get the same praise as the likes of Dembele, Desire Doue or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Yet the Portugal international shines like no other at the Parc des Princes.
Young Player of the Season
Robin Risser (Lens)
Lens kept on the coattails of PSG until the penultimate game of the season. The Blood and Gold exceeded expectations to challenge the capital outfit right until the death.
And a key reason for their challenge was shotstopper Robin Risser. The 21-year-old left Strasbourg for Lens last summer. In the 12 months since, he’s established himself as one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe.
Lens conceded just 35 league goals this season with Risser on hand to finish 10th for saves (78). What’s more, only Berke Ozer (13) kept more clean sheets than the Frenchman (11) in the 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign.
Manager of the Season
Pierre Sage (Lens)
Granted, Luis Enrique oversaw another Ligue 1 title. However, PSG are always expected to win the league. That they had genuine competition for the first time in a long time is down to Pierre Sage.
Sage left his role as Lyon boss last January. He then took over the Stade Bollaert-Delelis over the summer. Lens hardly struggled last season, finishing eighth, but Sage took the club to the next level.
Lens secured a Champions League finish, ending the campaign just six points behind PSG. And under the watchful eye of Sage, they will play their first Coupe de France final since 1998 when they face Nice on Friday.
Signing of the Season
Joaquin Panichelli (Strasbourg)
Joaquin Panichelli was unlikely to hold down a starting spot for Alaves after a serious knee injury. However, a commendable loan stint with Mirandes in 2024-25 convinced Strasbourg to sign the Argentine.
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And Panichelli was thriving for the French side up until suffering an ACL injury during an international training session in March. It was a huge blow for both player and club. The striker, after all, was expected to represent Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.
Only one player scored more goals than the 23-year-old (16) in the 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign. His season may have been cut short but Panichelli proved to be the most effective frontman in his debut campaign in France. Fans will hope he returns stronger.
Surprise Package
Esteban Lepaul (Rennes)
Esteban Lepaul was another contender for Signing of the Season. Few could have foreseen the 26-year-old claiming the Golden Boot. Indeed, Lapaul scored more goals (21) than any other player in Ligue 1 last season.
Lepaul had never been the most prolific frontman in Ligue 1. His debut campaign in the top-flight yielded just nine goals. However, he thrived under, first, Habib Beye, and then Franck Haise.
It was a shock, then, that Lepaul was overlooked by France boss Didier Deschamps for the 2026 World Cup. Granted, the Rennes hitman is yet to win a Les Bleus cap. Yet, 21 league goals should have been enough to book a trip stateside next month.
