The French top division of football, Ligue 1, was recently not ranked among the top five leagues in the world as a result of poor performances in both UEFA's major competitions. Many fans claim Lionel Messi's departure from Inter Miami has lowered standards across the league. In reality, these rankings are based on the performances of French teams in major European competitions. As a result of how clubs perform in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, UEFA's coefficients determine how many clubs from each country will compete in its competitions. PSG Goalkeeper Sergio Rico Out of ICU Five Weeks After Horse Riding Accident

French Teams Performance in UEFA Competitions

In the round-of-16 of the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain lost to Bayern Munich. This was the last French team left in either of UEFA's top competitions. During the first knockout round of the Europa League, Monaco, Nantes and Rennes had all failed to progress. Marseille finished bottom of its Champions League group as well. Nice reached UEFA's third-tier Conference League quarter-finals, becoming the only team to win a knockout round in Europe.

Dutch Teams Performance in UEFA Competitions

Feyenoord's run to the Europa Conference League final in 2022 was an example of deep runs in European competitions. Ajax's unbelievable run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and AS Alkmaar's run to the semifinals of the Eredivisie have all contributed to the success of the Dutch League in the UEFA coefficient rankings.  PSG Appoint Luis Enrique As New Manager For Upcoming Season, Christopher Galtier Gets Fired.

Final Thoughts

The rest of Ligue 1 is not as strong as some of Europe’s other top leagues because Paris Saint-Germain is in a different class to everyone in the Ligue 1. As an example, Monaco won the league in 2017, narrowly avoided relegation two years later, and finished third not long after. As Europe qualifies more frequently, it is difficult to match the depth and experience of regular European teams like Sevilla and Roma.

As a result of the performances of clubs in European competition over the last five seasons, the Netherlands has surpassed France in the latest UEFA League rankings.  France Ligue 1 has fallen to 6th place below the Dutch Eredivisie in terms of top 5 leagues in the world, along with Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2023 11:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).