Portuguese Manager Claims Ligue 1 Could Easily Rub Shoulders With EPL, La Liga and Other Big Leagues

• Paulo Fonseca has admitted he was swept off his feet by the level of quality in the French top flight after he joined LOSC Lille last summer
• Contrary to popular opinion, the Lille manager insists the French league can rub shoulders with any of the top leagues in Europe
• He has managed to keep tabs with the top four clubs and could throw the title race into a frenzy should they beat PSG on Sunday

Portuguese tactician Paulo Fonseca has expressed his thoughts about the quality of Ligue 1 in comparison to that of other top five European leagues.

Among the top five leagues in Europe, the French top flight has been singled out as the weakest and the least competitive, considering the ease at which PSG strolls to win the top flight.

To put the situation in context, Paris Saint-Germain have won a staggering eight of the last ten editions of the French league and are on the cusp of winning a record 11th league title.

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But Fonseca openly disagrees with the assertion Ligue 1 is not as competitive as the other top European leagues, sighting the quality and tactical astuteness of teams as corroborated in a report by Bleacher.

“Many things. Many things… First, I must say that I am very pleasantly surprised. By the quality of the game, and its openness, the game is open tactically," he said as quoted by GFFN.

The Lille manager further stressed why Ligue 1 could easily be compared to other European leagues.

"Second, there is great uncertainty in the results; there are many good players in this championship, with the emergence of many young people.

"And I really like the stadiums, the atmosphere, and the way people experience the matches.

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The former Shakhtar and AS Roma trainer even commended the league's officiating level, which he described as 'pleasant surprise.'

"And then there’s one thing we never talked about and which I liked: refereeing. The quality and level of referees in France was a very pleasant surprise.”

He added: "We should perhaps value the French league more, which, in my opinion, has the quality and the conditions to be one of the best leagues in Europe.

"It already is, but if it were valued in the best way, it could easily compete with those considered to be the best leagues in Europe. I have no doubt about that.”

Ligue 1's top scorers of all time

The French league has always been a haven for talented young players on the rise and has provided a good platform for rising stars who later become household names, Sports Brief earlier reported.

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Some of the biggest names in the world, who established their own legacies while competing in the league, currently hold the all-time goal-scoring records for Ligue 1.

This list of Ligue 1's all-time top scorers has exceptionally talented players and some of the greatest strikers in history.