The 34th edition of the Trophées UNFP, French football's most prestigious individual awards ceremony, has been delayed by one day and will now take place on Monday evening. The event, set at the historic Palais Brongniart in Paris, kicks off at 19:45 local time. Presenters Marina Lorenzo and Thibault Le Rol will guide viewers through the broadcast, which will be shown live on the Ligue 1+ platform. The ceremony honors the top players, coaches, and goalkeepers from both the men's and women's Ligue 1 seasons.
Last year's ceremony demonstrated PSG's overwhelming strength in Ligue 1. Ousmane Dembélé earned the Player of the Year award after a dazzling campaign, while rising star Désiré Doué took home the Young Player of the Year prize. Head coach Luis Enrique, in his first season, was recognized as the best manager. The only award to escape Paris was the Goalkeeper of the Year, which went to Lille's Lucas Chevalier.
The PSG dominance extended beyond the individual top honors. In the Team of the Season, nine out of eleven spots were occupied by Paris Saint-Germain players. The full list included Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Bradley Barcola, alongside Dembélé and Doué. The only interlopers were Lyon's Rayan Cherki and Lille's Chevalier. That 9-2 split underscored the chasm between PSG and the rest of the league.
This season, the narrative appears set to repeat. PSG are cruising toward another Ligue 1 title, and their key players have maintained stellar form. Dembélé continues to be the league's most decisive forward, piling up goals and assists. Luis Enrique has further refined the team's playing style, making PSG both defensively solid and creatively unpredictable. Observers expect another clean sweep, with Dembélé, Luis Enrique, and possibly multiple PSG players in the Team of the Season again.
The postponement of the ceremony from Sunday to Monday—due to scheduling conflicts—adds a minor twist, but the outcome likely remains unchanged. According to L'Equipe's preview, the voters are expected to reward PSG's domestic dominance once more. The only potential deviation could be in the goalkeeper category, where Chevalier is again a strong contender, this time facing competition from PSG's own Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, Chevalier's consistent performances for Lille may earn him a second consecutive honor.
For Ligue 1 as a whole, the concentration of awards at PSG raises broader questions about competitive balance. While the club's superior resources are clear, the individual brilliance of players like Dembélé and the tactical acumen of Luis Enrique are undeniable. Yet, the lack of representation from other clubs highlights a growing disparity that the league must address. The awards risk becoming a mere reflection of PSG's financial muscle rather than celebrating diverse talent across the league.
"It's almost like a PSG internal award ceremony," one journalist quipped. But the reality is that the Parisians have been head and shoulders above their rivals. Their performances in the Champions League, though not always matching domestic standards, further elevate their profile. The awards also serve as a platform for emerging talents. Désiré Doué's win last year catapulted him into the spotlight, and this year's young player race is keenly watched, though PSG's reserves of talent make them favorites again.
As Monday night approaches, the focus is on whether Dembélé can become the first back-to-back winner since recent memory, and if Luis Enrique can retain his coaching trophy. The answers will shape the narrative of the season. With nine PSG players potentially in the Team of the Season, the ceremony may again look like a Parisian celebration. However, the presence of outsiders like Cherki and Chevalier provides a glimmer of diversity in an otherwise blue-and-red affair.
Beyond the individual accolades, the Trophées UNFP serve as a barometer for the league's health. PSG's sustained dominance in the awards mirrors their on-field supremacy, but it also masks the contributions of players from other clubs. The ceremony, while a celebration of excellence, also highlights the widening gap that threatens Ligue 1's appeal. For now, though, the focus remains on the stars of Paris.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.