UNFP Ligue 1 team of the season sparks debate as top scorer Estéban Lepaul is omitted

Estéban Lepaul, the Stade Rennais striker who finished the 2025/26 Ligue 1 season as the league’s top scorer with 20 goals, was not selected for the UNFP Team of the Season. Despite his record‑breaking performance, the UNFP awards ceremony favored other forwards such as Mason Greenwood, Ousmane Dembélé and Florian Thauvin.

In contrast, Lens defender Malang Sarr secured a place in the UNFP XI, joining three other Lens players as the club closed a strong season in second place. The contrasting selections have sparked discussion about the criteria used for the UNFP awards and the weight given to individual statistics versus overall team contributions.