Joël Bats and Bernard Lama, legends of French football under threat from Mike Maignan! The number 1 of the French team since the retirement of Hugo Lloris (after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar) is now in 36 caps after the victory against Azerbaijan (3-0) then the draw in Iceland (2-2), Monday evening, in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The 30-year-old goalkeeper still has time to go down in the annals of his selection.
With 36 matches on the clock, Maignan took the opportunity to become the fifth most capped goalkeeper in the history of the French team ahead of Steve Mandanda and tied with Georges Carnus, French champion with AS Saint-Etienne in 1968, 1969 and 1970 (as well as champion with OM in 1972) and even elected French Player of the Year in 1970 and 1971.
“Magic Mike” is now targeting the 44 games of Bernard Lama, sparkling goalkeeper for Aimé Jacquet's Blues but relegated to the bench by Fabien Barthez for the coronation at the 1998 World Cup. Maignan could thus steal Lama's 4th place during the 2026 World Cup in North America. He will then approach Joël Bats, the goalkeeper of the 1984 European champions, who has 50 caps.
Lama very close, Barthez still far away
“Fabulous Fab” and especially the record holder for selections Hugo Lloris are much further, with 87 and 145 matches respectively on the clock.
In terms of clean sheets, Mike Maignan is at 19 (in 36 selections, therefore) and could also take 4th place from Bernard Lama, author of 23 clean sheets. Here too for the AC Milan player, Joël Bats (28 clean sheets) is within range of meetings, while Fabien Barthez (51 clean sheets) and Hugo Lloris (63 clean sheets) still seem far away on this statistic.
Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Roger Lemerre and Bernard Lama before France-Croatia.
