The top scorer in Ligue 1 not among the best players in the championship? This is the paradox experienced by Estéban Lepaul. Author of 19 saves since the start of the season, the Rennes striker is not among the five nominated for the UNFP Trophy for best player. There we find three PSG players (Ousmane Dembélé, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha), as well as Lensois Florian Thauvin and Marseillais Mason Greenwood.
After the Rennes match at Lyon (4-2), Lepaul raised the subject in the mixed zone. “ Do I understand it? No. Does this affect me? No not at all “assures the Rouge et Noir attacker.
“These are individual rewards and I know that we have other collective objectives, he explains. If it reaches me, it will disturb me. It doesn’t affect me at all. There are votes that have been made, I’m not in it, it doesn’t matter, we’re focusing on the weekend’s match. I managed to achieve a goal and an assist this evening, it doesn’t bother me. I’m not going to dwell on this for 10 years, it makes me neither hot nor cold. »
LePaul at the World Cup?
With now 19 goals, Lepaul is on track to finish top scorer in Ligue 1 this season. Injured, Joaquin Panichelli (16 goals) is out of the race, while Mason Greenwood has fallen behind (15 goals). Failing to earn him a UNFP Trophy, the good form of the Rennes striker makes him a candidate for a place with the Blues for the World Cup.
“He can go to the French team, Djibril Cissé recently campaigned. I compare it with what I experienced. When I was called up, there was Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Christophe Dugarry, Youri Djorkaeff… Lepaul is the top scorer in Ligue 1, he would have his place. He will finish at 18-20 goals. I would have taken it, I would have tried. »
