Top 10 French Liverpool Players

In the history of Liverpool FC, there have only been 22 French players who have donned the red shirt. When it comes to French players at Anfield, they have often bought a degree of edge alongside fleeting cameos, with the exception of a few.

Whilst most signings did not become legends, their names became memorable in folklore in association with the good times.

This article is a look back at the ten best French players to wear the red of Liverpool, ranking them by their impact, and associated legacy on Merseyside.

10. Nabil El Zhar 

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Winger Nabil El Zhar grew up in France and represented the country at youth level before switching allegiance to Morocco, earning ten senior caps. Best known for his spell at Liverpool, El Zhar joined the club’s academy in 2006 and made his senior debut later that year under Rafa Benítez.

Blessed with pace and explosiveness, he often showed flashes of ability, but never quite managed to cement a regular place in the side. His standout moment came with a stunning long-range strike against Cardiff City in the League Cup, which was his first in a Kop shirt. It offered fans a glimpse of the potential he had to offer, but unfortunately he could never translate that into consistency.

He only got the chance to play under Benitez, as he was loaned out by Roy Hodgson and eventually departed permanently under Kenny Dalglish.

9. Mamadou Sakho

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Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in 2013, Mamadou Sakho arrived at Liverpool with the reputation of being a defender built for the Premier League. Aggressive, powerful, and left-footed, Sakho wore his heart on his sleeve. It was an admirable quality that made him a fan favourite during some of the club’s tougher years.

Under Brendan Rodgers, he played a key role in the 2013/14 Premier League title chase, and was also part of the side that reached both the Europa League and League Cup finals in 2015/16.

Sakho’s time at Liverpool eventually came to an end under Jürgen Klopp for several reasons. His erratic personality, both on and off the pitch, clashed with Klopp’s high-discipline, high-intensity approach, while his limited ball-playing ability didn’t quite fit the gegenpressing system. After a failed drugs test (for which he was later cleared) and a series of disciplinary issues, he was loaned, and later sold to Crystal Palace.

Though his Anfield career ended on a sour note, Sakho remains a memorable figure. He was a player whose passion and presence was greatly appreciated by fans, even if his story didn’t come in the years of success that later followed under Klopp.

8. Hugo Ekitike

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Despite only joining Liverpool in the summer, Hugo Ekitike earns his place on this list for the electric start he has made to life at Anfield. The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker has hit the ground running, scoring five goals in his first ten appearances across all competitions. He made an instant mark, scoring and providing an assist on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth, and then scoring the winner in his firstt Merseyside Derby. 

Ekitike has offered far more than just the end product. His intelligent movement, pressing, and link-up play have made him an instant fit for Arne Slot’s high-intensity system, while his determination to challenge the £125 million man Alexander Isak for a starting role has impressed  fans.

Still only in the early stages of his Liverpool career, the young Frenchman looks every bit like the modern, exciting forward he has been labelled as in the past few years. If he continues his current trajectory, he has the potential to become one of the best French players ever to wear the Liverpool shirt.

7. David N’Gog

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When Rafa Benítez signed David N’Gog from Paris Saint-Germain in 2008 as a 19 year-old, the young French striker was seen as a raw understudy to Fernando Torres. Standing at 6ft 3in, agile, and technically neat, N’Gog showed some glimpses of his ability during his three years at Anfield, but was never consistent enough.

His most iconic moment came in November 2009, when he raced clear to slot home Liverpool’s second in a 2–0 win over Manchester United. It was a goal that sent Anfield into raptures and gave fans a memory still fondly recalled today. Across his time at Anfield, N’Gog played 94 competitive games, registering 19 goals.

N’Gog eventually moved on to Bolton Wanderers in 2011, but that goal against United was a memorable moment during transitional times at Liverpool.

6. Nicolas Anelka

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6. Nicolas Anelka

“Looking back, I am proud to have worn the jersey of this legendary club and to have known this stadium and these amazing fans,” Nicolas Anelka said a few years ago when reminiscing about his time at Liverpool.

One of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in Liverpool history surrounds Gérard Houllier’s decision not to sign Anelka permanently, instead opting to bring in El Hadji Diouf. Reflecting on the situation, Anelka later revealed: “It’s simple - it didn’t happen because Gérard Houllier wanted to pay a lower salary.”

During his short spell at the club in the 2001/02 season, the 21-year-old was a key catalyst in Liverpool’s second-place Premier League finish. Playing alongside Michael Owen, the Frenchman injected pace, movement, and sharpness into the attack. His brace against Everton remains his standout moment, and although he only scored four goals in his five months at Anfield, it was the quality of his performances beyond the numbers that won fans over.

It remains a source of frustration that Liverpool never made the move permanent, especially given how Anelka went on to thrive in the Premier League with Manchester City and Chelsea in later years.

5. Djimi Traore

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In the most complimentary way, the best word to describe Djimi Traore is unpredictable. Two contrasting moments do well to capture his seven years at Liverpool. The first is a comical backheel spinning own goal in the FA Cup against Burnley. The second is an incredible goalline clearance from Andriy Shevchenko in one of Liverpool’s most historical Champions League games of all time in Istanbul.

Although his Liverpool career never fully took off afterwards, Traoré’s time in England made him an endearing cult hero at the time who lived the good, the bad and the ugly in Merseyside.

4. Mohammed Sissoko

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Mohammed Sissoko brought bite and energy to Liverpool’s midfield when Rafa Benítez signed him in 2005. Sissoko had played under Benitez at Valencia prior to his move, so he was one of his trusted assets. At just 20, he was an all grit, no nonsense midfielder and that  fit perfectly into the Premier League philosophy. Playing alongside club legends Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard, he gave Liverpool balance, doing the dirty work so others could shine.

His momentum was derailed in 2006 after a serious eye injury against Benfica. Though he recovered, the arrivals of Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva pushed him down the pecking order and he left for Juventus in 2008. Till this day, fans remember Sissoko as someone who left everything on the pitch.

3. Florent Sinama-Pongolle

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Florent Sinama-Pongolle came as a product of Le Havre’s youth system. He was brought in by Gérard Houllier as part of a wave of young talent to add creativity to the Reds’ attack. Teammate (and cousin) Anthony Le Tallec was also recruited from Le Havre in the same window.

The winger is best remembered for his goal against Olympiakos in the 2004/05 Champions League group stage (but missed the final due to injury), and against Real Betis in the following year. He offered moments of magic, but much like many other names on this list struggled with consistency beyond a rotational role in the side.

Sinama-Pongolle left a mark as a player capable of producing some flashes of brilliance and left with a Champions League, Super Cup and FA Cup medal by the time he was loaned out to Blackburn in 2006.

2. Djibril Cisse

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