Playerwatch 2006: France

There is a sense of optimism at the Stade Vélodrome, where the emergence of three exciting young talents have given Olympique de Marseille supporters hope that a return to the glory days may not be too long in coming.

Huge impact
Franck Ribéry has made a huge impact since his protracted summer move from Galatasaray SK. The 22-year-old winger, once of FC Metz, inspired the club to success in the UEFA Intertoto Cup and has also helped them reach the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. A devastating showing in his first Marseille-Paris Saint-Germain FC derby has boosted his popularity.

'Untransferable'
On the international stage, Ribéry has been equally effective. He inspired France to victory in their UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off against England, and could soon be representing the senior team. Marseille president Pape Diouf recently calmed fears that Ribéry might be sold, saying: "Even if we get a staggering offer, Ribéry will not leave. He is untransferable."

Individual goal
Samir Nasri, 18, is another emerging talent. The Marseille-born playmaker broke into the side last season and was handed a professional contract after scoring a superb individual goal against LOSC Lille Métropole. A member of France's 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship-winning team, Nasri's dribbling skills and fierce shooting are likely to grace French football for years to come. Nigerian left-back Taye Taiwo completes the trio of Marseille starlets. Voted third-best player in the summer's FIFA World Youth Championship, the 20-year-old's solid defending and powerful bursts up the left have made him an ideal replacement for Bixente Lizarazu.

Mature displays
Another side brimming with youth are Lille. Ligue 1 runners-up in 2004/05, Claude Puel's team continue to impress on the domestic stage and finished above Manchester United FC in their UEFA Champions League group, earning a UEFA Cup berth. Mathieu Bodmer, 23, has developed into one of their key players. A tall, elegant midfielder, Bodmer's ability to close down opponents then launch counterattacks with a foraging run or a well-timed pass makes him fundamental to the Lille system. He was playing for SM Caen reserves when Puel signed him in 2003, but Bodmer's mature displays are evidence of his rapid development and this month he extended his contract until 2011.

Fastest hat-trick
In attack Lille's talisman has been Matt Moussilou. The Paris-born striker, also 23, burst on to the French scene last season, scoring 16 goals, including the fastest hat-trick in Ligue 1 history against ES Troyes Aube Champagne. Now a marked man, Moussilou has been less prolific this term, though his speed and movement continue to provide Lille with an important outlet.

Predatory instincts
Moussilou's five-minute treble meant that the previous record, set by FC Sochaux-Montbéliard forward Jérémy Menez, stood for just four months. Menez was only 17 when he scored three times in eight minutes against FC Girondins de Bordeaux in January. "To score three goals in Ligue 1 at the age of 17 is extraordinary. I had to wait until I was 28 to score one," joked then-Sochaux coach Guy Lacombe. A regular scorer for France at junior levels, and joint-top marksman at February's UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup, Menez is a powerful runner with predatory instincts.

Nantes starlet
FC Nantes Atlantique, a club renowned for their youth academy, have produced another starlet in Jérémy Toulalan. Voted Ligue 1's young player of the season, the 22-year-old kept the club up almost single-handedly with his determined midfield displays. Nantes fought off interest in their captain from Olympique Lyonnais last summer, but like Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly and Christian Karembeu before him, Toulalan's future almost certainly lies away from La Beaujoire.