There have been many fantastic French football players throughout the generations, and many of them have gone on to have very successful media careers following their respective retirements.
Of course, the majority go on to work on French TV on networks like Canal+ covering the French top flight Ligue 1 and other domestic and European competitions from a French perspective.
However, some of these big names find their way on to TV screens across the channel, especially those all-time greats who plied their trade in the English Premier League and left an indelible mark on the English game.
Here are four of the very best French football players turned English TV football pundits:
Thierry Henry
Widely recognised as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the game, Henry is perhaps best remembered for his long stint at Arsenal under fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger, where he won multiple Premier League titles, amassed a huge array of goals and inspired a generation of young people across the world to get into the beautiful game.
Following his retirement, Henry has worked in various managerial roles, but has also been a consistent face on English television working as a pundit.
He's been hired by all the top broadcasters over the years but right now he is perhaps best known for his work on Amazon Prime Video in the UK on their Premier League and Ligue 1 coverage.
The great man juggles this responsibility alongside his work for US network CBS Sports, where he provides UEFA Champions League analysis.
Patrice Evra
Like many elite French players before him, like Eric Cantona and David Ginola, Patrice Evra is fondly remembered by English fans as a player who really bought into the English game and English culture.
During his stint at Manchester United, arguably the spell which most defined his illustrious career, the surging left back won five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League.
It is little surprise that he has remained a focal point of the English game post-retirement, also contributing to Amazon's Premier League coverage, as well as turning out for various other outlets.
Evra brings a certain charm and humility to the role which allows him to stand out in a landscape which is often dominated by downbeat, dour and overly serious Englishmen, Scotsmen and Irishmen.
Patrick Vieira
One of Thierry Henry's teammates in the great Arsenal sides of the 90s and 00s, Patrick Vieira is considered by many to be the greatest central midfielder in the history of the Premier League.
Following his outstanding playing career, Vieira has done some very respectable work in management, at New York City FC, Nice and most recently Crystal Palace.
Despite losing his job at Selhurst Park, Vieira's stock as a manager remains high, but in the meantime he may return to our television screens to provide some analysis.
Among other things, he provided excellent punditry for ITV during the 2014 World Cup in Germany. His return to English football TV would surely be welcomed by most fans.
Laura Georges
The youngest person on this list, Laura Georges only ended her glittering playing career, in which she made 188 international appearances for France, five years ago.
As a woman, Laura brings a unique perspective to coverage of football on English TV.
She wowed during her punditry performances on the BBC during the recent 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and many would see her as a welcome addition to future broadcasts on the Beeb or elsewhere.
Her knowledge of both the men's and women's game is extensive and would be valuable to broadcasters if utilised correctly.
With France continuing to produce some of the best footballing talent in the world, showcased by their back-to-back World Cup final appearances in 2018 and 2022, we should expect to see more generation-defining names popping up in the near future.
Several of those could well end up on our screens on BT Sport, Sky Sports and other top broadcasters producing analysis and punditry from a French viewpoint.
When Premier League greats like Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris soon retire, could we see them popping up in the studio? We shall have to wait and see, but with the track record of their predecessors, who would deny them the opportunity?
Stick around for more great Sports Streams News from Sporticos.
