Danilo Pereira, the 34-year-old Portuguese midfielder/defender now playing for Al-Ittihad — and formerly of Paris Saint-Germain (2020–2024) — spoke with Onze Mondial about the league that surprised him the most. His answer was clear: Ligue 1.
“Ligue 1! Some people say it’s an easy league, that there’s no competition or players who can make a difference. But every season proves the opposite. There are big transfers, Ousmane Dembélé just won the Ballon d’Or, and there are strong teams like Lyon and Monaco… Ligue 1 is tough. There’s a lot of intensity and a variety of player profiles — fast, powerful, technical.”
While some so-called “experts” or fans still like to dismiss Ligue 1 as a lesser competition, many players who’ve actually played there emphasize its real quality. Time and again, footballers who once went underappreciated in France become celebrated once they move abroad — a reminder that perhaps Ligue 1 deserves more respect and attention.
Even if Danilo hasn’t played in all of Europe’s top leagues, his words carry weight. As someone who has experienced both the demands of French football and the standards of the Portuguese national team, he’s well placed to recognize that Ligue 1 is indeed a high-level, demanding competition.
