Rain swept across Bollaert on Saturday night, but Florian Thauvin remained the figure at the centre of Lens’ European push. The captain scored once and created another as Lens beat Paris FC 2-1, marking his 300th Ligue 1 appearance with a decisive display.
The move
Thauvin opened the scoring before setting up Thorgan Hazard late in the match, delivering the goal and assist that carried Lens past a direct rival in the race for Europe.
At 33, the 2018 World Cup winner showed that his influence is extending beyond the final touch. Speaking after the game, he said the reward was for sustained work and refusal to ease off.
“I am very happy to be rewarded, happy for the team and for myself,” Thauvin said. “It shows me that working hard and never giving up pays off, so we have to continue like that.”
The former Marseille winger believes experience has taken his game into a new phase. While acknowledging the outstanding seasons he enjoyed at Olympique de Marseille, he said he has never felt stronger in terms of his overall contribution.
“In what I can produce, in my daily leadership, in how I manage strong and difficult periods, and in what I do with the ball, I have never felt this strong,” he said. “It is simply down to maturity. Maturity and experience have taught me all that. Now it is a pleasure for me.”
The French season around it
Lens’ win over Paris FC was valuable not only for the points but for the profile of the opponent: Paris FC are also competing for a European place. Thauvin’s role as captain was particularly visible in a tight match played in heavy rain.
- Florian Thauvin: scored Lens’ first goal and assisted Thorgan Hazard.
- Thorgan Hazard: scored late from Thauvin’s pass.
- Paris FC: beaten 2-1 by Lens in a match between European contenders.
Thauvin also addressed the prospect of another France call-up. His most recent appearance for Les Bleus came in mid-November 2025, when France won 3-1 against Azerbaijan.
He did not demand a return, but made clear that the national side still means a great deal to him. Thauvin won a youth World Cup before becoming a senior world champion with France in 2018.
“Of course I want to go back to the France team because I love it and I have a history with it, but it is not for me to ask for it,” he said. “I have won two World Cups, one at youth level and one with the senior team, so I am very attached to it. And, naturally, it would be a dream to discover Zidane. We will see.”
