Monaco question Thauvin's Ligue 1 Player of the Month award
AS Monaco have publicly questioned the decision to award Florian Thauvin the Ligue 1 Player of the Month prize for March. The official UNFP award was given to the Lens winger on Sunday after he scored two goals and provided two assists during the month. Monaco responded on social media platform X with a post stating, "We must have missed a few episodes," accompanied by a video highlighting the performances of their own nominees, Maghnes Akliouche and Folarin Balogun.
The 30-second clip showcased key contributions from Akliouche and Balogun, who were instrumental in Monaco's strong recent form. The principality club currently sits in a Champions League qualification place, with both players featuring prominently. The public critique from an official club account is a rare breach of typical diplomatic protocol in such matters and underscores a sense of injustice felt within the Monaco camp.
Florian Thauvin, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, has enjoyed a career resurgence since returning to Ligue 1 with Lens in 2021. His form this season has been consistently strong, making him a credible winner. The UNFP award is voted for by a panel of former players and journalists, and Thauvin's match-winning displays, including in a key 4-1 victory over Monaco itself on March 30, clearly resonated with voters.
However, Monaco's argument appears to center on the collective success of their team and the output of their young talents during the same period. Maghnes Akliouche, a 22-year-old academy graduate, has broken into the first team as a dynamic attacking midfielder. Folarin Balogun, the US international striker, has led the line effectively since his arrival from Arsenal last summer. Their performances were central to Monaco taking ten points from four March fixtures.
The subtle rivalry extends beyond the monthly award and into international considerations. Both Thauvin and Akliouche are seen as potential outsiders for a place in Didier Deschamps' France squad for the upcoming European Championship. This context adds a further layer of significance to the public debate over whose performances are most worthy of recognition.
The incident has sparked discussion among fans and pundits regarding the subjective nature of individual awards during a team sport. While Thauvin's individual statistics were excellent, Monaco's pointed response highlights the compelling cases of players whose efforts contributed directly to their team's climb up the table. The club's decision to voice its disagreement so openly reflects a modern trend of teams using social media to engage in indirect sporting and narrative disputes.
