Reading Time: 15 minutes

Football loves a good romance. Leicester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Montpellier. These teams have slain giants and disrupted dynasties. 

One of these unique instances occurred with the French Ligue 1 outfit, AS Monaco, during the 2016/2017 season.

Captained by an indomitable Radamel Falcao, AS Monaco managed to dethrone PSG and knock Manchester City out of the UEFA Champions League. And they did this with a team of “no-names”.

How AS Monaco Shocked the World

Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club, popularly known as AS Monaco, is one of the most prominent sides in French football.

The club from the tiny principality might not be the most fascinating team from France to watch currently, but not too long ago, AS Monaco produced one of the best footballing displays in Europe.

Following a busy but seemingly straightforward summer transfer window, Monaco looked prepared for a season that saw them compete in multiple top-flight competitions.

The season began at a fairly even pace for the Les Monegasques. But, midway into the season, they were going head-to-head with PSG for the league title.

But what’s more impressive was how they showed out in the Champions League, shocking many as they progressed through the tournament.

They topped the standings in the group stages, ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham Hotspur.

Then came the knockout stages, where they faced Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Round of 16. 

No one gave AS Monaco a chance against the relentless, free-flowing juggernaut from the blue half of Manchester.

But as the legend goes, games are never won on paper. Over the two legs, Monaco matched City’s relentless attacks with counter-attacks.

With all the stars on display, the story of the tie was a 17-year-old Kylian Mbappe bursting onto the scene with crucial goals across the two legs.

The quarterfinal encounter with Borussia Dortmund was a cakewalk as Monaco brushed the Bees aside with a 6-3 aggregate score, securing their place in the Champions League semifinals for the first time in thirteen years.

They eventually crashed out of the tournament at this stage to Juventus.

AS Monaco Wins Ligue 1

Disappointment in Europe did not deter them from chasing silverware, as they won the Ligue 1 title ahead of PSG and earned the club’s first top-flight league title since the 1999/2000 season.

Considering that Monaco had just gained promotion to the first division in 2013/2014, the brilliant season from these players was unexpected, and their contributions were significant, earning them the appreciation and respect of football fans.

Like all overachieving teams in football, the big dogs raid these squads like a high school buffet, picking off all their best players and weakening the team for the coming campaign.

Sometimes, these players go on to become legends in their new clubs. Other times, they shrink under the crushing weight of expectation. 

Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé was one of the youth players promoted to the Monaco first team from their academy. He had the pace of an Olympic sprinter and the finishing of a seasoned forward.

After a successful season at club level, Mbappé earned the number 10 shirt and started on the right wing for the French National Team at the 2018 World Cup.

In the Round of 16, Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Argentina in a 4-3 classic. At that point, no one could have guessed the role he would play against them in 2022.

He helped guide France to secure a second World Cup title, earning the title of the best young player in the tournament.

Mbappe also became the youngest goal scorer in a World Cup final since Pele, playing a starring role in dragging the team to victory against a spirited Croatia. 

After the 2018 World Cup, he moved to French rivals PSG, in what was the second most expensive signing in football history, behind teammate Neymar Jr.

Playing a starring role alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, he helped PSG win several titles. He then featured for France at the 2022 World Cup, playing as a left-winger.

In what turned out to be Lionel Messi’s last dance at the 2022 World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe took up the villain role, scoring a hat-trick against Argentina. 

Thankfully, Emi Martinez pulled off an all-time display in the penalty shootout to get Argentina their revenge.

Mbappé’s time at PSG was a success, but with the shortcomings in the UCL, it was clear that he would push for a move to his dream club.

After a series of dramatic negotiations and two years of Fabrizio Romano’s clickbait, Mbappe secured his move to Real Madrid to join the New Galacticos.

Radamel Falcao

Radamel Falcao is one of the most prolific strikers of the past decade. Arriving in Europe after gaining ground at River Plate, Falcao signed for FC Porto.

While his time at Porto was impressive, his remarkable performances occurred at Atletico Madrid, before signing for Monaco in 2014. 

After a season at the club, he had lackluster loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea. Following a horrendous time in the Premier League, Falcao returned to Monaco.

Coming back home to his former side as an experienced forward with a lot still to prove, he approached the game with a renewed vigor that infected the rest of the squad.

Irrespective of the formation or style of play, he impacted games positively and was a constant thorn in the opposition’s defense.

Falcao captained Monaco during the 2016/2017 campaign, leading from the front with his goals and assists.

After three years at Monaco, he moved to the Turkish side, Galatasaray. He has a decent spell there, playing two full seasons before departing at the start of the 2021/2022 season.

He then secured a move to Rayo Vallecano in Spain, where he had a cold time in front of goal.

Currently at Millonarios in his home country, Colombia, Falcao is enjoying what remains of his illustrious career before hanging up his boots.

Valère Germain

Valère Germain is the other often-forgotten striker who featured for Monaco during their famous 2016/2017 campaign. He joined the club in 2010, mainly featuring at the youth level.

Upon relegation from Ligue 1, Germain became a regular starter at the club, helping them gain promotion back to the top flight.

Valere Germain provided goals and assists during his time at the club, and his experience was vital as he featured over 150 times for Monaco, scoring 41 goals.

He had a year-long loan at OGC Nice during the 2015/2016 season, before exiting Monaco permanently in 2017. 

He joined Marseille, playing four seasons at the club, before joining Montpellier, where he spent two seasons.

Germain decided it was time to leave France and joined the Australian club Macarthur FC. He spent two seasons at the club before leaving in 2025.

He is currently at the Japanese J1 League outfit, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and although he has yet to play for the club, his experience can be valuable, and he should chip in on the goals should the chances come his way.

Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva is a playmaker who connects the midfield and attack, creating chances and facilitating attacking plays. This play style was his modus operandi as he orchestrated play during his time at Monaco.

Short but outrageously skillful, Silva is capable of outmaneuvering himself against any opponent, with his low center of gravity and his quick movements. 

His ability on the ball, alongside his relentless running on the pitch, made him indispensable to AS Monaco.

He joined the club from Benfica, after making just one senior appearance and gaining most of his appearances at the youth level. In spite of his inexperience, he settled nicely and began bossing the midfield.

After the success of the 2016/2017 season, he was among the first set of players to depart the club, due to big-money purchases from financially buoyant clubs in Europe.

He joined Manchester City at a time when another Silva, David Silva, was approaching his final days at the Etihad.

He breezed into life at City, working under the guidance and tutelage of one of football’s most dynamic managers – Pep Guardiola.

In what has been a trophy-laden eight-year stay in Manchester, Silva has featured in numerous positions in the midfield and attack.

His versatility and understanding of the game, a quality few players possess, spurred his success at Manchester City.

Currently aged 30 and still in his prime, Silva has a lot to offer. Whether he continues to feature for the Cityzens or plays elsewhere, his tenacity and work rate would continue to be huge facets of his game on the pitch.

Fabinho

Fabinho featured as a defensive midfielder tasked with disrupting the opposition attack in the middle third, recovering possession, and launching attacks.

He joined the club permanently from Rio Ave in 2015, after loan spells at Madrid and a two-year loan at Monaco.

Fabinho settled in quickly and soon became the team’s midfield anchor. He featured over 30 times since his debut season at the club, racking up 37 appearances during the 2016/2017 season, the most in a season during his time at Monaco.

He spent another season for the French outfit before securing a big-money move to Liverpool.

At Liverpool, he became a crucial member of the squad, being one of the team’s outright defensive midfielders. 

During his time at Anfield, he became one of the best holding midfielders and helped the team win several titles, including the Champions League and the Premier League.

After five years at Liverpool, he joined the bandwagon of Europe’s top players who journeyed east for greener pastures and bigger bread in Saudi Arabia.

He secured a move to Al Ittihad, despite the Brazilian being 30 years old and capable of offering more at the biggest stage.

Fabinho is still playing at a commendable level, and with his side in pole position to win the Saudi Pro League, he is set to add another silverware to his brilliant career.

Thomas Lemar

Thomas Lemar was another young player who elevated his game at Monaco during the 2016/2017 season. He joined Monaco during the 2015/2016 season from the French side, Caen.

He played as a winger or a wide midfielder, depending on the formation and style of play. Lemar possessed attributes similar to those of Kylian Mbappé, utilizing his speed and guile down the flanks to create goal-scoring chances.

This skill set enabled him to contribute to the team’s success during the 2016/2017 campaign and placed him on the radar of top clubs in Europe.

He spent one more season at Monaco, and after a series of failed transfer talks to Liverpool and Arsenal, he finally secured a move to Atletico Madrid.

Although a lot of fans questioned the move, doubting the cohesion between Lemar’s playstyle and Atletico Madrid’s setup, the move seemed reasonable as such a versatile player would play a key role in Diego Simeone’s tactical requirements.

In what has been seven years at the Wanda Metropolitano, Lemar has not yet hit the heights he attained at Monaco.

Injuries have derailed his progress, and featuring in unconventional systems has seen him deployed in positions he might not fancy.

His goals and assists during the 2016/2017 season have been his most prolific season thus far in his career.

But still only 29 and with a move away from the Spanish capital looming, it should provide the respite needed to return to his best shape and impact games as he did during his time at Monaco.

Danijel Subašić

Danijel Subasic is a former Croatian international who featured for Monaco for close to a decade. He joined the club from the Croatian side Hajduk Split in the 2012 winter transfer window.

Monaco was competing in the Ligue 2 when he signed for the club, but shortly after his arrival, they gained promotion to the Ligue 1.

He became a crucial player within the squad and the undisputed shot-stopper for the French side. His heroics during the 2016/2017 season helped save his team.

After this season, he was among the few key players who did not exit the club within the next two seasons.

Subasic often captained the side with his leadership qualities widely recognized within the dressing room.

He also brought his brilliance to the Croatian national team, starting in goal during the 2018 World Cup.

His performance, which included multiple penalty saves during the knockout stages, helped Croatia reach the World Cup final for the first time in their history.

He continued to feature for Monaco until the expiration of his contract in June 2020, ending an eight-and-a-half-year stint with the club.

After his exit from the French side, Subasic experienced a professional hiatus–he was without a club for this period.

He, however, played futsal for a local club, Varos Zara Dental Centar, in his hometown of Zadar after joining in October 2020.

By September 2021, Subasic returned to his former club, Hajduk Split. He signed a contract until the summer of 2023, after an injury to the club’s goalkeeper, Josip Posavec, led to his signing.

Subasic officially retired from professional football on May 28, 2023. Shortly after his retirement, he joined the Croatian national team to work as a goalkeeping coach.

Jemerson

Jemerson de Jesus Nascimento is a Brazilian footballer who played a key role in Monaco’s 2016/2017 exploits.

Moving to Monaco from Atletico Mineiro for a reported fee of €10 million, and at just 23 years old, he had a lot to prove in Europe.

He joined in January 2016 and made only four appearances that season. In the 2016/2017 season, he became a regular starter for the club.

Playing predominantly as the left center back, he performed exceptionally for a very young defender. His pace allowed him to recover quickly when beaten or caught high up the pitch.

He was also comfortable on the ball and capable of building up from the back. His physical resilience was remarkable, as he only missed four games due to injury during his time at Monaco.

After over three years with the French club, Jemerson signed for Brazilian side Corinthians. He spent two seasons at the club before signing for FC Metz in France.

The season was underwhelming, both individually and collectively. Jemerson played only 15 times for the club, and Metz dropped back to Ligue 2.

He then returned to his first professional club, Atlético Mineiro, where he played a good number of games.

Jemerson is currently at Gremio, after leaving Atletico Mineiro. With the Brazilian still 32 years old, he can still play at a commendable level.

Kamil Glik

Kamil Glik is a Polish international who plays at center back. He joined Monaco at the start of the 2016/2017 season. He was one of the few players in the starting eleven for the Monaco squad who were 27 years old or older.

Glik joined Monaco from Torino, a team he captained at some point during his spell at the Italian club. He brought the experience needed to galvanize a group of predominantly young players.

Glik was deployed at right center back, partnering Jemerson on numerous occasions to become a formidable pair.

He led his side to great heights that season, scoring as many goals as he had bookings that season. His composure and decisiveness at the back were vital for the team’s success.

During his time at Monaco, he featured for Poland at the Euro 2016 campaign and the 2018 World Cup.

After four years, he departed the club for Benevento, an Italian outfit that has spent most of the time outside the first division of Italy.

Glik currently features for Cracovia in the Croatian top flight. Aged 37 years and his contract set to expire this summer, he would be looking towards securing a new contract or considering retirement.

João Moutinho

João Moutinho was another prominent figure in midfield for Monaco during the 2016/2017 season. He joined Monaco from the Portuguese club FC Porto after previously playing for rivals Sporting CP in the early stages of his career.

Having a similar build to Bernardo Silva, Moutinho thrived in central midfield, playing as a deep-lying playmaker. Also capable of playing the holding midfield role, he added depth to Monaco in midfield.

At the start of the 2016/2017 campaign, he was one of the few crucial players aged 30 and above to feature regularly during that campaign. That placed him as one of the old guards within the squad, offering leadership both on and off the pitch.

After his contribution to the success of Monaco during the 2016/2017 campaign, and playing the following season at the club, Moutinho secured a surprising move to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers (popularly known as Wolves) at the start of the 2018/2019 season.

Wolves viewed the signing as an addition of stellar experience to a group of players who had just gained promotion to the English top flight.

He helped Wolves to one of the most outstanding campaigns from a newly promoted side in the Premier League’s history.

Wolves finished seventh in the league, clinching a spot at the qualification stages of the Europa League the following season.

After five seasons at the club, He joined Braga in Portugal. With the veteran edging closer to 40 years, he would be considering the prospect of retirement after an impressive career.

Tiémoué Bakayoko

Tiémoué Bakayoko joined the club from Rennes for a reported fee of €8 million at the age of 19.

Turning 20 the following month, Bakayoko did not play many games during the first two years of his time in Monaco. However, those few games played served as a platform for proper growth.

The 2016/2017 season saw him feature 32 times for the French side, often paired alongside Fabinho in central midfield.

By the end of the season, Chelsea came knocking, eagerly showing their interest in the young Frenchman.

Bakayoko joined Chelsea in July 2017 for £40 million as a quality replacement for Nemanja Matic.

Unlike most of his teammates during his third year at Monaco, who left to do greater exploits, Bakayoko had a very underwhelming time at Chelsea.

He had several moments where he seemed lost or out of rhythm on the pitch, and this led to below-par performances.

These disappointing performances spurred Chelsea to loan him to several clubs until the expiration of his contract with the club.

The 2022/2023 season was a very challenging time for the midfielder. Bakayoko made only three appearances for AC Milan, adding up to just 39 minutes of gametime.

He also had an encounter with the police in Milan. He was involved in a racial profiling incident where Italian police accosted him at gunpoint, mistaking him for a suspect in a crime.

By the time his contract expired with Chelsea, he joined French side FC Lorient as a free agent.

He then moved to the Greek outfit PAOK and has been playing for them since 2024.

Still, at age 30, there is still time for the Frenchman to get back to the top, and with the right environment, he can perform at the level he did at Monaco.

Djibril Sidibé

Djibril Sidibé was one of the fullbacks who featured regularly for Monaco during the 2016/2017 season. He joined the club at the start of the season from rivals Lille.

Deployed on the right side of the defense, he brought defensive solidarity and attacking inputs to the team.

At just 24 years old, Sidibé was another young recruit to the team. Though experienced after spending four full seasons in France while playing for Troyes and Lille, he performed brilliantly for a fullback his age.

He spent two more seasons at Monaco before signing for Everton in the Premier League. After one year at Everton, he returned to Monaco for two more seasons.

Sidibé also represented the French national team during his time in Monaco. After emerging into the spotlight during that glorious campaign, he played several matches during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Eventually, he played in the main edition of the 2018 World Cup.

Following the conclusion of his second stint at Monaco, he moved to Greek giants AEK Athens. He currently plays for Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 and continues to compete at the top level.

Benjamin Mendy

Benjamin Mendy played for AS Monaco during the 2016/2017 season as a left-back. He joined the club from Marseille at the start of that season and immediately became a regular figure in the defense.

Parallels can be drawn with Sidibé, as Mendy, despite being just 22 years old, had garnered experience in French football. He spent two years with Le Havre and then three years with Marseille.

He offered positive input offensively when given room to maraud down the left flank and was solid defensively.

After helping Monaco to a brilliant campaign in 2016/2017, he joined Manchester City in a big-money transfer worth €57.5 million.

His time at Manchester was quite average. He had decent performances on the pitch, but injuries plagued his time at the Etihad, hindering his progress and growth at the club.

Multiple charges of rape and sexual assault in August 2021 dealt a massive blow to his quest to attain full fitness and return to his peak. These allegations led to his suspension by Manchester City and subsequent detention in custody.

After a series of legal squabbles, Mendy was cleared of all charges by July 2023. Following his acquittal, he took legal action against Manchester City for unpaid wages during his suspension and was awarded most of his requested amount in November 2024.

He last featured for the Citizens in 2022, and by the conclusion of his trial, Lorient offered him a contract – a priceless move from the French side after a troubling spell for the defender.

He spent one year at Lorient before moving to the Swiss outfit FC Zurich. Still just 30 years old, Mendy can look forward to enjoying his career, irrespective of how long it will be.

Andrea Raggi

Andrea Raggi, a former Italian international, featured for Monaco during the 2016/2017 season. He joined Monaco from Bologna in 2012.

Raggi was a versatile defender, capable of playing center back and right back. This quality made him important for the team, offering rotation options and providing backup for the defense.

He also played the old guard role within the squad, as he was 32 years old during Monaco’s title-winning season. His experience and versatility were vital to serve as a balance to a relatively young group of players.

He went on to register 230 appearances for Monaco, spanning over half a decade. After the expiration of his contract in June 2019, Raggi refused to sign with another club. 

He subsequently announced his retirement in 2020, closing the curtains on a 17-year career that began in 2003.