Lille’s ever-present Leader: Benjamin André pens new deal

An unsung and underappreciated hero for many years now in Ligue 1 McDonald's, Benjamin André is starting to enjoy his moment as one of Lille's most important players. This summer, amid speculation of a move to newly-promoted Paris FC and interest from abroad the club captain made his choice clear: he’s staying in the North. André has signed a new deal with Les Dogues until 2028, ending any doubt over his future and reaffirming his role as the beating heart of a youthful, ambitious Lille side.

“A beautiful story of loyalty, fight, and passion continues to be written in the North,” read the club’s official communiqué last week. “Captain André, our captain, is staying on until 2028.”

Lille's number 21 is now reaching the twilight years of his career, but his performances on the pitch for Les Dogues have impressed with a rejuvenated vigour since Bruno Génésio joined the club. During the 2024-2025 season, André smashed past the 400-match mark in the top flight of French football. "I hope I'll have plenty more to play," André reacted after finding out. "As long as the body keeps up, we'll hang in there."

The Frenchman has been a linchpin in the defensive solidity and organisation of Lille's midfield over the last 12 months. Now the world can joyously watch along with us in the UEFA Champions League.  Against Real Madrid, he put in the hard yards so that his midfield partner, 17-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, could shine with the ball at his feet. André's experience is like gold dust for a Lille squad that has so many young players coming through into the first team.

Yet André isn't just an extension of Bruno Génésio's coaching team on the pitch, for that would be wholly reductive. He has really added value on the ball in the past year, firstly under Paulo Fonseca, and now Génésio. The 34-year-old operates from a deep-lying midfield position, where he likes to control the tempo and dictate play, never shying away from taking responsibility on the ball as he does off it.

Even as teammates come and go, André has been the constant — pairing effectively with Nabil Bentaleb and Angel Gomes before rotation and injuries saw him resume his deeper, controlling role. Génésio is the third manager to count on his presence, following Christophe Galtier and Paulo Fonseca, who described him as “a magnificent professional who plays all the time, everywhere – a magnificent leader of our team.”

The Most experienced active midfielder in ligue 1 mcdonald's

Since joining from Rennes in 2019, André has made 248 appearances for LOSC — and could eclipse Rio Mavuba’s club-record 370 before his new deal expires. With 438 Ligue 1 matches played, he is currently the most experienced active player in the division. And remarkably, he averages over 40 games per season since arriving in the North.

At the end of last season, it was thought that André would turn a page on his adventure at Lille. Yet throughout the saga, the midfielder trained normally, missing recent friendlies against Amiens and Como but never showing signs of frustration. Now, with his future resolved, he’s set to return to the pitch - and the captain’s armband - next Saturday against Borussia Dortmund, the very side that ended Lille’s Champions League run last season.

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