Meet Ben Chilwell, Ligue 1's newest Englishman
At the end of a busy mercato in Ligue 1 McDonald's, there's a decidedly more English spin on France's top flight, as several players have made the move across the Channel, with former Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell the latest. Learn more about the experienced left back in out latest profile.
Nearly a title in his debut season
While plenty of players have made the move from Ligue 1 McDonald's to the Premier League this summer -- Dilane Bakwa, Randal Kolo Muani and Rayan Cherki were just some of the headline names, there's also been plenty of traffic in the opposite direction. After a busy summer, no less than a dozen players who qualify for England are on the books of French clubs. In the form of the likes of CJ Egan-Riley, Tyler Morton and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, most of these players are ones for the future, and have moved to France to get a chance at first team football while sharpening their skills in European competition as well.
The latest arrival, though, is of a different cast. Ben Chilwell's arrival on a two-year contract from Chelsea sees him join RC Strasbourg as a Champions League winner and player who reached the final of Euro 2020 with his country and boasts more than 20 senior caps. While injuries have made him a bit more shopworn than his 28 years might let on, with Racing lacking a specialist left back, he looks a canny move indeed.
Born in the south of the country in Milton Keynes, Chilwell first played for the academy of Rushden & Diamonsds before joining Leicester City in 2009, aged 12. After steady progress through the academy, while being a regular for his country at youth level, Chilwell made his senior debut in the 2015/16 season, featuring in the League Cup, but not (unfortunately) taking part in the Foxes' historic Premier League campaign, having spent most of the season on loan at Huddersfield.
From English soil to Strasbourg 🏴
Hello, Ben Chilwell! pic.twitter.com/5Z32Jo8Bw0— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) September 1, 2025
A big move to Chelsea and a Champions League crown
The following seasons saw Chilwell's stock rise considerably, with the departure of veteran Christian Fuchs paving the way for a place in the first team. A first England cap came in 2018, and he quickly helped his country earn a bronze medal in the UEFA Nations League. By the summer of 2020, with Leicester's fortunes having faded, Chilwell was a man in demand, and made a big move to Chelsea, where he was part of the team of the season as the Blues recorded an unlikely Champions League win.
His second season was in stark contrast to this, though -- a ruptured cruciate ligament suffered in November 2021 kept him out for nearly a year, and following on from his struggles for fitness, he clashed with new manager Enzo Maresca, who preferred Marc Cucurella in the role. A middling loan spell with Crystal Palace last year saw him lift the FA Cup with the Eagles, but it's clear that -- like his fellow Englishmen -- he's ready for a new challenge as he looks to add leadership and experience to a young Racing squad.
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