One to watch: Rennes' Esteban Lepaul in Top Scoreur contention
If Esteban Lepaul is going to finish the season as the top scorer in Ligue 1 McDonald's, he is going to have to do it the hard way. Unlike Mason Greenwood and Joaquín Panichelli, the only two players who have scored more than the Rennes forward, Lepaul has yet to score from the spot this season, but his miss from the spot on Sunday doesn't detract from what is an excellent season for the former Angers man.
Lepaul has most non-penalty goals in Ligue 1 McDonald's
Greenwood currently leads the race to become Top Scoreur with 15 goals, five of which have come from the penalty spot, whilst five of Panchelli's 14 goals have also been penalties. Lepaul currently has 13 goals, none of which have come from the spot, although he had the chance to notch his first of the season against OGC Nice.
The Frenchman had already opened the scoring with a sharp finish into the roof of the net from the near post. The Breton club were already 2-0 up by the time Lepaul stepped up to take his penalty, but Yehvann Diouf telegraphed his effort, jumping to his right.
13 goals this season for Esteban Lepaul! ⚽️
What a player! 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/Q4wvB3jSw2— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 8, 2026
"It was badly hit and I'm annoyed with myself," admitted Lepaul in the mixed zone post-match. Despite that, the former Angers striker remains one of the most in-form French strikers on the continent. Since January 2025 and his breakthrough at Angers, only Real Madrid forward and France captain Kylian Mbappé has scored more goals in Europe's top five leagues.
With that in mind, is he targeting a place in Didier Deschamps' World Cup squad? "This isn't something that I'm thinking about," began the Rennes forward. "I'm fighting to reach the objectives that I set myself at the start of the season. I'm on track to do that. But what happens at the end of the season is not my motivation. I want Rennes to finish as high as possible in the league, I want to score as much as possible and to help the club reach its European objectives. That's all I'm thinking about."
Lepaul targets Champions League football
Rennes are currently well-placed in the hunt for European football for next season. Franck Haise's side are fifth and just three points away from Marseille in third. Lepaul is aiming higher and he believes Les Rennais can, too. "Of course we can target higher. We're only three points away. Why stop there? But we have to focus on ourselves. Of course the Champions League is reachable," said the forward.
Lepaul's breakthrough in Ligue 1 McDonald's was late by modern-day standards, but having quickly settled at the Breton club, he is helping them reach their former heights and, you never know, perhaps he too can reach new heights between now and the end of the season, or even later in the summer.
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