Another brilliant French 'water carrier', Toulalan protects his defence with understated authority. And there's more to come...
A reassuring presence in front of the defence, Toulalan’s drive and energy make him one of Lyon’s most important elements.
The youth academy at Nantes has a habit of bringing through top-class midfield anchors, and after Didier Deschamps and Marcel Desailly, Toulalan is continuing the rich tradition.
The tough-tackling Frenchman made 94 appearances for his hometown club, winning France’s Young Player of the Year award in 2005 before being snaffled by Lyon a year later.
His fiercely competitive approach has contributed enormously to Lyon’s recent success, and it has been no surprise to see him step into Claude Makelele’s imposing shoes for Les Bleus.
Toulalan is not a creative player, only scores once in a blue moon, and lacks a little pace, but he does the simple things extremely well and possesses a fantastic engine.
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