Antoine Mille making a late case as a Ligue 1 revelation | OneFootball

Antoine Mille, the elegant 29-year-old Troyes midfielder, is experiencing Ligue 1 for the first time this season and visits Lille on Sunday at 15:00. He has already logged one assist and one goal, and, according to L'Équipe, looks a late-blooming playmaker with the tools to thrive.

He set up Lucas Maronnier with a deft near-post flick in the 2-1 win at Lorient on 29 August. He then opened his top-flight account with a smart finish in the 2-6 defeat to Strasbourg on 6 September.

Benjamin Nivet has praised Mille’s game intelligence, technique and cultured left foot, and expressed surprise he did not break through earlier at this level.

Toulouse-born, Mille spent ages seven to 14 at TFC but was not retained for the academy. He developed at Colomiers for 10 years, progressing into National 2, before moving to Bourg-en-Bresse in National, the third tier, in 2021 at 24.

After an impressive 2023-2024 with Châteauroux in the third division, he stepped fully into the professional game at Pau in Ligue 2, delivering a strong 2024-2025. Pau sporting director Luis de Sousa said he quickly dispelled doubts about his demeanour, highlighting his rare passing angles and quiet dedication.

At Troyes, Stéphane Dumont started Mille in 33 of 34 Ligue 2 matches last season, when he produced three goals and five assists. Following a pre-season injury he came on in the 76th minute against Paris FC, a 0-0 on 22 August, and has since started two of three Ligue 1 games. Dumont views him as a vital tempo-setter who covers the width and breaks forward, while urging growth as an off-field leader and in managing defensive phases.

Source: L'Équipe

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