There are currently no Frenchmen in the FTBL World Top 23 of defenders, and Arsenal’s France international William Gallas (104.11 points) is ready for a return into that elite list.

In the two games of the World Cup 2010 playoffs against Ireland, Gallas will have a plank of 16.9 rating points to beat, which means a solid performance has the potential to earn him a spot at the very top. The task appears not that daunting considering that a “clean” victory will yield him 17.25 rating points in the FTBL system. Given that the French have not conceded a single goal against the Irish in their last 3 games, such a result is, indeed, very likely.

It is important to add that two other French players are likewise poised for a burst into the Top 23: Bordeaux’s Marc Planus (105.35 points) and Sevilla’s Sébastien Squillaci (105.14 points). But, unlike Gallas, they will face a more serious plank (in the neighborhood of 30 rating points) to beat.