Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest conquerors in history. A detailed mathematical analysis proves he is actually the greatest general in history of warfare, beating the second-highest performer, Julius Caesar, by a huge margin – 16.679 WAR (Wins Above Replacement – an estimate of a general's performance in war compared to other top generals) against 7.445.
The unique set of skills he possessed at the time could’ve also made him the GOAT among modern football managers. As a smart and innovative tactician, the French leader didn’t mind replacing seasoned generals with younger ones to keep his strategies fresh. Despite surviving on a mere 3-4 hours of sleep per day, he relentlessly improved his abilities through hard work. Beyond his military prowess, Napoleon's greatness lay in his profound connection with simple soldiers as he earned their genuine affection through his exceptional man-management skills.
Who would make Napoleon's roster?
Mostly loyal, hardworking players who are also pacy, mobile and creative enough.
Mike Maignan. Faithful, consistent – the Milan goalkeeper would be France’s first choice no matter who the head coach is. We may compare him to Napoleon’s cavalry officer Joachim Murat, a key figure in Bonaparte’s inner circle whose leadership was crucial in multiple battles, especially in the Jena-Austerstedt one against the Prussian forces.
Jules Kounde. His mobility is truly impressive. Like marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet, Kounde has mostly succeeded on Spanish battlefields. Moreover, Suchet’s most notable campaign occurred in Catalonia where he displayed exceptional defensive and organisational skills.
William Saliba. The centre-back is a real fighter who knows how to clean up his teammates’ mistakes in the rear. As the standout defender, he could be compared to general Auguste de Marmont who demonstrated outstanding defensive skills during the Peninsular War and in various battles against the British.
Dayot Upamecano. The Bayern centre-back is one of the most powerful and hardworking players in the roster. His aggressiveness reminds us of another of Napoleon’s marshals, Pierre Augereau, who led the French forces in a fierce way against the Austrian army at the Battle of Castiglione.
Theo Hernandez. The left-back would have a special role on Napoleon’s team as the most damaging attacks would be launched exactly from his wing. His fearlessness and audacity would make him as important as marshal Jean Lannes was for Bonaparte – his bold and effective attacks helped turn things around in the Battle of Marengo against the Austrians.
Eduardo Camavinga. The midfielder has made his fans create songs about him – almost as if he were some legendary soldier of the past. Cama is a versatile warrior who can occupy almost every position in midfield in defence. Eduardo’s historical ‘twin’ is Nicolas Soult who rapidly rose through the ranks at a young age and demonstrated top ability in both defence and offence.
Aurelien Tchouameni. The defensive midfielder will make sure Bonaparte’s winning record is perfect – Real Madrid are yet to lose a single game with him on the pitch this season. We would compare him to Andre Massena, one of Napoleon’s most successful comrades, also called the ‘Dear Child of Victory’.
Kingsley Coman. It’s not just the pace that makes Coman special – he is also clutch in big games, including Champions League finals. Besides, few players can boast about having won 29 trophies at just 27 years old. His historical prototype can be Louis-Alexandre Berthier who broke into the French army as a youngster and played a big role in campaigns all over the world.
Antoine Griezmann. One of the most loyal players in the history of the national team. A symbol of Les Bleus who has hit his prime again. Griezmann is the analogue of Napoleon’s ‘Iron Marshal’ Louis-Nicolas Davout, mostly known for his tactical brilliance and exceptional intelligence that was at its best at the Battle of Austerlitz.
Kylian Mbappe. Although the French superstar is not an easy player to deal with, he remains the team’s most powerful force for years to come. His effectiveness and courage make us feel he is Michel Ney – Napoleon’s legendary comrade who led his army from the front lines, particularly in the Peninsular War against the Spanish and Portuguese where he earned the ‘Bravest of the Brave’ nickname.
Olivier Giroud. The 36-year-old is definitely not among the fastest France players, but his work rate and physical ability make him a standout performer too. As a recent Serie A winner who keeps playing a key role at 37, he could be compared to Eugene de Beauharnais, the Viceroy of Italy who was quite effective in some of the biggest engagements of the Napoleonic Wars including the Battle of Wagram.
What formation would he choose?
To identify Napoleon’s game plan, let’s use the famous Battle of Austerlitz as an example – the engagement that took place between the French army and the Russian and Austrian forces in 1805, ending in the latter’s decisive defeat and the collapse of the Third Coalition which was chiefly made up of Britain, Austria and Russia.
It’s arguably as iconic as the 1998 World Cup final between France and Brazil. Just like in that game, where France played with 10 men for half an hour, Bonaparte’s troops were outnumbered – some 72,000 men against 85,000 opposition soldiers.
Here is a brief description of what was happening on the battlefield back then:
Based on Napoleon’s deployment of troops during the Austerlitz, we believe he would pick the 4-2-1-3 formation for his team. It would be quite asymmetric, though, as his greatest tactical trick would be deceiving the opposition by deliberately weakening the right side, just like in the famous battle:
With the opposition mostly deploying their forces on France’s right flank, Napoleon would take advantage of the gap in the opponent’s middle area and attack the space:
After the midfield battle is won and the opposition are spread to the left and the right, Napoleon would proceed by attacking the opponent’s vulnerable wings – mostly through his left which is still fresh as it wasn’t quite involved yet.
Although Kylian Mbappe is usually used as a striker in the national team, here he would be deployed on the left wing to use his pace to the fullest. Call it one more major tactical tweak of Bonaparte to make his left wing absolutely destructive:
After the opposition is exhausted, Napoleon would make sure the battle is won by using his reserves. Explosive forwards like Randal Kolo Muani, Moussa Diaby and Christopher Nkunku could add some freshness to the attack in the second half:
Napoleon Bonaparte would’ve really taken the world of football by storm – and his non-stop tactical creativity would also make him fun to watch.
We can only wonder what bets people would have made on that battle back in the day if they had had such an opportunity. One-day win, draw or 'Napoleon to destroy Third Coalition before the new year'?
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