Full Name
Ruddy Lilian Thuram-Ulien
Position
Right Back, Centre Defender
Born
1 January 1972
Country
France
Clubs
Monaco (France)
Parma (Italy)
Juventus (Italy)
Barcelona (Spain)
Professional Career
1991-2008
International Caps/Goals
142 caps/2 goals
Honours
2 Serie A Scudetto, 1 Italian Super Cup (Juvenus)
1 Coppa Italia, 1 Italian Super Cup (Parma)
1 French Cup (Monaco)
1 Spanish Super Cup (Barcelona)
1 UEFA Cup (Parma)
1998 FIFA World Cup (France)
2000 UEFA European Championship (France)
2003 FIFA World Player of the Year
A consistent, versatile defender, Lilian Thuram was one of the best in his position from the late nineties to the mid-2000s. The reliable right back was excellent in the defending and marking of his opponents, as well as surging forward along the right flank to aid the offense and put in good crosses.
An integral member of France’s golden generation that won the World Cup and European Championship between 1998 and 2000, Thuram formed an impenetrable backline with comrades Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly and Bixente Lizarazu. Although he had only two international goals in an all-time French record of 142 caps, but what important goals those were! In the 1998 World Cup semi-final, Thuram scored his two goals to help France defeat Croatia 2-1, and the rest is history.
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