Lilian Thuram

Lilian Thuram is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the history of football. Born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, he emigrated to France at a young age and became one of the pillars of the golden generation of French football that won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000. Throughout his career, he accumulated 142 matches for the French national team — a record that stood for many years —, playing both as a right-back and as a central defender. His main impact on world football came in the semifinal of the 1998 World Cup, when he scored two historic goals against Croatia (2-1 victory), an extraordinary feat for a defender who rarely found the net. Off the pitch, Thuram became one of the most active voices in the fight against racism in European sports, founding the association 'Lilian Thuram — Éducation contre le Racisme' and being a public figure in the fight for civil rights in France.