In his prime, Lilian Thuram was one of the most composed, accomplished and finest defenders to ever have graced a football pitch. With nearly 150 caps amassed for the French national team, and a World Cup winners medal among them, the former Juventus defender is truly a legend and an icon in the footballing world. However, when he signed for Barcelona following the Italian sides demotion to Serie B for their part in the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, the man was 34 years old. It goes without saying that his best years were behind him, so to sign for the Champions League winners was certainly a curious move.
''Clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal and Chelsea have been asking about Lilian. - Lilian Thurams spokesman, July 2006.
Thuram struggled for game-time at the Nou Camp, often seen as a fourth-choice centre-back behind the likes of Carlos Puyol, Rafael Marquez and Gabriel Milito. In total, he played 58 games in all competitions for the Catalonian outfit during his two-year spell for the club, before he was forced to retire due to a rare heart condition.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
