Lilian Thuram
Updated: Wikipedia source
Ruddy Lilian Thuram-Ulien (French pronunciation: [liljɑ̃ tyʁam]; born 1 January 1972 is a French author, philanthropist and former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was capable of playing both as a centre-back or as a right-back, and helped both offensively and defensively. He began playing football professionally with Monaco and played in the top first division in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, with a little time spent in Serie A with both Parma and Juventus before finishing his career with Barcelona. With France, Thuram was a player for the team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup; along with UEFA Euro 2000, and runners-up at the 2006 World Cup. Thuram was the most capped player in the history of the France national team with 142 appearances between 1994 and 2008 until Hugo Lloris surpassed the mark in 2022. Thuram has been described as a "studious" figure off the pitch; in 2010, he became a UNICEF ambassador, and has taken initiatives to fight against racism.