Age, Biography, and Wiki
Lilian Thuram, born Ruddy Lilian Thuram-Ulien, is a French author, philanthropist, and former professional footballer. He was born in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe and moved with his family to mainland France in 1981. Thuram's football career began in 1991 with Monaco and saw him play for several prominent clubs including Parma, Juventus, Barcelona, and nearly Paris Saint-Germain before his retirement due to a heart condition.
| Occupation | Footballer |
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| Date of Birth | 1 January 1972 |
| Age | 53 Years |
| Birth Place | Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | France |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Details about Thuram's current height and weight are not frequently updated, but during his playing career, he was known for his robust physique, which was advantageous in his role as a defender.
| Height | 1.82 m |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Thuram is married to Sandra Thuram, and they have two children together, including Marcus Thuram, who is also a professional footballer.
He has two sons with his first wife Sandra, Marcus (born 6 August 1997) and Khéphren (born 26 March 2001), and both became international footballers for France in the 2020s. He named his sons after Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey and Egyptian pharaoh Khephren, respectively. Thuram's cousin is Amiens player Yohann Thuram-Ulien.
From 2007 to 2013, Thuram was in a relationship with Karine Le Marchand, a French TV host. In August 2022 he married journalist Kareen Guiock, whom he met in 2015; they wed at the Palace of Fontainebleau.
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Lilian Thuram's net worth is estimated to be approximately $15 million. His income during his active football career was substantial, but specific figures for his annual salary are not readily available. His net worth is supplemented by his post-football career as an author and philanthropist.
Beyond his football career, Thuram has always shown political engagement, and has frequently spoken out against racism. In such, during the French riots in November 2005, Thuram took a position against future French president Nicolas Sarkozy, at the time the head of the conservative political party UMP and Minister of the Interior. Thuram was opposed to the verbal attacks against young people that the then-Minister made when he talked about the "scum", and he said that Nicolas Sarkozy never lived in a "banlieue", areas of low-income housing surrounding French cities.
Career, Business, and Investments
Thuram's football career was highlighted by his performances for the France national team, where he won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000. After retiring from football, he has focused on writing and philanthropy. He is known for his anti-racist activism and has published several books, including "Mes étoiles noires" (My Black Stars), which explores African and Afro-Caribbean figures throughout history.
He began playing football professionally in his homeland with Monaco and played in the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, with notable stints in Serie A with both Parma and Juventus before finishing his career with Barcelona. With France, Thuram was a key player for the team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup; his side also won UEFA Euro 2000, and he helped them to 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's football career began with Monaco in Ligue 1 in 1991. He then transferred to Parma (1996–2001) and then to Juventus (2001–2006) for £25 million, and eventually to Barcelona in 2006.
Thuram started his professional career with Monaco in 1991. He only made one appearance that season, but was officially promoted to the first team the following season, when he would go on to make 19 appearances.
Thuram was named in the French squad for the 1998 World Cup and played a key part in their entire tournament, most notably in the semi final against Croatia. After getting caught out of position and being at fault for Croatia's opening goal, Thuram went on to score a brace, his only international goals, and give France a 2–1 win to take them to the final where the team defeated Brazil 3–0 to win their first World Cup. Thuram was awarded the Bronze Ball as the third most valuable player in the tournament. He, Bixente Lizarazu, Laurent Blanc and Marcel Desailly composed the backbone of the French defence that conceded only two goals in seven matches.
On 9 June 2008, Thuram took the field against Romania in a group match, and became the first player to make 15 UEFA European Championship finals appearances. The former record of 14 appearances was held by Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo and Karel Poborský. He played one more game during the tournament, raising the number of his appearances to 16, which record was then equaled a few days later by Edwin van der Sar from the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Thuram was the captain of France in the tournament. Along with Claude Makélélé, he announced his retirement from international football on 17 June 2008, after France's 2–0 loss to Italy. He finished his career with the national team as France's most capped player with 142 appearances. His record was broken by Hugo Lloris in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Thuram was sponsored by sportswear company Nike and appeared in Nike commercials. In a global Nike advertising campaign in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, he starred in a "Secret Tournament" commercial (branded "Scorpion KO") directed by Terry Gilliam, appearing alongside football players such as Thierry Henry, Ronaldo, Edgar Davids, Fabio Cannavaro, Francesco Totti, Ronaldinho, Luís Figo and Hidetoshi Nakata, with former player Eric Cantona the tournament "referee".
Social Network
Thuram maintains a strong presence in the public eye, often using his platform to advocate for social justice and anti-racism. However, specific details about his social media presence are not widely documented.
In July 1996, Thuram made a high-profile transfer to Italy to join Serie A club Parma. In his first season, he made over 40 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring one goal, as Parma finished second in the 1996–97 Serie A to Juventus. He maintained a starting position in defence throughout his time with Parma, making 163 Serie A appearances and scoring one league goal. In all, he made over 200 appearances for the club, really making a name for himself, also earning caps for France.
Education
While specific information about Thuram's formal education is not extensively detailed, he is celebrated for his intellectual and philanthropic pursuits, which have led to his involvement in various educational initiatives and literary works.
In summary, Lilian Thuram is a celebrated figure in French sports and beyond, known for his achievements on the football pitch and his contributions to society through writing and activism.
