Lilian Thuram, French footballer
Ruddy Lilian Thuram-Ulien (French pronunciation: [li.ljɑ̃ ty.ʁam]; born 1 January 1972) is a French author and former professional footballer who played as a defender. He takes a public position on issues related to equality, immigration, and racism and was a member of France's High Council for Integration. In 2008, Thuram created the Lilian Thuram Foundation to educate against racism.Thuram has authored four books, of which his most recent is White Thinking: How Racial Bias Is Constructed and How to Move Beyond It (French title: La pensée blanche), as well as three graphic novels.
Thuram is the most capped player in the history of the France national team with 142 appearances between 1994 and 2008. 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 was in the squad for the 2006 World Cup (where France finished as runners-up). A quick, powerful and versatile player, he was capable of playing both as a centre-back or as a right-back, and was competent both offensively and defensively. Despite his physical and aggressive playing style, Thuram has been described as a "studious" figure off the pitch; in 2010, he became a UNICEF ambassador, and has stood out for his initiatives to fight against racism.