Thuram:"I'm working to become more of a center-forward"

The French striker for Inter Milan has quickly become a fan favorite at San Siro and doesn't want to stop there. 

Arriving at Inter Milan in the summer of 2023, Marcus Thuram immediately became a fan favorite at San Siro: wearing the number 9 shirt, his goals and performances made him one of the key players in the team's 20th Scudetto, and this season, he's doing even better. 

Man of the Year

The magazine *GQ* chose him as Man of the Year 2024: "My growth is a mix of many good things that have happened to me. I think the goal against Milan in the first derby of the season was the beginning of it all: it was a special match, the start of the season, and people didn’t know me very well yet. Scoring in that way was like introducing myself to the Inter Milan fans."

The player

"Now I know my teammates well, I've learned what it means to play in Serie A, I know what coach Inzaghi expects from me. 

Winning the Scudetto gave me, and us, a lot of strength. We made many sacrifices, and we deserved to win it. But that victory wasn’t the end of something, on the contrary: we can still do better, we have big goals. 

I feel like a strong, technical player who knows how to take on opponents. But what makes me unique is my physicality. There are players who are very fast but not that strong, and others who are strong but not that fast. I have both of these characteristics. And I know they scare defenders. 

I can still become even more of a number nine, more of a center-forward. I'm working on that, both on the field and in my mind. I have to learn to play less for myself. I don’t think I’ve done anything yet. I think I need to train a lot, but that’s not a problem at all. The truth is, I love football: I’m happy when I wake up in the morning to go to Appiano Gentile, I’m happy when I step into a big stadium. I do the thing I love most in the world, and that makes the difference."

Joining Inter Milan

"Accepting the offer from Inter Milan was an easy choice: before coming to Milan, I used to watch my future teammates on TV, I saw that they were a very strong team, they had reached a Champions League final. And then there’s San Siro: having the chance to play in such a stadium is truly amazing, I think it’s one of those things that all kids who start playing football dream of. 

San Siro gives me a boost and energy that I’ve never felt in any other stadium in my entire career."

Outside the pitch

"I’ve lived in Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. In all these countries, I learned the language and grew to love the local traditions, especially the food. 

For me, it’s definitely been an advantage. Having gotten to know so many different places has made me different from someone who, for example, is born and stays in the same place without ever moving. 

I accept everyone, even those who are different from me. Those who are not used to seeing different kinds of people find it harder to embrace such changes. But it’s not about meanness, it’s just that people fear what they don’t know. 

I’m convinced there are no differences between people. And I believe that, if we want to create and have a beautiful world, we need everyone. Without distinctions."

"Today’s footballers are not like they were in my father’s time: back then, there were no social media, and they were simply seen as athletes. 

Very few exposed themselves on political and social issues. But now, we are examples for those who follow us, what we say and our behavior can have an impact, and our interviews can move people. A modern footballer needs to understand that they must speak out, that they can’t remain silent on certain matters."

Fashion

"I’m a huge fan of rap, the United States, and that whole culture. I’m crazy about it. Even the way I dress is inspired by America, but this passion came later. 

As a child, however, I was very interested in the world of fashion, in everything it represents. 

When you wear something you like, I think you can communicate with others without speaking. I remember that when we returned to Paris after my dad stopped playing, my mother started taking me around to shops. 

That’s when I started using clothes as a means of expressing my personality."