France – L. Thuram: “When we scored the first goal I just saw red…”

Statements from Clairefontaine (south-west of PARIS) at 12h00 on Thursday 9 July .

Lilian THURAM (15):

With his little round glasses perched on his nose, wearing a blue top, blue shorts, and a sky-blue watch on his left wrist, Lilian THURAM (15) is very relaxed as he speaks to the cameras: “for the first time since the start of this World Cup I got a good nights sleep, but the fact that I scored two goals against CROATIA still hasn’t quite hit me. Usually, and my team-mates always have a good laugh about this during the training sessions, I just can’t hit the target when I’m in front of goal”, admits Lilian THURAM, as if to excuse himself for having put his chances away during a World Cup semi-final!

“When we scored the first goal I just saw red…and I said to myself, we have to win. After playing the one-two with DJORKAEFF, I had to concentrate hard on the finish,” explains Lilian THURAM with characteristic modesty.

And what about the superb second goal? “I pick up a ball from Thierry HENRY (12) and barge past the defender. I was off balance when I hit the shot with my left foot, and when I saw that the ball was going in I just couldn’t believe it. I was on the verge of passing out,” tells the defender, immediately sharing this victory with the rest of the team.

The final against BRAZIL will be both a celebration and a childhood dream come true for Lilian THURAM, who first played football in the sandpits outside the block of flats where he lived. “The Brazilians have extraordinary potential, and we’ll have 90 minutes to make the dream a reality. We can no longer be satisfied with simply having qualified for the final…”

“We’ll have to watch out for the Brazilians. But we’re not going to change our playing style. We have to continue to prepare calmly and in a good mood and not get flustered by BRAZIL’S reputation. We’ll play to win. Lilian THURAM really surprised me during the match against CROATIA, mostly because during practice he told me that he never shoots at goal because he doesn’t know how. He scored two goals yesterday and I’m very happy for him. As far as Laurent BLANC’S (5) absence goes, the substitutes won’t have to adapt too much, two or three changes will be enough. First and foremost, this team has 22 players on it.”

“Until now, BRAZIL has followed its normal game plan, focusing on individual players who can make the difference at any moment. When the match is over, the important thing will have been that we gave it our all. For us, a victory would be the icing on the cake after our superb World Cup performance. We have to come out with everything we’ve got, because at this level there are no easy matches and the tiniest mistake can make the difference. We have a solid defence, but we’ll see after the World Cup if it’s the best. Either way, it’s sure that we have some great battles ahead of us.”

“We have to keep our heads clear for this final. I don’t think that having one day less to recuperate will make a difference. Either way, at this level of competition, all the teams are relatively tired. Beating BRAZIL in this World Cup will not make the victory any more prestigious. If we had to face CROATIA in the final, we’d approach the match in the same manner. Logically, Frank LEBOEUF (18) should replace Laurent BLANC. Frank is ambitious and he’s been waiting to play for a long time. Now he will train hard. The World Cup has given me much strength, and the competition is just as stimulating as the fans’ increasing enthusiasm. Even women who have been forced to watch the matches on TV are excited: that’s the magic of football’s!”