Thiago Alcântara facts for kids
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Thiago playing for Spain in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 11 April 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | San Pietro Vernotico, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Flamengo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Ureca | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Kelme | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Flamengo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Barcelona B | 54 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2013 | Barcelona | 68 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2020 | Bayern Munich | 150 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2024 | Liverpool | 68 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 341 | (28) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Spain U16 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Spain U17 | 8 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Spain U18 | 1 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Spain U19 | 11 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Spain U21 | 21 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2021 | Spain | 46 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Barcelona (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento (born on April 11, 1991), known simply as Thiago, is a former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defense.
Thiago was born in Italy to Brazilian parents. He grew up in Spain. His father, Mazinho, was also a famous footballer. Thiago joined Barcelona when he was 14. He played his first game for the main team in 2009. At Barcelona, he won many big titles. These included four La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
In 2013, he moved to Bayern Munich in Germany. There, Thiago won 16 trophies. This included the Bundesliga seven times in a row. He also won the UEFA Champions League in 2020. This helped Bayern win a "treble" (three major trophies in one season). In 2020, he joined Liverpool. He faced some injuries there but still won the FA Cup in 2022. In 2020, he was chosen for the FIFPRO Men's World 11, which is a team of the best players in the world.
Thiago also played for the Spanish national team. He helped Spain win European Championships at under-19 and under-21 levels. He played his first game for the senior national team in 2011. Thiago played for Spain in UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 World Cup, and Euro 2020. He retired from professional football in July 2024.
Contents
Club Journey
Early Football Days
Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy. His father, Mazinho, was playing football for a team nearby. Thiago started playing football in Brazil for Flamengo. When he was five, he moved to Spain with his father. He played for a team called Ureca. In 2001, he played for Kelme CF. He went back to Flamengo at age 10. Then, in 2005, he moved back to Spain again and joined FC Barcelona.
Playing for Barcelona
Thiago made his first team debut for Barcelona on May 17, 2009. He was 18 years old. He came on as a substitute in a game against RCD Mallorca. Barcelona had already won the La Liga title that season.
On February 20, 2010, Thiago scored his first goal for Barcelona. It was in a 4–0 home win against Racing de Santander. He scored another goal against Real Sociedad later that season. He ended the 2010–11 season with 17 games played, three goals, and three assists. He was also part of the team that won the 2011 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United.
In the 2011–12 season, Thiago helped Barcelona win the 2011 UEFA Super Cup and the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final. He scored in Barcelona's first La Liga game of the season. He also scored in a big 7–0 win against Rayo Vallecano.
Time at Bayern Munich
Joining Bayern and First Season
On July 14, 2013, Thiago joined Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. He signed a four-year deal. His former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, really wanted him to join Bayern. Thiago played his first game for Bayern in a match against Borussia Dortmund on July 27. He made his Bundesliga debut on August 11, 2013.
On December 21, 2013, he scored his first goal for Bayern Munich. It was in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup final, which Bayern won 2–0. In January 2014, he scored his first Bundesliga goal. It was a fantastic scissor-kick goal against VfB Stuttgart. He also set a Bundesliga record with 185 touches of the ball in one game. His season ended early due to a knee injury. Even so, Bayern won the league and cup that year.
After being out for over a year because of his injury, Thiago returned to play on April 4, 2015. He helped Bayern win the DFB-Pokal quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen by scoring in the penalty shootout. He also scored in the Champions League quarter-final against FC Porto. Bayern won his second Bundesliga title on April 26. He finished that season with two goals in 13 games.
Winning Many Trophies
On August 27, 2015, Thiago signed a new contract with Bayern. In February 2016, he scored in a 3–0 win in the 2015–16 DFB-Pokal quarter-final. He scored twice in a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen in March. Thiago also scored a key goal in a great comeback against Juventus in the Champions League. Bayern came back from 2–0 down to win 4–2. He ended the season with four goals and seven assists.
Thiago started the 2016–17 season by winning the 2016 DFL-Supercup. He scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 victory over Hertha BSC. He was named "Man of the Match" in a 3–0 win over RB Leipzig. In February 2017, he scored two goals and made one assist as Bayern beat Arsenal 5–1 in the Champions League. He signed a new contract until 2021. He scored nine goals and had nine assists that season.
In the 2017–18 season, Thiago helped Bayern win the 2017 DFL-Supercup on penalties. He scored an equalizing goal against RB Leipzig in the 2017–18 DFB-Pokal. He also scored a header that helped Bayern beat Sevilla FC in the Champions League quarter-final. He finished the season with seven goals in 31 games.
On August 12, 2018, Thiago scored in a 5–0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Bayern won the 2018 DFL-Supercup. On May 18, 2019, Thiago won his sixth straight Bundesliga title with Bayern. A week later, he won his third DFB-Pokal as Bayern beat RB Leipzig 3–0.
In 2020, Thiago played for Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final against his old team, Barcelona. Bayern won that game 8–2. Thiago started in the 2020 UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern won their sixth Champions League title. This completed a "treble" for Bayern, as they also won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal.
Liverpool and Retirement
2020–2022
On September 18, 2020, Premier League club Liverpool signed Thiago. He signed a four-year contract. Thiago made his debut for Liverpool on September 20. He came on as a substitute and helped Liverpool win 2–0 against Chelsea. He set a new Premier League record for most successful passes in 45 minutes as a substitute. On September 29, Liverpool announced Thiago had tested positive for COVID-19.
On October 17, 2020, Thiago played his second game for Liverpool in a 2–2 draw against Everton. He got a knee injury during that game and was out for several months. He returned to play on December 30. On May 8, 2021, Thiago scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2–0 win over Southampton.
On November 24, 2021, Thiago scored a great 25-yard goal. It was his first goal of the 2021–22 season. This was in a 2–0 home win for Liverpool against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League.
Final Seasons and Retirement
On February 27, 2022, Thiago was supposed to start the 2022 EFL Cup final. But he got injured during the warm-up. Liverpool went on to win the cup on penalties. On April 19, Thiago received a standing ovation from fans for his amazing performance against Manchester United. On May 14, 2022, Thiago started in the 2022 FA Cup final. Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties, and Thiago scored his penalty. This was his second trophy with Liverpool. He was named Liverpool's player of the month for April 2022. Liverpool almost won four trophies that season, but they finished second in the Premier League and Champions League. His great playing earned him a spot in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year.
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On July 30, 2022, Thiago helped Liverpool win the 2022 FA Community Shield. He played 28 games in the 2022–23 season. However, he missed the rest of the season after hip surgery in May 2023. Liverpool just missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League that season. He returned to play on February 4, 2024, after 284 days out. But he got another muscle injury in that game. On May 17, 2024, it was announced he would leave Liverpool.
On July 7, 2024, news came out that Thiago would retire from professional football. The next day, he officially announced his retirement on social media.
International Career
As a citizen of both Brazil and Spain, Thiago could choose to play for either country. He chose to play for Spain.
Youth Teams
He played in the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship for Spain. He helped his country win the tournament and scored in the final game. Thiago was a key player when Spain won the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He scored a goal from 40 yards in the final against Switzerland. He was named the "Man of the Match" for that final.
On June 18, 2013, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final. Spain beat Italy 4–2 to win their fourth title.
Senior National Team
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Thiago played his first game for Spain's senior team in a friendly match against Italy on August 10, 2011. His first official game was on September 6, 2011, in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. He missed Euro 2012 and the 2012 Summer Olympics because of an injury.
Thiago was named in Spain's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, he had to leave the squad due to a knee injury he got while playing for Bayern. On October 6, 2017, he scored his first goal for Spain in a World Cup qualifier against Albania. In May 2018, he was chosen for Spain's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played in two matches during the tournament. In May 2021, Thiago was included in the team for UEFA Euro 2020. He was not chosen for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player in July 2024, Thiago joined the coaching staff at his old club Barcelona. He is working with his former Bayern coach, Hansi Flick.
How He Played
Thiago was a very creative and skilled playmaker. He was excellent at dribbling and controlling the ball. This allowed him to play well as a central midfielder. He could also play further forward as an attacking midfielder. In 2013, another famous player, Xavi, called him "an extraordinary player." Thiago was known for his very accurate passes. He had great passing technique and vision. He often had a very high pass success rate. Despite being a world-class midfielder, Thiago often had problems with injuries during his career.
Personal Life
Thiago is the son of Mazinho, a Brazilian former footballer who won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. His mother, Valéria Alcântara, was a former Brazilian volleyball player. His younger brother, Rafinha, also plays football. Rodrigo, another footballer who played for Spain, is a lifelong friend.
On June 27, 2015, Thiago married his girlfriend, Júlia Vigas, in Spain.
He has dual citizenship, meaning he is a citizen of both Brazil and Spain.
Thiago is also multilingual. He can speak five languages fluently: Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, and English.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 2007–08 | Tercera División | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 2008–09 | Segunda División B | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||||
| 2009–10 | Segunda División B | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 18 | 3 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Segunda División | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 54 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 59 | 3 | ||
| Barcelona | 2008–09 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11 | La Liga | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 | ||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 27 | 2 | 8 | 2 | — | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 27 | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 | ||
| Total | 68 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 101 | 11 | ||
| Bayern Munich | 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 27 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 4 | ||
| 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 27 | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 9 | ||
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 19 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 7 | ||
| 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 24 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | ||
| Total | 150 | 17 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 235 | 31 | ||
| Liverpool | 2020–21 | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | — | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 68 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 98 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 341 | 28 | 56 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 488 | 48 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Thiago goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 October 2017 | Estadio José Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain |  Albania |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 27 March 2018 | Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain |  Argentina |
4–1 | 6–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
- Copa del Rey: 2011–12
- Supercopa de España: 2010, 2011
- UEFA Champions League: 2010–11
- UEFA Super Cup: 2011
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2011
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
- DFB-Pokal: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
- DFL-Supercup: 2016, 2018
- UEFA Champions League: 2019–20
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2013
Liverpool
- FA Cup: 2021–22
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2021–22
Spain U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2008
Spain U21
Individual
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Golden Player: 2013
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Silver Boot: 2013
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2013
- Goal of the Month in Germany: January 2014
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2016–17
- ESM Team of the Season: 2016–17
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2018–19
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2019–20
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2020
- FIFA FIFPro World11: 2020
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2020
- PFA Team of the Year: 2021–22 Premier League
See also
In Spanish: Thiago Alcántara para niños
- List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain
