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Thiago Alcântara
UEFA EURO qualifiers Sweden vs Spain 20191015 Thiago Alcantara 13 (cropped).jpg
Thiago playing for Spain in 2019
Personal information
Full name Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento
Date of birth (1991-04-11) 11 April 1991 (age 34)
Place of birth San Pietro Vernotico, Italy
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) 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 340 (28)
International career
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)
Managerial career
2024 Barcelona (assistant)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Winner 2011 Denmark
Winner 2013 Israel
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runner-up 2010 France
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winner 2008 Turkey
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento (born 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 and grew up in Spain. His father, Mazinho, was also a famous footballer. Thiago joined Barcelona when he was 14 years old. He made his first team debut in 2009.

With Barcelona, he won many important titles. These included four La Liga titles (Spain's top league), the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2013, he moved to Bayern Munich in Germany.

At Bayern, Thiago won 16 trophies. This included the Bundesliga (Germany's top league) seven times in a row. He also won the UEFA Champions League again in his last year there. This helped Bayern achieve a "treble," winning three major titles in one season.

In 2020, Thiago joined Liverpool in England. He faced some injuries during his time there. However, he still helped Liverpool win the FA Cup in 2022. Thiago was also chosen for the FIFPRO Men's World 11 team in 2020, which features the best players in the world.

Thiago played for Spain's national teams at different age levels. He helped Spain win the European Championships for under-19 and under-21 teams. He made his debut for the senior Spanish national team in 2011. He played for Spain in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 World Cup, and Euro 2020. Thiago announced his retirement from professional football in July 2024.

Club Career Highlights

Early Football Journey

Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy. His father, Mazinho, was playing football for a team nearby. Thiago started playing football in Brazil at a young age with 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 returned to Flamengo at age 10. Then, in 2005, he moved back to Spain and joined FC Barcelona.

Time at Barcelona

ThiagovsVillarreal
Thiago celebrates scoring for Barcelona against Villarreal in 2012

Thiago made his first team debut for Barcelona on May 17, 2009. He was 18 years old. Barcelona had already won the league 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 finished the 2010–11 season with 17 games played. He was also a substitute when Barcelona won the 2011 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United.

In the 2011–12 season, Thiago helped Barcelona win the 2011 UEFA Super Cup. He also scored in Barcelona's first league match of the season. In December, he started when Barcelona won the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final.

Success with Bayern Munich

Joining Bayern and First Season

On July 14, 2013, Thiago joined Bayern Munich in Germany. Bayern paid €25 million for him. The coach, Pep Guardiola, really wanted Thiago to join the team.

Thiago played his first game for Bayern on July 27, 2013. He scored his first goal for Bayern in December 2013. This goal helped Bayern win the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup final. In January 2014, he scored his first Bundesliga goal. It was a fantastic scissor-kick goal.

He also set a Bundesliga record with 185 touches of the ball in one game. His first season ended early due to a knee injury. However, Bayern still won the league and cup.

Thiago Training FC Bayern München-8
Thiago at a training session in 2015

After being injured for over a year, Thiago returned to play on April 4, 2015. He scored the winning goal in a penalty shootout in a cup match. He also scored in the Champions League quarter-final against FC Porto. Bayern went on to win the league again. He scored two goals in 13 games that season.

Winning More Trophies

In August 2015, Thiago signed a new contract with Bayern. He scored a goal in a cup quarter-final in February 2016. He also scored twice in a big win over Werder Bremen. In March, Thiago scored a key goal in a comeback win against Juventus in the Champions League. He finished 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 September. He had a great game against RB Leipzig in December, scoring and assisting. In February 2017, he scored two goals and assisted another against Arsenal in the Champions League. He signed a new contract until 2021. He scored nine goals and had nine assists that season.

Consistent Wins and European Treble

20190428 DFL 1. Bundesliga FCN - FCB DSC 7551
Thiago during a Bundesliga game with Bayern in 2019

Thiago missed the start of the 2017–18 season due to injury. He scored an equalizing goal in a cup match against RB Leipzig in October. He suffered another serious muscle injury in November. He returned to play in February 2018. In April, he scored a header that helped Bayern win against Sevilla FC in the Champions League. He scored seven goals in 31 games that season.

Thiago Alcântara 2019
Thiago with Bayern in 2019

In August 2018, Thiago played and scored in Bayern's 5–0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. This helped Bayern win the 2018 DFL-Supercup. In May 2019, Thiago won his sixth straight Bundesliga title with Bayern. A week later, he won his third DFB-Pokal (German Cup).

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 German Cup that season.

Time at Liverpool and Retirement

2020–2021 Season

On September 18, 2020, Premier League club Liverpool signed Thiago. He signed a four-year contract. Liverpool paid £20 million for him.

Thiago made his debut for Liverpool on September 20. He came on as a substitute against Chelsea. He completed 75 passes in just 45 minutes, setting a new Premier League record for a substitute. A few days later, Liverpool confirmed Thiago had tested positive for COVID-19.

On October 17, 2020, Thiago played his second game for Liverpool. He got a knee injury towards the end of the game. He did not play again for several months. He returned in December. On May 8, 2021, Thiago scored his first goal for Liverpool. It was in a 2–0 win over Southampton.

In November 2021, Thiago scored a fantastic goal from 25 yards out. It was in a Champions League group stage game against FC Porto.

2022–2024 Seasons

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 May 14, 2022, Thiago started for Liverpool in the 2022 FA Cup final. Liverpool won on penalties again. Thiago scored his penalty kick. This was his second trophy with Liverpool.

Thiago was named Liverpool's player of the month for April 2022. Liverpool almost won four trophies that season. They finished second in the Premier League and Champions League. But they won both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. Thiago's great performances earned him a spot in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year.

2022-07-21 Fußball, Männer,Freundschaftsspiel, RB Leipzig - FC Liverpool 1DX 2067 by Stepro (Thiago Alcântara)
Thiago playing for Liverpool in 2022

On July 30, 2022, Thiago was part of the squad that won the 2022 FA Community Shield. He played 28 games in the 2022–23 season. However, in May 2023, he had hip surgery and missed the rest of the season. Liverpool just missed out on qualifying for the Champions League that season.

He returned to the squad on February 4, 2024, as a substitute. But he suffered another muscle injury in that match. On May 17, 2024, it was confirmed that he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season.

On July 7, 2024, news came out that Thiago would retire from professional football. The next day, Thiago officially announced his retirement on social media.

International Career

Thiago has both Brazilian and Spanish citizenship. He chose to play for Spain.

Youth Teams

Thiago Alcântara Spain U21
Thiago in an under-21 international, 2011

He played in the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship for Spain. His country won the tournament, and he scored in the final. Thiago was a key player when Spain won the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He scored a great 40-yard free kick in the final against Switzerland. He was named the best player of the 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

Ukr-Spain2015 (16)
Thiago playing for Spain in October 2015

Thiago played his first game for Spain's senior team on August 10, 2011. It was a friendly match against Italy. His first competitive game was in September 2011. Spain won 6–0 against Liechtenstein.

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 in March.

On October 2, 2015, Thiago was called back to the national team. This was his first time back since his injury. On October 6, 2017, he scored his first goal for Spain. It was 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. Thiago played in two matches during the tournament. In May 2021, Thiago was part of the team for UEFA Euro 2020. He was not included in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Coaching Career

After retiring in July 2024, Thiago briefly joined the coaching staff at Barcelona. He worked as an assistant coach under Hansi Flick, who was his former coach at Bayern. In August 2024, Thiago left his role at Barcelona.

Playing Style

UEFA EURO qualifiers Sweden vs Spain 20191015 Thiago Alcantara and KRistoffer Olsson 2
Thiago on the ball against Kristoffer Olsson for Spain against Sweden in 2019

Thiago was known as a very creative and skilled player. He had excellent dribbling skills and great control of the ball. This allowed him to play well in the middle of the field. He could play deeper to start attacks or further forward as an attacking midfielder.

Xavi, another famous midfielder, called Thiago "an extraordinary player." Thiago was known for his accurate passing. He had great passing technique and vision. In the 2016–17 Bundesliga season, he had a 90.2% pass success rate. This was higher than any other player in Germany. 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. His father won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Thiago's mother, Valéria Alcântara, was a former Brazilian volleyball player.

His younger brother, Rafinha, also plays football. He plays for Al-Arabi SC and the Brazil national team. Rodrigo, who also played for Spain, is a close friend of Thiago.

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 multilingual. He can speak five languages fluently: Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, and English.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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

Appearances and goals by national team and year
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.
List of international goals scored by Thiago
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 and Awards

Spain national under-21 football team 2011
Thiago (number 19) lining up with the Spanish team that won the 2011 European Under-21 Championship
LFC Parade 2022 03
Thiago celebrating winning the cup double in a trophy parade with Liverpool in 2022.

Barcelona

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

Spain U17

  • UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2008

Spain U21

Individual Awards

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Thiago Alcántara para niños

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