Lilian Thuram vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Centre-Back / Right-Back, France (born 1972, retired 2008) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Line up Lilian Thuram next to Elías Figueroa and the contrasts come quickly. Silverware is the currency of legacy, and both players filled cabinets that few can rival. The raw numbers read 14 goals in 681 outings for Lilian Thuram (0.02/game), versus 40 in 600 for Elías Figueroa (0.07/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Lilian Thuram departs the game with 8 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1998); Elías Figueroa with 5, including 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968). One lifted trophies through commanding reliability, the other through rugged moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Lilian Thuram reaching his representative peak around 1998 across Monaco, Parma, Juventus, Barcelona and Elías Figueroa doing so around 1974 with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
160 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
French defender who played a record 142 times for France; scorer of two goals in the 1998 World Cup semifinal.
“A robust, intelligent defender equally adept at right-back and centre-back, with surprising scoring instincts in big games.”
A three-time South American Footballer of the Year, Figueroa is widely considered the finest defender the continent has produced, marshalling Internacional's dominant 1970s side.
“An imperious, elegant centre-back who combined aerial dominance with composed distribution well ahead of his era.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 1× FIFA Confederations Cup (2003)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1999)
- 2× Serie A (2002, 2003)
- 2× Supercoppa Italiana (2002, 2003)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1991 Monaco debut
- 1996 Joined Parma
- 1998 World Cup winner, scored twice in the semi-final against Croatia
- 2000 Euro winner with France
- 2001 Joined Juventus for a world-record defender fee
- 2006 Signed for Barcelona
- 2008 Retired after Euro 2008
- 1965 Professional debut for Santiago Wanderers
- 1967 Won Uruguayan Primera División with Peñarol
- 1973 Won Campeonato Gaúcho with Internacional
- 1974 Reached the peak of his powers at Internacional
- 1982 Retired after a final spell at Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Lilian Thuram is the choice: a decisive margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
Lilian Thuram edges it (a decisive margin)
