Lilian Thuram vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Centre-Back / Right-Back, France (born 1972, retired 2008) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
Ask any fan to rank Lilian Thuram above or below Raymond Kopa and you will get a passionate answer. Different decades shaped different demands, and both adapted to theirs brilliantly. The raw numbers read 14 goals in 681 outings for Lilian Thuram (0.02/game), versus 150 in 450 for Raymond Kopa (0.33/game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. The honours ledger favours Lilian Thuram with 8 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (1998)) against Raymond Kopa's 5 (3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)). Across the 1990s and the post-war golden age respectively, their uncompromising and ruthless styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Club journeys add another layer, with Lilian Thuram reaching his representative peak around 1998 across Monaco, Parma, Juventus, Barcelona and Raymond Kopa doing so around 1958 with Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
164 words · comparison angle: era
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.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
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
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Lilian Thuram edges the comparison. The margin is a decisive margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Lilian Thuram edges it (a decisive margin)
