French soccer legend and activist Lilian Thuram joined students, faculty, and community members at the University of Virginia on December 2 for a live screening of two World Cup games. During the event, hosted by UVA’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, Thuram discussed his experiences as a Black player on France’s national soccer team in the 1990s, and the role activism has played in his life up to the present day.
Thuram was a heavy-hitter on the French team during the 1998 World Cup, which France won 3-0 against Brazil. Today, he is still the most capped French international player—he appeared in 142 matches over the course of his career.
Since retiring from international soccer in 2008, Thuram has authored several books about racial bias and Black history, including White Thinking and My Black Stars. He aims to educate people about the history of racism in France, and the ways in which entrenched thinking patterns can reinforce subconscious prejudices—all while taking time to cheer on his two sons at their professional soccer games. His son Marcus is playing on the French team in the 2022 World Cup.
After a viewing of the Cameroon-Brazil and Serbia-Switzerland World Cup games, Thuram sat down with Professor Laurent Dubois, director for academic affairs at UVA’s Democracy Initiative, to discuss his groundbreaking career and activism.
Thuram recounted moments of his childhood, and the important role his mother has played in his life. After moving to France from his birthplace of Guadeloupe at age 9, he found himself feeling alienated from some of his school peers, who called him “sale noir,” meaning “dirty black.” Thuram asserted that this is when he “became Black”—he had no awareness of the importance of skin color until then. He admired the sacrifices his mother made over the course of his childhood, and expressed disappointment at how long it took him to understand the difficulties she faced. “Be conscious of what certain people do for you, and don’t forget to thank them,” he said.
Thuram highlighted the role of soccer in the battle against racism. As a team sport, soccer can break down stereotypes, and create unity across races and religions. However, that sense of belonging can also lead to a collective perception of the opposing team as “the enemy,” which often divides people, he said. He drew attention to the many people who capitalize on this division—the more extreme the division, the more merchandise can be sold.
Additionally, Thuram emphasized the importance of educating the French populace on the history of racism in the country, which is not taught well in schools. Education, he argued, empowers people to speak out against racism when it occurs. “Education makes visible the violence of racism,” he said.
When questioned about the differences between race relations in the U.S. and France, Thuram asserted that those who speak up about racism in France are often accused of incorrectly applying “American modes of thinking” to “colorblind” French society—an example of the common denial of racism and white supremacy in France.
Closing out the event, the soccer star spoke with pride about his team’s World Cup win—many of his teammates were also members of minority groups. He expressed gratitude at having been a part of changing the collective imagination about what it means to be French, and what a French person can look like.
“We had the chance to say, ‘This is France,’” he said.