Thiago Alcantara

At 33 years old, Thiago Alcantara has this physical status:

Club career

When his father Mazinho (member of the Brazilian national team from 1989 to 1994) was playing for nearby U.S. Lecce, Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy. He began playing for the lower levels of Flamengo in Brazil and then, together with his father, migrated to Spain and began playing with Galician team Ugrán. When his father was playing for Elche CF in 2001, he played with Kelme CF. He returned to Flamengo at the age of ten and then moved back to Spain, signing with FC Barcelona for 2005.

Thiago, 18, made his debut for the first team on May 17th in the 74th minute at RCD Mallorca for his first game of the season. Barcelona lost 1–2. They were already declared champions of La Liga for the season.

Thiago scored his first goal for Barcelona in a 4–0 home victory over Racing de Santander on February 20, 2010, after coming on as a replacement for Yaya Touré in the 76th minute. He scored his third goal against Real Sociedad in a start on April 29, but Barcelona lost 2–1. With 17 games, three goals, and three assists, he ended the 2010-11 season as Barcelona defeated Manchester United in the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester United.

Thiago began the 2011-12 season with the first leg of the Spanish Supercopa match against Real Madrid, who was ruled out for Xavi after 58 minutes, and was an ineffective substitute as they defeated FC Porto. In Barcelona's first La Liga game of the season, he scored 5–0 in their 5–0 home win over Villarreal CF. In the Club World Cup Final at International Stadium Yokohama, Barcelona defeated 4–0 on December 18th, starting him off with a 4-0 start. In a 7–0 victory over Rayo Vallecano on April 29, Thiago scored Barcelona's fifth in a 7-0 win over them. Dani Alves, III, and Carles Puyol halted their dance.

Thiago completed a four-year contract with Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on July 14 for a €25 million fee. Bayern will pay €20 million to Barcelona directly, with the remainder being covered by the proceeds of a friendly to be played between the two teams at some point in the next four years and by Thiago foregoing any money owed to him by Barcelona. Despite a new deal for Barcelona that ended Thiago in 2011 that set his release clause at €90 million, the transfer took place. Barcelona skipped to adhere to clauses in the deal relating to the amount of playing time that Thiago received, and as a result, his buy-out clause was reduced to €18 million. Guardiola had made Thiago a priority signing. In the 2013 DFL-Supercup, Thiago made his Bayern debut in a 4–2 loss to Borussia Dortmund. In a 0–1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on August 11, he made his Bundesliga debut on a 0–1 victory.

In the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup Final against Raja Casablanca of Morocco, the German club defeated the German club 2–0, with he scored his first competitive goal for Bayern Munich. He scored his first Bundesliga goal against VfB Stuttgart on January 29, 2014, the month's Goal of the Month. In the 2–1 victory, Claudio Pizarro had an assist in Bayern's first goal. He made a Bundesliga record of 185 touches of the ball four days later in a match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Thiago scored his second and last goal of the Bundesliga season on February 23, 2000, beating Hannover 96 4–0. Although Bayern went on to win the league and Cup, his season came to an end due to a knee ligament tear against 1899 Hoffenheim six days later. He finished the season with two goals in 16 Bundesliga matches, two German Cup matches, four Champions League matches, a goal in two FIFA Club World Cup games, and a participation in the German Super Cup.

Thiago returned on April 4, 2015, replacing Philipp Lahm for the last 21 minutes of a 1–0 victory at Borussia Dortmund after more than a year out injured. He replaced Lahm in a DFB-Pokal quarter-final at Bayer Leverkusen four days later, scoring the winning goal in the penalty shootout after a goalless draw. He scored in the team's Champions League quarter-final first leg away from FC Porto on Friday, but losing by 1–3 points. Juan Bernat's cross lifted the first leg deficit against Porto six days later, helping Bayern advance to the Champions League semi-finals. Thiago won his second Bundesliga title for Bayern on April 26, after VfL Wolfsburg lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach. In 13 appearances, he had two goals in the season.

Thiago also signed a new four-year deal with Bayern on August 27. In the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals on Tuesday, he scored on 3–0 victory over VfL Bochum. In a 5–0 home win over Werder Bremen on March 12, he scored twice. Thiago scored a goal in a spectacular comeback against Juventus on March 17th as his team came from 2–0 down to win 4–2 in the Champions League round of sixteen games. He had four goals and seven assists on the season as a coach. Thiago scored two goals in 27 Bundesliga matches, a goal in five German Cup matches, and a goal in nine Champions League matches, in addition to playing in the German Super Cup.

Thiago began the 2016 DFL-Supercup under new club boss Carlo Ancelotti by winning the 2016 DFL-Supercup by 2–0 over his club's Borussia Dortmund. In a 3–0 win over Hertha BSC on September 21, he scored his first goal of the season. Thiago earned 3–0 victory over RB Leipzig and was named Man of the match on December 22nd. Bayern defeated Arsenal 5–1 in the first leg of the Champions League round of sixteen matches on February 16, 2017 despite the fact that he scored two goals and provided one assist. He signed a new four-year deal until 2021 on April 28. Throughout the season, he scored nine goals and had nine assists.

Thiago missed his team's first competitive match of the season on September 6, 2017 DFL-Supercup, where Bayern defeated Borussia Dortmund 5–4 on penalties. On October 26, he scored an equalizing goal against RB Leipzig to make it 1–1, and Bayern went on to win the DFB-Pokal second-round match 5–4 on penalties. In Bayern's 2–1 away victory over R.S.C., he was substituted in the 44th minute of the game after suffering a serious muscle injury in his thigh. Anderlecht played in the Champions League group stage match and was informed by his club boss Jupp Heynckes that he would be out for a long time. In a 2–1 away victory over VfL Wolfsburg on February 17, 2018, Thiago was back in the starting lineup for his first appearance since his injury in November. Bayern Munich defeated Sevilla FC 21-0 away in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on April 4th. He scored a header on 4 April which gave Bayern Munich a 2–1 away victory over Sevilla FC. He had seven goals in 31 appearances on the season.

Thiago defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 5–0 on August 12, 2018 DFL-Supercup's first competitive match of the season under new club manager Niko Kova. Thiago won his sixth straight Bundesliga title on May 18th as Bayern finished two points above Dortmund with 78 points. Thiago won his third DFB-Pokal final a week after Bayern defeated RB Leipzig 3–0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final.

Thiago played for Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final against his former Barcelona team Barcelona, losing 8–2 on the Catalan team amid heavy media speculation linking him to a move to Liverpool. Thiago kicked off Bayern's fifth Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, who was playing 86 minutes before being suspended. Bayern won their sixth Champions League and completed a treble as Bayern won their sixth Champions League and took home a trophy. Bayer Leverkusen beat Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal final earlier this season.

Liverpool reported the signing of Thiago on a four-year deal on September 18, 2020. Liverpool were able to buy Thiago for £20 million, with the possibility of a further £5 million in add-ons if the player had only been on his Bayern loan for a year. On September 20, Thiago made his Liverpool debut on September 20th, coming off the bench at halftime as Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2–0 at Stamford Bridge. Thiago had the most passes completed by a player who played a maximum of 45 minutes in the Premier League since Opta began releasing passing statistics in 2003. As a replacement, he has set a new record for most passes in 45 minutes. Liverpool revealed that Thiago had tested positive for COVID-19 on September 29th.

Thiago played his second game for Liverpool in a 2–2 away league tie against local rival Everton on October 17th. Richarlison made a tackle that would give him a straight red card after the game, but he sustained a knee injury towards the end of the game. Thiago ended up playing for the final few minutes of the game. He will not play again for several months. On December 30, he made a substitute appearance in Liverpool's 0–0 draw with Newcastle United. Thiago scored his first goal for Liverpool on May 8th, 2021, giving the team a 2–0 home league victory over Southampton.

In a 2–0 home victory over Liverpool against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League group stage on November 24, 2021, Thiago cut across the ball to score on 25 yards (his first goal of the 2021-2022 season) on November 24th.

Thiago won his first piece of silverware with Liverpool on February 27th, 2022-23 EFL Cup final, after the game was still 0–0 at extra time. Thiago was supposed to start the final but he suffered an injury during the warm-up and was replaced by Naby Keta. Thiago did not appear in a single game in the cup competition.

Thiago started for Liverpool in the 2022 FA Cup Final, defeating Chelsea 6–5 on penalties after the game ended 0–0 in extra time on Thursday. Thiago's penalty was awarded to Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who brought Thiago his second trophy since joining Liverpool.

International career

Thiago, a Brazilian boy who was born in Italy and grew up in Spain, was eligible to represent Brazil, Italy, and Spain, but he chose the latter.

He was competing in the 2008 European Under-17 Championship with Spain, assisting his country in the tournament's final and scoring in the final. Thiago was ever-present in Spain's triumphant 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship campaign, scoring the second goal of a 2–0 victory over Switzerland with a 40-yard free kick in the final. He was named Man of the match of the final and was crowned champion of the match.

Spain defeated Italy 4–2 to win their fourth title in the 2013 European Under-21 Championship Final, with a hat-trick in June 18.

He made his first appearance for Spain's senior squad in a friendly against Italy on August 10, 2011, but his first competitive match against Liechtenstein came on September 6, 2011. He missed Euro 2012 and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London due to injury.

On the 13th May of this year, Thiago was selected in Spain's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup. However, two days later, he was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a knee ligament injury sustained while playing for Bayern in March. "A young man who wanted to return to the World Cup and then his hopes are burst," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. We'll take care of him right now and make sure he's fit to play at the start of the season."

Thiago was recalled by manager Vicente del Bosque for the first time since his injury, and ten days later, the team defeated Ukraine 1–0 in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying round. In the 26th minute against Albania in a World Cup qualifier, he scored his first goal for his national team. Lavaro Odriozola sent a cross from the right side of the box, and Thiago directed the ball into the bottom corner from close range with his head.

He was selected in Spain's 24-man squad for the warm-up matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in May 2018. In the final 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup, Thiago was selected. In two games against Portugal and Morocco, Thiago appeared in two matches. Thiago was a member of the 2021 Olympic team for UEFA Euro 2020 in May 2021.

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