Former Juventus and Parma defender Lilian Thuram has hit out at the predominant racist outlook in Italy and spoke about his experience during his ten year stay in the peninsula.
The Frenchman, who is also the most capped player for his country, believes ‘treating blacks badly is a cultural thing’ in the country where he rose to stardom, first with the Gialloblu and then with the Bianconeri.
Thuram spoke to the microphones of DAZN (via TuttoNapoli) and shared his thoughts on the plague, that is racism, that has so long marred occurrences in Italy – both on and off the pitch.
“Hate towards black people is a cultural thing. People get scared when I say it, but that’s the way it is: when I was playing in Italy and some fans were imitating the monkey, I realized that treating blacks badly is a cultural thing. How to treat women and homosexuals badly. your mind and it is very serious because racist thoughts become a trap that “shapes” your imagination,” he commented.
The French World Cup winner made 432 Serie A appearances – 228 with Parma and 204 with Juventus – before ending his career with Barcelona in 2007/08.
He won two Scudetti with La Vecchia Signora between 2001 and 2003, before which he conquered the UEFA Cup with Parma in 1998/99.