Lilian Thuram vs Predrag Mijatović: Stats Compared
Centre-Back / Right-Back, France (born 1972, retired 2008) · Striker, Yugoslavia (born 1969, retired 2004)
When Lilian Thuram and Predrag Mijatović are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. The raw numbers read 14 goals in 681 outings for Lilian Thuram (0.02/game), versus 210 in 500 for Predrag Mijatović (0.42/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Lilian Thuram is listed at 0 and Predrag Mijatović at 30 where figures survive. The honours ledger favours Lilian Thuram with 8 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (1998)) against Predrag Mijatović's 2 (1× UEFA Champions League (1998)). Stylistically Lilian Thuram was resolute where Predrag Mijatović was flair-driven — two vocabularies of the same sport. Club journeys add another layer, with Lilian Thuram reaching his representative peak around 1998 across Monaco, Parma, Juventus, Barcelona and Predrag Mijatović doing so around 1998 with Budućnost Podgorica, Partizan, Valencia CF, Real Madrid, Fiorentina, Levante. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
175 words · comparison angle: style
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.”
Mijatović's decisive winning goal in the 1998 Champions League final ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait for the European Cup and remains one of the club's most iconic moments.
“A clever, mobile striker whose intelligent runs in behind and composed finishing produced goals in the biggest moments.”
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)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1998)
- 1× La Liga (1997)
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
- 1986 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1998 Won UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid
- 1997 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Levante
- Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 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)
