Blues: Marcus Thuram shows the way to his little brother Khéphren before Euro 2024 qualifiers

Europe 1 with AFP 20:59 p.m., March 22, 2023, modified at 21:00 p.m., March 22, 2023

"He, he lacks imagination": Marcus Thuram accompanied and teased his little brother Khéphren at a press conference filled with smiles and complicity, Wednesday in Clairefontaine, where the two Blues are reunited for the first time. The two sons of Lilian Thuram, 1998 world champion with 142 caps, shared the amphitheater gallery for about fifteen minutes, in front of a fairly fed audience of journalists amused by the verbal ping-pong engaged.

"When I don't know what to answer I let him do it, it's good like that," laughed Khephren, 21, less talkative but as comfortable as his elder. "Don't worry," Marcus cut him off earlier, when the youngest was reluctant to start. International since November 2020, Marcus Thuram (25 years, 9 caps) arrived Monday in Clairefontaine with his little brother, for the first time called by Didier Deschamps in the France team. For the occasion, Lilian accompanied them to the gates of the Castle, as evidenced by a video posted online by her.

>> READ ALSO - VIDEO - "Dad we are late": when Lilian Thuram delays his sons Khéphren and Marcus in Clairefontaine

"Big eyes of love"

The Mönchengladbach striker has a big smile when talking about the call-up of the Nice midfielder, four years younger than him. "I think I was even happier than for my first selection." Did they dream one day of sharing the jersey of the France team? On this point, the answers differ. "Frankly I don't think we mentioned it" but "today it's coming true, it's exceptional," says the newcomer. "For my part I had imagined it, he lacks imagination!" continues the elder, triggering laughter among journalists.

In the comedy category, the vice-world champion won the prize, as when he teased Khéphren about possible competition within the family. "There is no competition between us and our father, or between me and Khephren," Marcus said, before adding: "Maybe he has a little competition with me because he's the smallest, it's normal, he does everything to catch up with his big brother. But it's always in love or good humor." In any case, "everything he does, I see it with big eyes of love," concludes the vice-world champion before letting Khéphren speak. The assist is exploited in three words: "Just like Marcus".

>> READ ALSO – World Cup: Arsène Wenger satisfied with the format with 48 teams but denounces the persistent injustice for Africa

Absence of complexes

Revived on his professional beginnings, and the possibly invasive shadow of Lilian and Marcus, the youngest of the brothers invokes a total absence of complexes: "To tell you the truth, it was not very complicated. For me, I wasn't in anyone's shadow, I was just myself. I was just going on the pitch and having fun with my friends." The Nice midfielder and the Gladbach striker also lent themselves to the game of cross-portraiture, at the request of journalists.

"At my side, Marcus Thuram: someone very jovial, very serious, who has a lot of confidence in himself, in his qualities," sums up the youngest. "Khephren, he is someone very smiling, very serious, very focused, very determined. He knows what he wants in life, he manages to climb the ladder, "says the elder. On Friday, they will be together at the Stade de France to face the Netherlands in the opening of Euro 2024 qualifying. This competition, they can dream of competing together, like Lucas and Theo Hernandez, the other tricolor siblings.