Thiago Alcantara had the qualifications to wear the jerseys of Brazil or Italy, but he chose Spain instead. He was nurtured in Barcelona’s academy but made his name at Bayern Munich. Thiago Alcantara is someone who makes significant decisions.
1. Three men and a baby.
Thiago is truly from a footballing pedigree. His father, Iomar do Nascimento, commonly known as Mazinho, was a member of the Brazilian national team that won the 1994 World Cup held in the United States. Although he was present in every match of that tournament, he is remembered more for things beyond his professional career.
In the quarter-final match against the Netherlands, legendary forward Bebeto scored Brazil’s second goal in their 3-2 victory. Overwhelmed with emotion after scoring, Bebeto ran to the corner of the field and celebrated the goal in a “rocking the baby” style along with Mazinho and Romario to welcome his newborn son, Mattheus. It was a memorable and touching moment in world football, and the “rocking the baby” celebration has since become an iconic gesture.
Thiago’s father, Mazinho (number 17), won the 1994 World Cup alongside Brazilian legends Romario (number 11) and Bebeto (number 7).
2. The mysterious man
To be fair, Thiago is someone who inherits multiple cultural backgrounds. Born in Italy, Thiago’s career is closely tied to his father’s, resulting in frequent relocations. He started playing football in Rio (Brazil) at Flamengo’s academy. Then, he moved to Spain before returning to Rio, and eventually signed with Barcelona in 2005 at the age of 14.Thiago could have played for either the Brazilian or Italian national teams but chose Spain despite his father’s desire for him to represent Brazil. Thiago began playing for “La Roja” in the U-16 team and never looked back. He has represented Spain 35 times, though he missed the opportunity to lift the EURO 2012 trophy with Spain due to injury.
3. “Why is it always him?”
Few know that Thiago is very close friends with Mario Balotelli. When Balotelli came to train at Barcelona in 2006 at the age of almost 16, Super Mario quickly befriended Thiago, who was just one year younger. Despite not being offered a contract by the Catalan giants, Balotelli still held a good impression of his younger friend. After Thiago’s debut match for the Spanish national team in a friendly against Italy, which ended in a 1-2 defeat, the Spanish media praised Thiago. Balotelli immediately rushed in front of the cameras interviewing Thiago and shouted, “He will be a great player.”
4. “Coming from the La Masia academy.”
Thiago’s steel was clearly forged in the same fire as renowned midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. He made his debut for Barcelona in the 2008-2009 season alongside those two famous midfielders under the guidance of Pep Guardiola at the Camp Nou. Three years later, while Thiago was making a name for himself with Barcelona in the 2012-2013 season, he shocked everyone by signing a contract with Bayern Munich, where Pep Guardiola would take over as manager the following year. Even after leaving Barcelona, Thiago remained close with his former teammates in the first team and the academy, such as Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Marc Bartra.
5. “Rafinha’s older brother.”
Another former teammate at Barcelona with whom Thiago surely has a close relationship is… Rafinha’s younger brother. Thiago’s brother also plays as a central midfielder but chose to represent Brazil. Perhaps their mother truly had a difficult time deciding which team to support when the World Cup season arrived.
6. “A precious first goal.”
Thiago’s first goal for the Bavarian giants Bayern Munich came at the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup in the final match against Morocco’s Raja Casablanca. His goal sealed Bayern Munich’s 2-0 victory, handing Pep Guardiola his second trophy within 6 months (after defeating Chelsea to win the UEFA Super Cup earlier that year).
7. “Guardiola’s legacy.”
Despite coach Guardiola bringing him to the Bundesliga and then leaving for Manchester City in 2016, Thiago remained at Bayern Munich. Even though he parted ways with his influential mentor, Thiago’s progress continued to soar. Under Carlo Ancelotti in the 2016-2017 season, Thiago had his best Bundesliga campaign. The midfielder born in 1991 played a total of 2,291 minutes throughout the season, almost doubling his playing time from the previous season, and achieved career-high statistics with 6 goals and 5 assists. Guardiola may have departed, but the seeds he sowed in Bavaria blossomed into a very fruitful tree. “What can I say about Thiago? He is every coach’s dream. We have many outstanding midfielders, but Thiago is the heart of the midfield, a player who can do everything with the ball,” then-coach Niko Kovac said at the end of the season when Bayern Munich secured the double (2018-2019).
8. “Incredible skills”
Thiago’s standout footballing ability relies on his astonishing ball control skills. Not only is he a player capable of performing tricks with the ball time and time again, but Thiago also never lacks the audacity to dribble past opposing players to approach the goal. It’s no surprise that he has achieved a passing accuracy rate of at least 90% in all six seasons playing for Bayern Munich.
9. “The Alcantara family foundation.”
Alongside his younger brother, father, mother, and wife (Julia), Thiago is a founding member of the Alcantara Family Foundation, aimed at using football to educate and unite children in Brazil, Germany, and Spain. Thiago wrote on the foundation’s official website: “The values of sports can be extended to many other areas of life.”