After injuries hampered his last few years with Liverpool, Thiago Alcantara recently retired from football at the age of 33.
Thiago enjoyed a glittering career, playing for some of the biggest sides in Europe and representing Spain at international level.
He hangs up his boots and joins Hansi Flick’s coaching staff at Barca, having left his mark on the beautiful game.
So, while Thiago won’t be around to help Liverpool’s chances in the Premier League betting 24/25, let’s take this opportunity to reflect back on his fantastic career.
Youth Career
Thiago’s father, Mazinho, was also a professional footballer and Brazilian international, so his family moved around a lot.
Therefore, Thiago played for various youth sides. He had two stints at Rio de Janeiro side Flamengo, as well as playing for Ureca and Kelme before settling at Barcelona.
The midfielder graduated from Barca’s prestigious La Masia youth academy, which has produced more than 300 notable alumni, into the Catalan outfit’s first team.
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Barcelona
Thiago made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 18 in May 2009, replacing Eidur Gudjohnsen as a late substitute in a 2-1 loss to Mallorca, although Barca were already crowned champions of La Liga.
He would go on to make 100 appearances in all competitions under Pep Guardiola’s stewardship, scoring 11 goals and providing 20 assists.
Thiago also won his fair share of silverware, lifting four La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, two Supercopa de Espana, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Bayern Munich
Guardiola departed the Nou Camp for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2013, and he made Thiago a priority signing at the Allianz Arena.
The Bavarian side were able to get a deal over the line for Thiago’s services for €20 million, which is an outstanding fee for a player of his ability.
The Spaniard was a stalwart for Bayern for seven seasons, making over 230 appearances for the German outfit and contributing towards 68 goals with 31 strikes and 37 assists.
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Thiago won the Bundesliga title in every season at Bayern Munich, as well as four DFB-Pokals, two DFL-Supercups, another Champions League and another Club World Cup.
Liverpool
Thiago was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool toward the end of the 2019-20 season, and with just one year remaining on his Bayern Munich contract, the Reds got their man at a cut price of £20m that summer.
He made 30 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions in his first season at Anfield but endured a rare trophyless season as Jurgen Klopp’s men failed to build on the Premiership odds and defend their title in 2020.
Thiago won the FA Cup and reached the final of the Champions League, ultimately losing to Real Madrid, in 2021-22 — making 39 appearances for Liverpool that season.
Due to injury, his appearances were infrequent in his final couple of seasons at Anfield, especially in the last campaign, when he played just once, a five-minute cameo in a Premier League game against Arsenal.
Spain
Thiago played for Spain at various youth levels, progressing from the under-16s to the under-21s and ultimately breaking into the senior squad.
The midfielder helped Spain win an impressive three youth European Championships, securing the U-17 title in 2008 before winning the U-21 trophy twice in 2011 and 2013.
He earned 46 senior caps for La Roja, representing Spain at the World Cup and Euros, scoring twice and providing nine assists.
