Worst on the Field! Inter Milan's Star Forward Trails Only Ronaldo on Embarrassing Euro Stats: Major Weakness Limits His Potential

France edged past Belgium to advance to the quarterfinals of the European Championship. Following the match, France's leading sports media outlet, L'Équipe, released their player ratings. William Saliba received the highest score, while the lowest ratings went to Antoine Griezmann and Marcus Thuram, both scoring a mere 3 out of 10. This marked the second time in the tournament that Thuram was rated the worst on the French team, the first being after their opening match. L'Équipe's traditionally harsh ratings for Inter Milan forwards are not surprising, but this time, the criticism was echoed by coach Didier Deschamps. Notably, after the opening match, Deschamps defended Thuram against media criticism, even lashing out at reporters in a bid to protect his player.

Deschamps stated, "Marcus should do better. He has improved a lot at Inter Milan and has shown the same quality with us. The only problem is he is a bit shy; he must do more." To put it bluntly, Deschamps essentially said, "This is a battle, not a date. Why are you acting so shy?"

Is this criticism justified? In my opinion, it is. So far, in this European Championship, Thuram has taken 11 shots, ranking him seventh in the tournament. Among the top 10 in the shooting list, eight players have scored (Mbappé, Havertz, N'Doye, Kane, Eriksen, Fabián Ruiz, De Bruyne, and Olmo), with only Cristiano Ronaldo (20 shots) and Thuram (11 shots) yet to score. Considering that nine of Thuram's 11 shots came from inside the penalty area, it's not as if he hasn't had opportunities. This is indeed embarrassing.

Carlo Ancelotti once said, "A modern forward's job is not just to score goals; serving the team is even more important. But for a forward, if you don't score, it makes everything difficult." Thuram is currently experiencing this difficulty.

In the match against Belgium, Thuram had four shooting opportunities, two of which were golden chances. Both times, Koundé delivered precise crosses from the wing, and Thuram, positioned near the six-yard box, attempted headers. Ideally, he should have scored directly; the next best outcome would have been to keep the ball within the goal frame, allowing for potential follow-up shots from his teammates. Unfortunately, both times, Thuram delivered the worst possible outcomes, heading the ball wide.

Had Thuram been more clinical, France might not have had to rely on a somewhat fortuitous own goal to secure their progression. Therefore, Deschamps' criticism is not unwarranted. It highlights Thuram's significant weakness: his heading ability is subpar. Statistics show that throughout his career, including club and national team appearances (official matches), Thuram has played 329 games, scoring 80 goals and providing 53 assists. Of these 80 goals, 56% were with his left foot, 33% with his right foot, and only 11% were headers. At Inter Milan, he has scored 14 goals in Serie A and the Champions League, with 10 from his right foot, three from his left, and only one header.

As a winger-turned-forward, Thuram's heading skills are far inferior to those of a traditional center forward, even less than shorter forwards like Lautaro Martínez, who has a higher percentage of headed goals (21%). This is a fact. Thuram's ardent fans on Twitter have compiled highlight reels pointing out three main deficiencies in his headers: poor timing of his jumps, often hitting the side or bottom of the ball, and closing his eyes tightly just before contact. Simply put, he is not proficient in heading.

If these shortcomings were less prominent, it wouldn't be a significant issue. Every player has strengths and weaknesses. However, Thuram's heading ability is now a problem for both Inter Milan and the French national team. Over the past year, Simone Inzaghi has been experimenting with Inter's forward line, pushing Thuram to play more upfront and Lautaro Martínez to drop back more—a reversal of their original roles. The coach's aim is to take them out of their comfort zones to find new areas for improvement. Deschamps has adopted a similar approach with the French national team. Comparing the movement zones of France's front three, it's clear that Deschamps has tasked Thuram with leading the line.

In more academic terms, this role is about "creating space for Mbappé and Griezmann." In layman's terms, it means "battling defenders, getting kicked around, and taking the hits so the two superstars can play comfortably." As a result, Thuram often finds himself surrounded by defenders. Attempting to receive a ground pass in the congested, defender-packed penalty area is difficult; when opportunities arise, they are more likely to be aerial crosses. Thuram's weak heading ability thus becomes a glaring issue.

Throughout the past season, Inzaghi has aimed for Thuram to transform into a more traditional forward, believing that he possesses the physique, speed, reach, and technical skills to become a top-tier striker. Evidence suggests that Inter's year-long nurturing has improved Thuram's abilities in holding up play, shielding the ball, and link-up play—core skills for a modern forward. However, his weak heading ability remains a significant hurdle.

Without addressing this flaw, it will limit Thuram's potential transformation and impact his market value. Improving his heading ability is crucial for Thuram to continue his development as a forward and to help his teams, Inter Milan and France, achieve greater success.