Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram says that legendary former Nerazzurri and Brazil striker Adriano was a major source of inspiration to him.
The Frenchman spoke in the official matchday programme for this evening’s Serie A clash with Napoli, praising the former striker as well as another Brazilian icon, Ronaldo.
Thuram has already made a big impact in his first season at Inter.
The 26-year-old has hit double figures for goals in Serie A, and played a big role in the Nerazzurri’s dominant form at the top of the league table.
Thuram still has some way to go before he can truly emulate some of the greats that he grew up idolizing.
As the Frenchman admits, one of these was former Inter striker Adriano.
During the mid-2000s, the Brazilian was virtually “unplayable” in an Inter shirt. He won the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia twice each with the Nerazzurri.
And Adriano was one of the players at the heart of the team’s success during that era.
The Brazilian made a total of 163 appearances for Inter. He scored 73 goals across all competitions in the process.
Marcus Thuram “Dreamt Of” Being Like Adriano
Looking back at the players he grew up idolizing, Thuram noted that “Ronaldo was one of my favourites.”
“My parents always joked with me that the only way to get me to hand over the blanket I always carried with me everywhere as a child would be to tell me they would give it to him!” he looked back.
“And then there was also Adriano,” Thuram.
“I loved everything that he did on the pitch,” the Nerazzurri striker said of the legendary former player.
“I always dreamt of being a striker like him,” he added.