Malick Thiaw Explained

Malick Thiaw
Full Name:Malick Laye Thiaw
Birth Date:2001 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Düsseldorf, Germany
Height:1.94 m[1]
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:AC Milan
Clubnumber:28
Youthyears1:2006–2009
Youthclubs1:TV Kalkum-Wittlaer
Youthyears2:2009–2010
Youthclubs2:Fortuna Düsseldorf
Youthyears3:2010–2011
Youthclubs3:Bayer Leverkusen
Youthyears4:2011–2015
Youthclubs4:Borussia Mönchengladbach
Youthyears5:2015–2020
Youthclubs5:Schalke 04
Years1:2020
Clubs1:Schalke 04 II
Caps1:3
Goals1:0
Years2:2020–2022
Clubs2:Schalke 04
Caps2:57
Goals2:3
Years3:2022–
Clubs3:AC Milan
Caps3:42
Goals3:0
Nationalyears1:2021–2023
Nationalteam1:Germany U21
Nationalcaps1:11
Nationalgoals1:2
Nationalyears2:2023–
Nationalteam2:Germany
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:21:12, 17 August 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:15:57, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

Malick Laye Thiaw (pronounced as /ʄaɰ/; born 8 August 2001) is a German professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club AC Milan and the Germany national team. Mainly a centre-back, he can also play as a right-back or defensive midfielder.

Club career

In his childhood Thiaw played for TV Kalkum-Wittlaer, a club in his native Düsseldorf.[2] He then played for the youth teams of Fortuna Düsseldorf, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Mönchengladbach. In 2015 he joined the youth academy of Schalke 04.[3] He made his professional debut with Schalke in a 1–1 draw against TSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on 7 March 2020.[4]

AC Milan

On 29 August 2022, Thiaw moved to Italy joining Serie A club AC Milan on a contract until 30 June 2027, the transfer fee was believed to be €5 million paid upfront and €2 million on bonus-relating clauses.[5] [6]

Having spent the first half of his debut season mostly on the sidelines, making only a few short appearances as a substitute, Thiaw emerged into the team's starting XI in February 2023 following his man of the match performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16 of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League.[7] As the team's head coach Stefano Pioli opted to change the formation from 4–2–3–1 to 3–5–2, Thiaw began to start every forthcoming game in the middle of the defensive third, with Fikayo Tomori on the left and Pierre Kalulu on the right. However, when Pioli reversed his decision in March 2023 due to unsatisfactory results and went back to a four-man defense, Thiaw still kept his place as a starter, effectively becoming the team's second-choice center back after Tomori.[8]

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Thiaw and Tomori were the team's starting duo in central defense, with Kalulu and Simon Kjær as backups.[9] The pair continued to play together until Thiaw's injury on 2 December 2023 in the game against Frosinone, which sidelined him for eight weeks.[10]

International career

Thiaw was born in Germany to a Senegalese father and Finnish mother. He holds German and Finnish passports.[11]

In 2017, he was called up to represent the Finland U17s, however he did not make any appearance.[12]

On 15 March 2021, Thiaw was called up to represent the Germany U21s for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[13]

Aged just 21, he was called up to the Germany senior team by head coach Hansi Flick for the friendly matches against Peru and Belgium on 25 and 28 March 2023.[14] He made his international debut for Germany on 16 June, starting in a 1–0 loss to Poland.[15] As of 2024, fans on the Finnish football forum Futisforum2 are still hoping that Thiaw will choose to play for Finland.[16]

Personal life

Malick Thiaw is the son of a Senegalese father and a Finnish mother.[17] He identifies himself as a Muslim.[18] On 14 November 2023, his girlfriend Aminah gave birth to his daughter, Moussa Laye.[19]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Schalke 042019–20Bundesliga400040
2020–2119130221
2021–222. Bundesliga31210322
2022–23Bundesliga300030
Total57340613
AC Milan2022–23Serie A2000040240
2023–242100090300
2024–2510000010
Total42000130550
Career total99340130001163

International

Honours

Schalke 04

2021–22

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Malick Thiaw: Biography . AC Milan . 30 August 2022.
  2. Web site: Das ist Schalkes Top-Talent Malick Thiaw. weltfussball.de. 28 April 2020. 7 July 2020. de.
  3. Web site: Malick Thiaw | Playerprofile | Bundesliga. bundesliga.com – the official Bundesliga website.
  4. Web site: Schalke 04 vs. Hoffenheim – 7 March 2020 – Soccerway. ca.soccerway.com.
  5. Web site: Malick Thiaw, new signing of the AC Milan transfer market: the official statement . 2022-08-30 . AC Milan . en.
  6. Web site: Zeevi . Meytar . 2022-08-29 . Official: Thiaw joins Milan from Schalke on a five-year deal Rossoneri Blog - AC Milan News . 2023-12-14 . en-US.
  7. Web site: AC Milan 1-0 Tottenham, Champions League 2022/2023: Malick Thiaw MVP . 2023-12-14 . AC Milan . en.
  8. Web site: 2023-12-14 . MN: How the Kalulu-Thiaw-Tomori defence can also benefit Milan in possession . 2023-12-14 . OneFootball . en.
  9. Web site: 2023-12-14 . GdS: Thiaw and Tomori the foundation of Milan – two goals in four games . 2023-12-14 . OneFootball . fr.
  10. Web site: Malick Thiaw set for long lay-off with hamstring tear: AC Milan . 2023-12-14 . www.besoccer.com . en.
  11. Web site: Un talento al giorno, Malick Thiaw: l'erede finnico di Matip - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com. www.tuttomercatoweb.com. Italian.
  12. Web site: U17-pojat nimetty Toto Cupiin Itävaltaan. www.palloliitto.fi. Finnish.
  13. Web site: Kuntz calls up four debutants for U21 EURO. 15 March 2021. dfb.de. German.
  14. Web site: Vier Rückkehrer und fünf Neulinge für Peru und Belgien. German Football Association. 17 March 2023. 17 March 2023. de.
  15. News: Germany falter against Poland as France maintain perfect European Qualifying record . Sky Sports . 16 June 2023 . 24 April 2024.
  16. Web site: 9 December 2019 . Malick Thiaw - AC Milan . futisforum2.org.
  17. Web site: 2017-12-13 . Urheilulehti 50: Masennuksesta toipuva Justyna Kowalczyk ja ainutlaatuinen Mikko Rantanen . 2024-08-12 . Ilta-Sanomat . fi.
  18. Web site: L'importanza della religione per Thiaw: "Sono musulmano, prego 5 volte al giorno e osservo il Ramadan" . 2023-12-14 . Milan News . it.
  19. Web site: Thiaw diventa papà: è nata la figlia Moussa Laye . 2023-12-14 . Milan News . it.