It's September 3, 2023, and the Frenchman Marcus Thuram has just latched onto his teammate Federico Dimarco's cross with a diving header to score his first goal for Inter, and his first since his summer arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach, at the San Siro.
The goal leads to a convincing 4-0 win over Fiorentina in Serie A, and as we've now come to learn, it proves to be the first of many.
Since that day, the 26-year-old, who joined Inter on a free transfer, has taken to the Italian game like a duck to water.
And although he’s only been in Milan for less than six-months (at the time of writing), it's already abundantly clear to everyone (including Thuram) that the pair are a perfect match.
Though his on-pitch numbers speak for themselves (seven goals and six assists in his first 18 league appearances), away from the pitch Thuram and Inter supplement each other from a fashion perspective, too.
Although the football-fashion crossover is nothing new, Inter has always been one of the clubs at the forefront of the movement.
In fact, truth be told, the 2023 Champions League runners-up are perhaps the most style-savvy football club in the game right now.
Two-years ago, before it was ever really a thing, Inter signed a deal with Moncler that would see the Italian label uniform the club’s players pre- and post-match.
That same year, Inter launched its own lifestyle label that has since gone on to release a handful of collections comprising everyday clothing stylishly emblazoned with the club’s new-look crest, which was designed by Munich-based creative house Bureau Borsche (all this, plus Inter's recent collaboration with Nike and a three-way capsule alongside Daniel Arsham and Moncler).
So as one of the pioneer’s of the fashion-football crossover, Inter is the perfect location for Thuram, one of Europe's most exciting strikers, a World Cup runner-up, an all-round nice guy, and someone who is exceedingly fashionable.
“It’s a way of expression. It’s how I feel,” Thuram tells me when I ask him what personal style means to him.
“You can’t judge anyone’s style because it’s unique to each person. That’s how they feel and how they want to express themselves. That’s the beauty of fashion to me. You can’t judge, but only respect.”
One scroll through Thuram’s Instagram account will serve you brands like Rick Owens, KAPITAL, and Louis Vuitton, the latter of whom Thuram has a close relationship with, having attended Pharrell Williams’ debut show as its creative director during Paris Fashion Week in early 2023.
This interest, though, isn’t anything new or something he discovered as a wealthy footballer. No, Thuram has been obsessed with style since he was a kid, and can even recall the moment it all clicked.
“My mum took me to a store in Paris called Colette. It was the only store at the time that had a lot of different brands and it was the first time I found myself wowed by clothes and sneakers,” Thuram tells me.
“I fell in love with a long patchwork trench coat. I don’t remember the brand, but that really sticks with me. I never got it, mind.”
For Thuram, being stylish isn’t just about wearing big name labels or the most expensive products – the way something feels is much more important.
“Comfort is key,” he explains. “I like to dress how people dress when they travel: loose-fitting, relaxed, chilled. That’s me every day. I wouldn’t ever wear something stylish that’s uncomfortable, I have to have the best of both worlds.”
“Some players look like a brand mannequin,” he adds. “But when it comes to my style, I’ll never wear something just because someone tells me to.”
Point is, Inter and Thuram were made for each other. Whether we’re talking about on the pitch, where the Frenchman is spearheading Inter’s charge to the Scudetto or the mutual respect he and the club have for style, it’s a match made in heaven. Actually scrap that: it’s a match made in Milan.
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