Malick Thiaw
{{short description|German footballer (born 2001)}}
{{distinguish|Malick Diaw}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Malick Thiaw
| image = Milan Lecce 2023 Thiaw.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Thiaw with AC Milan in 2023
| full_name = Malick Laye Thiaw
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2001|8|8}}
| birth_place = Düsseldorf, Germany
| 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 = 62
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2021–2023
| nationalteam1 = Germany U21
| nationalcaps1 = 11
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 2023–
| nationalteam2 = Germany
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 07:49, 6 April 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 15:57, 18 October 2023 (UTC)
}}
Malick Laye Thiaw ({{IPA|de|ˈmalɪk ˈtʃaʊ}};{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhaplPbzW1g&t=1s |title=MALICK THIAW und seine Geschichte {{!}} Interview des Monats |date=15 November 2020 |language=de |publisher=Schalke 04 |time=00:01 |access-date=3 January 2025 |via=YouTube}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weltfussball.de/news/_n4031367_/das-ist-schalkes-top-talent-malick-thiaw/|title=Das ist Schalkes Top-Talent Malick Thiaw|website=weltfussball.de|date=28 April 2020|accessdate=7 July 2020|language=de}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/player/malick-thiaw/profile|title=Malick Thiaw | Playerprofile | Bundesliga|website=bundesliga.com – the official Bundesliga website}} He made his professional debut with Schalke in a 1–1 draw against TSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on 7 March 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://ca.soccerway.com/matches/2020/03/07/germany/bundesliga/fc-schalke-04/tsg-1899-hoffenheim-ev/3047243/|title=Schalke 04 vs. Hoffenheim – 7 March 2020 – Soccerway|website=ca.soccerway.com}}
=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.{{Cite web |title=Malick Thiaw, new signing of the AC Milan transfer market: the official statement |url=http://www.acmilan.com/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=AC Milan |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Zeevi |first=Meytar |date=2022-08-29 |title=Official: Thiaw joins Milan from Schalke on a five-year deal {{!}} Rossoneri Blog - AC Milan News |url=https://www.rossoneriblog.com/2022/08/29/official-thiaw-joins-milan-from-schalke-on-a-five-year-deal/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |language=en-US}}
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.{{Cite web |title=AC Milan 1-0 Tottenham, Champions League 2022/2023: Malick Thiaw MVP |url=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/awards/2023-02-15/thiaw-is-the-mvp-from-ac-milan-v-tottenham |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=AC Milan |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-14 |title=MN: How the Kalulu-Thiaw-Tomori defence can also benefit Milan in possession |url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/mn-how-the-kalulu-thiaw-tomori-defence-can-also-benefit-milan-in-possession-36836665 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=OneFootball |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-14 |title=GdS: Thiaw and Tomori the foundation of Milan – two goals in four games |url=https://onefootball.com/fr/news/gds-thiaw-and-tomori-the-foundation-of-milan-two-goals-in-four-games-38260413 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=OneFootball |language=fr}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Malick Thiaw set for long lay-off with hamstring tear: AC Milan |url=https://www.besoccer.com/new/malick-thiaw-set-for-long-lay-off-with-hamstring-tear-ac-milan-1291895 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.besoccer.com |language=en}}
On 5 november 2024, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 win against Real Madrid.{{cn|date=January 2025}}
International career
Thiaw was born in Germany to a Senegalese father and Finnish mother. He holds German and Finnish passports.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/il-talento-del-giorno/i-un-talento-al-giorno-i-malick-thiaw-l-erede-finnico-di-matip-1361250|title=Un talento al giorno, Malick Thiaw: l'erede finnico di Matip - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com|website=www.tuttomercatoweb.com|language=Italian}}
In 2017, he was called up to represent the Finland U17s, however he did not make any appearance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.palloliitto.fi/jalkapallouutiset/u17-pojat-nimetty-toto-cupiin-itavaltaan|title=U17-pojat nimetty Toto Cupiin Itävaltaan|website=www.palloliitto.fi|language=Finnish}}
On 15 March 2021, Thiaw was called up to represent the Germany U21s for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.{{cite web|title=Kuntz calls up four debutants for U21 EURO|url=https://www.dfb.de/en/news/detail/kuntz-calls-up-four-debutants-for-u21-euro-225334/?no_cache=1&cHash=24acf31a843decbc693db84a97fdf4ca|date=15 March 2021|website=dfb.de|language=German}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.dfb.de/news/detail/vier-rueckkehrer-und-fuenf-neulinge-fuer-peru-und-belgien-249404/|title=Vier Rückkehrer und fünf Neulinge für Peru und Belgien|publisher=German Football Association|date=17 March 2023|access-date=17 March 2023|language=de}} He made his international debut for Germany on 16 June, starting in a 1–0 loss to Poland.{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12902386/germany-falter-against-poland-as-france-maintain-perfect-european-qualifying-record |title=Germany falter against Poland as France maintain perfect European Qualifying record |website=Sky Sports |date=16 June 2023 |access-date=24 April 2024}} As of 2024, fans on the Finnish football forum Futisforum2 are still hoping that Thiaw will choose to play for Finland.{{Cite web |date=9 December 2019 |title=Malick Thiaw - AC Milan |url=http://futisforum2.org/index.php?topic=233975.675 |website=futisforum2.org}}
Personal life
Malick Thiaw is the son of a Senegalese father and a Finnish mother from Oulu who lived in Germany.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-13 |title=Urheilulehti 50: Masennuksesta toipuva Justyna Kowalczyk ja ainutlaatuinen Mikko Rantanen |url=https://www.is.fi/urheilulehti/art-2000005488441.html |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Ilta-Sanomat |language=fi}} He speaks German, Finnish, Wolof, English and Italian.{{cite web |url=https://www.dfb.de/news/detail/thiaw-beim-a-team-ich-habe-verstanden-worauf-es-ankommt-249693/ |title=Thiaw beim A-Team: 'Ich habe verstanden, worauf es ankommt' |language=de |work=dfb.de |date=2023-03-24 |access-date=2023-06-27}} He identifies as a Muslim.{{Cite web |title=L'importanza della religione per Thiaw: "Sono musulmano, prego 5 volte al giorno e osservo il Ramadan" |url=https://www.milannews.it/news/l-importanza-della-religione-per-thiaw-sono-musulmano-prego-5-volte-al-giorno-e-osservo-il-ramadan-504707 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Milan News |language=it}} On 14 November 2023, his girlfriend Aminah gave birth to his daughter, Moussa Laye.{{Cite web |title=Thiaw diventa papà: è nata la figlia Moussa Laye |url=https://www.milannews.it/news/thiaw-diventa-papa-e-nata-la-figlia-moussa-laye-514457 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Milan News |language=it}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 23 April 2025|{{cite web|title=Malick Thiaw » Club matches|url=http://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/malick-thiaw/2/|website=WorldFootball.net|date=29 November 2023 }}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes DFB-Pokal, Coppa Italia}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Schalke 04
|rowspan="2"|Bundesliga |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21
|19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 22 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22
|31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 32 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23
|Bundesliga |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 3 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!57 | 3 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 61 | 3 | |||
| rowspan="4"|AC Milan
|rowspan="3"|Serie A |20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4{{efn|Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League|name=UCL}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9{{efn|Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25
|21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=UCL}} | 1 | 2{{efn|Appearances in Supercoppa Italiana}} | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!62 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 83 | 1 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!119 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 144 | 4 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.acmilan.com/en/teams/men-first-team/players/malick-thiaw/biography Profile] at the AC Milan website
- {{Soccerway}}
{{A.C. Milan squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thiaw, Malick}}
Category:German people of Finnish descent
Category:German people of Senegalese descent
Category:Sportspeople of Senegalese descent
Category:Footballers from Düsseldorf
Category:German men's footballers
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:FC Schalke 04 players
Category:2. Bundesliga players
Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Germany men's international footballers
Category:German expatriate men's footballers
Category:German expatriate sportspeople in Italy