World Cup 2022: Hugo Lloris levels Thuram as France's most-capped men's player
Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris moves level with Lilian Thuram as France's most-capped men's player in World Cup clash vs Poland
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has drawn level with France legend Lilian Thuram as the nation's most-capped men's player by starting for Les Bleus against Poland at the 2022 World Cup on Sunday.
Lloris makes his 142nd senior appearance for France in the last-16 clash, having sat out the 1-0 defeat to Tunisia on Wednesday as coach Didier Deschamps made nine changes for that match.
Deschamps has opted for the same XI which beat Denmark 2-1 in their second match, with Lloris back in as veteran Rennes goalkeeper Steve Mandanda returns to the bench.
Lloris made his full France debut in 2008 and was made first-choice captain in 2012.
The 35-year-old has also been at Tottenham since 2012. He draws level on 142 caps with Thuram, who played for France between 1994 and 2008 and was a part of the 1998 team which won the World Cup.
This is also Lloris' 17th appearance in a World Cup game, which draws him level with two other 1998 heroes: Fabien Barthez and Thierry Henry.
That is a joint record and one which Lloris will expect to claim outright, along with the most France appearances, if Les Bleus progress to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Midfielder Sandrine Soubeyrand won a record 198 caps for the French women's team between 1997 and 2013.
Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.