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Smells like team spirit - Thuram
04/07/2006: Lilian Thuram has highlighted the team spirit within the France squad for leading Les Bleus to the brink of the World Cup final again.
The 34-year-old was tempted out of international retirement after bowing out of top-level football following a disappointing Euro 2004 campaign which came hard on the heels of a disastrous 2002 World Cup finals.
On both occasions France were the defending champions and record France cap-holder Thuram thinks internal divisions in the camp were the common denominator.
He said: "When we went to Euro 2004, it was in contrast to what we see now which is discipline in our matches.
"There was no team, no squad, and without a squad you can't have a team and when you get to a certain age you think 'I don't need this any more'.
"The coach can do his job and make as many speeches as he likes but if the players are not receptive then it's all for nothing.
"We saw a Greece team with no star players win the tournament - they were a great team, not great players. They were players who put others before themselves."
Thuram added: "In football, the egos are very big but you must learn to put others first. Today, that is the case once more and I am delighted to be at this World Cup now and whatever happens now it will be a positive experience for me."
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