Thiago Motta Biography

Thiago Motta nationality

is Brazilin but he holds Italian citizenship as well. He is a product of the top-flight club Barcelona. Over the years the former footballer established himself as a professional midfielder. Motta was able to play in both defensive and central midfielder positions. He had spells with big clubs like Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-German.

Back in his playing days, Motta was an agile player with excellent control on the ball and a unique style of play. However, he chose to continue his career as a manager. Motta first started by coaching the Paris Saint-German youth team. In addition to professional details, we will also fill you in with details about Thiago Motta life story so stay tuned and let’s begin.

Details About Thiago Motta Biography You Probably Didn’t Know

Thiago Motta was born in Brazil but he also holds Italian citizenship. On the international level, he played both for Brazil and Italy. He only made two appearances for Brazil's national team in 2003. Following his debut in 2011 he made 30 appearances for Italy national team. Stay tuned for more details about Thiago Motta biography.

Thiago Motta Information

Before we get into the details of

Thiago Motta childhood

and early life we will fill you in with the details of his bio and other information.

Thiago Motta Bio

• Full name: Thiago Motta

Personal Information

• Thiago Motta date of birth: 28 August 1982

• Zodiac sign: Virgo

• Place of birth: Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil

• Thiago Motta religion: Christian

• Nationality: Italian

• Father: Carlos Roberto Motta

• Marital status: married

• Wife’s name: Francisca Motta

• Children: Sophia Motta

Body Measurements

• Height: 187 cm

• Weight: 83 kg

• Hair color: dark brown

• Eye color: dark brown

• Eye color: amber

• Hair color: auburn

• Race -ethnicity: white

Football Information

• Position: midfielder

• Debut in profession: 3 October, 2001

• Clubs served: Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Genoa, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain

• Teams managed: Paris Saint Germain youth team, Genoa

• Current club: Spezia

Thiago Motta Early Life

He was born on 28 August 1982 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. According to

Thiago Motta date of birth

his zodiac sign is Virgo. As a child Motta was very passionate about football and dreamed of one day becoming a professional footballer. His parents encouraged him to work hard for his dream. Young Thiago Motta fully dedicated himself to football and made an effort to improve his performance. He first began his career at the Clube Atlético Juventus youth system which was based in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Thiago Motta Profile  

Over the years Motta played in different clubs and faced both setbacks and victories. According to Thiago Motta bio he played as a midfielder in his playing days. We will walk you through his career in these clubs one by one so buckle up and let’s begin.

Barcelona 

Back in 1999, the footballer reached an agreement with

while he was 17 years old. He played at the club’s B side and three years later he was promoted to the first team. Motta debuted for the side on 3 October in a 3-0 home victory against RCD Mallorca. He appeared in 7 games in the 2001–02 edition of the UEFA Champions League. During the 2002-03’s La Liga he featured in a career-best 21 games while scoring three goals however, Barca finished in the sixth position.

Motta was a key role player in the next season’s long UEFA Cup run which ended by Celtic. In the first leg Barca faced a 0-1 loss at Glasgow. Motta was sent off in the first half following a foul on opposing goalkeeper Robert Douglas. The goalkeeper was also given a red card due to his behavior in the tunnel. The footballer also sustained injures during his spell at Barcelona. 

On 11 September 2004, in a game over

, he suffered from an injury that kept him from playing for seven months. Eventually, his condition required surgery to rebuild his anterior cruciate and lateral ligaments in his left knee. Motta managed to recover in a short time and he made an emotional comeback as he walked down the field, cheering for his side as eventual league champions defeated Getafe CF 2–0 on 17 April. Stay tuned for more details about Thiago Motta biography.

Atletico Madrid 

There were rumors about Motta’s move to

and Atleti supremo Cerezo told El Mundo Deportivo: “He is a player we are very much interested in. Negotiations are taking their time but we are in talks. I don't know when the deal will be done but talks are ongoing.” In August 2007, the Brazilian footballer reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for an unknown amount. However, Motta was unlucky and in the beginning of the season he faced a series of injures which kept him from performing well. 

During the Copa del Rey quarter-final game over Valencia CF he was pulled out of the game after only 25 minutes and the side lost the game 0-1 subsequently the tie. Later things took another turn and Motta’s opportunities increased as Raúl García the regular starter got injured and Maniche left the club in January 2008. But his injures and knee problems didn’t go away and his season at the club was over. Later Motta went under surgery in the United States and finished his recovery. Following his release, he was about to sign a contract with

side Portsmouth but he didn’t reach an agreement with them.

Genoa 

In September 2008, the footballer moved to Genoa C.F.C. on a free transfer following a medical exam. Motta debuted for the side and performed very well as he was a regular player on the field under the supervision of coach Gian Piero Gasperini. On 11 April 2009, he grabbed a brace while scoring one of the goals in the first half’s injury time in a 3-2 home win against Juventus FC. Motta ended his year with his career’s best six goals as his team qualified for the Europa League.  Find out more details about

Thiago Motta biography

in the following.

Inter Milan 

On 20 May 2009, La Gazzetta Dello Sport confirmed the news that the footballer along with fellow teammate Diego Milito was transferred to Inter Milan. Motta was paid €10 million and Milito was paid less than €30 million. In return Genoa received five players from Inter including Robert Acquafresca, Francesco Bolzoni,

, Ivan Fatic and Riccardo Meggiorini. Later Thiago Motta’s agent declared that his contract with Genoa included a buy-out fee of €10 million. The footballer made his debut for the side in the beginning of 2009-10 season in a 1-1 home draw with A.S. Bari.

Inter Milan Historic Season

The footballer managed to score his first goal for the team in the next round as he aimed the net for the opening goal in the Derby Della Madonnina following Milito’s assist in a 4-0 thrashing of

. On 3 April 2010, Motta scored two goals for the side in a 3-0 victory against Bologna F.C. 1909. The 2009-10 season was a great season for Inter and victorious Champions League campaign as they managed to win the treble. 

Motta featured in eight matches including a 0-1 defeat to his former club Barcelona. During the game, Motta was sent off the pitch for hitting Sergio Busquets in the face. He was handed a red card for his foul on the player. However, later it seemed like Busquets was faking it and it wasn’t anything serious. So poor Motta was sent off the pitch for absolutely nothing. Inter won a treble in the 2009-10 season and this was Motta’s first treble in his career.

In an interview with sports streaming service DAZN he stated: “Winning the treble with Inter was not only a historic year for the club but also for ourselves. Inter had not won the Champions League for such a long time and it was incredible to be able to do it.” On 23 October 2011, thanks to a corner taken by

, Motta managed to aim the net and secure a 1-0 victory over A.C. ChievoVerona for his team. This was Inter’s first win at home in the 2011-12 season. Stay tuned for further details about Thiago Motta biography in the following.

Paris Saint-Germain

On 31 January 2012, although Inter Milan Manager Claudio Ranieri confirmed that Motta will stay at inter until the end of the season but the footballer reached an agreement with the top-flight club

which is based in Paris. The contract was signed for the fee of €10 million. Motta was very excited to join PSG ever since footballers like Raí, Leonardo and

got on board with the French club. Motta revealed that he wasn’t happy at Inter and he refused to further explain why he left his former club.

Following his contract, he debuted for the side four days later in a 3-1 victory at home over Evian Thonon Gaillard F.C. He scored his first goal on 22 April 2012 in a 6-1 thrashing of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. On 21 February 2014, Motta extended his contract with PSG’s until 2016. He told PSG official website: “It is a great joy to extend my contract with PSG. I have a special history with the club, who have shown a lot of faith in me these last five years. The adventure continues and I am very happy.”

He added: “We will continue to be competitive and we will give our all to go as far as possible in every competition we participate in.” PSG chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi also commented: “We are very satisfied to have extended Thiago's contract. Thiago is an important member of the squad and his leadership and knowledge of the game are much appreciated by our fans. Thiago is certainly one of the people to have made a huge contribution to PSG's growth both in France and internationally.”

Retirement 

On 8 May 2018 and at the end of the season, Thiago Motta officially declared his retirement from football. During his 7 seasons at PSG he featured in 232 games and won 19 trophies. He appeared in his final game on 19 May over Stade Malherbe Caen. Motta continued his career as a manager which we will fill you in with the details later. Now stay tuned for more details about

Thiago Motta biography

.

International Career

As we mentioned before Motta was born in

but he also holds Italian citizenship. Mostly he made appearances for Italy national team. In an interview he stated: “I was born in Brazil, but I feel Italian. It is a pleasure to step on to the field, to play a World Cup in Brazil and above all to play in a great national team. I feel like an Italian who happened to be born in Brazil and I am very happy with that situation. It never entered my mind to come back to Brazil once I left for Europe.”

Style of Play 

Motta ‘s tactical intelligence and versatility turned him into a tough opponent to go up against. His incredible features were his ball control, techniques, vision and passing range. Football experts praised him for his strong physic, his ability to anticipate the game and consistent defensive attributes as a ball winner. When it comes to physical strength and attention to details Motta performed very well. His runs from behind into the penalty area and movement in the air enabled him to make long-range shots. Despite all of his great features he was criticized for aggression and lack of pace on the field.

Reception 

No doubt Thiago Motta had an incredible skill with the ball and over the years he brought honor to the clubs he served in. Emery told journalists at Camp des Loges: “I think Thiago's career in Paris has been great and important for the club and the players he has been alongside. He has given a lot to those who have been able to work with him and he has a very specific style on the pitch. Thiago has helped the club grow and I am happy to be able to work with him. Of course he can continue his adventure here.”

Emery added: “He has been consistent, despite some small injuries. However, when he is at 100 percent, he is impressive and contributes a lot to the team.” Soon after Motta joined the French club Paris Saint Germain, Jose Mourinho then-coach commented about the player: “His position is very well adapted and he understands the qualities and the philosophy of Paris. They want the ball so they’ll have it. In his position, he organizes, he gives tempo. He’s a fantastic player.” Marco Verratti his fellow teammate and midfield partner stated: “I hope he never stops playing. Thiago is so intelligent that his age does not matter.”

Goal Celebration 

When it comes to goal celebration, Motta runs in joy and holds his fist in the air as a sign of victory. Find out details about

Thiago Motta life story

in the following. 

Thiago Motta Life Outside Football

Let’s take a look at Thiago Motta life outside football. The footballer is a family man who spends most of his time with his lovely wife and their daughter. Thiago Motta mostly keeps his personal life to himself and doesn’t share much. Find out more details in the following.

Thiago Motta Personal Life 

As they say behind every successful man there is woman. The same goes for the Brazilian midfielder. Thiago Motta married his longtime girlfriend Francisca. The footballer doesn’t share much details about his personal life. So we don’t know when did the couple got married exactly but what we do know is that they got married in a simple wedding attended by their family and friends. Francisca walked down the aisle in the traditional white dress looking stunning and they tied the knot.

Family, Children and Relationships

Thiago Motta religion

is Christian and his lovely wife Francisca are blessed with a beautiful girl named Sophia Motta. The couple often attend to their football friend’s birthdays and other occasions together along with their daughter. Francisca is a caring person and she supported her man in every up and down. They have been together for a long time. As for Motta’s online activities he is not fond of social media and as far as we know he doesn’t have an account on Instagram or other social medias.

Philanthropy

During his career Motta has been part of an Institute which all of his sponsorship fee was directed in sports equipment. He donated all the sports equipment to a leading charity based in Brazil which is called The Ana Moser Institute of Sport & Education. This Institute has helped underprivileged kids and adults since 2001 to provide all their needs in sports education and social programs.

Motta stated in a press conference regarding the issue: “I have been wearing Mizuno football boots for my entire professional career, so it’s great to announce this official deal with a brand I really believe in. The Supersonic Wave boot that I will soon be wearing in matches gives me comfort and control when I need it most. I am excited about working with Mizuno in the future, both in product development and on this charity project we have entered together.” Find out more details about

Thiago Motta biography

in the following.

Legal Issues 

As we mentioned before Motta continued his career as a coach and just a few days after he was assigned as the head coach of La Spezia, FIFA banned him due to violating regulations on the transfer of minors.

Thiago Motta Career Statistics

Now let’s get into the details of Thiago Motta career statistics.

Club 

Thiago Motta started his career at Barcelona. He stayed at the club for six seasons and made 139 appearances and scored 9 goals for the side. He had a short spell both one season at Atletico Madrid and Genoa. He featured in 8 and 27 games respectively for the mentioned clubs. He scored 6 goals while he was at

. In 2009-10 season he joined Inter Milan and featured in 83 games while scoring 12 goals for the side. His final spell was at Paris Saint Germain. He remained there for 7 seasons. Overall he made 232 games and scored 12 goals at PSG.

International 

On international level Motta played both for Italy and Brazil national team. He made only 2 appearances for Brazil. On the other hand, he featured in 28 games for Italy national team and scored one goal.

Managerial 

In May 2018 Motta signed a contract with PSG to coach Paris Saint-Germain's under-19 side. Following an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Motta explained his goals in coaching and stated: “My idea is to play offensively. A short team that controls the game, high pressure and a lot of movement with and without the ball. I want the player that has the ball to always have three or four solutions and two teammates close by to help. The difficulty in football is, often to do things simply but to control the base, pass and get free.” 

He added: “I don't like the numbers of the field because they trick you. You can be super offensive with a 5–3–2 and defensive in a 4–3–3. Depending on the quality of the guys. I had a game a while ago where the two full-backs ended up playing as the 9 and 10. But that doesn't mean I don't like people like

and

, born defenders. Could it be a 2–7–2? No, the goalkeeper counts as one of the midfield seven. For me, the attacker is the first defender and the goalkeeper is the first attacker.

Motta further explained: “The goalkeeper starts the play, with his feet and the attackers are the first to put pressure to recover the ball.” On 21 October, he was appointed as the new manager of his former club Genoa. During his first official game he led the team to a 3-1 home victory against Brescia Calcio. However due to a series of bad results he was sacked in 28 December. On 16 September 2020, Motta received his UEFA Pro License and on 5 July 20201, he was assigned as the head coach of Spezia. Find out more details about Thiago Motta biography in the following.

Thiago Motta Honors

Over the years Motta earned his name as a player and brought honor both on an international level and the clubs he had served. Find out more details in the following. 

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06

• Supercopa de España: 2006

• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06

Inter Milan

• Serie A: 2009–10

• Coppa Italia: 2009–10, 2010–11

• UEFA Champions League: 2009–10

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2010

• Supercoppa Italiana: 2010

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18

• Coupe de France: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18

• Coupe de la Ligue: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17

• Trophée des Champions: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Brazil

• South American Under-17 Football Championship: 1999

Italy

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2012

Individual

• Don Balón Award – Breakthrough player in La Liga: 2002–03

• Serie A Team of the Year: 2010–11

• Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2013–14

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