Thuram had endured a difficult season with Nice until this week, les Aiglons struggling to find flight under Lucien Favre, who was sacked as manager the day before the Montpellier game.

Father Lilian was a France '98 World Cup winner and his nation's all-time record appearance maker, while big brother Marcus - a forward with Borussia Monchengladbach - went to the 2022 edition in Qatar as part of Didier Deschamps' squad.

Khéphren may have had to watch on as les Bleus made the final for the second time running, but it is surely only a matter of time until he joins him in the senior squad after racking up 43 youth international appearances.

Back story:

Thuram was born in the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia on 26 March 2001, a few months before his father Lilian - at that time a world class right- and centre-back - swapped Parma for Juventus.

Named after the ancient Egyptian king Khafre, whom the Great Sphinx is widely held to have been built in honour of, the young Khéphren soon pursued his family's footballing dynasty, and joined the French national academy at Clairefontaine aged 13 having also spent time in Barcelona's academy.

A midfielder with physicality and technique beyond his years, Thuram finished his development at AS Monaco and was handed his Rouge et Blanc debut by Thierry Henry against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, but it was with Nice he signed his first professional contract in 2019.

Three seasons, 117 appearances and a runners-up finish in the Coupe de France later, and Thuram is reportedly attracting the attention of Liverpool, Newcastle and others.

Style of play:

Thuram is primarily a defensive midfielder who breaks up opposition attack without going to ground before distributing, or indeed dribbling, his way out of trouble. With his height and technique, watching Khéphren is not too dissimilar from Sergio Busquets in his Barca pomp.

Thuram has averaged more than two shot-creating actions per game over the last year, though, and can also be used in a more advanced role - and it is from here that he got his goal and assist against Montpellier on Wednesday.

Current campaign:

Thuram has had fierce competition from Pablo Rosario, Mario Lemina, Aaron Ramsey, Ross Barkley and Alexis Beka Beka for a central midfield berth this season, but he has faced them all down, enjoying more Ligue 1 Uber Eats minutes than any of them so far.

He bagged the first of his three assists this season in teeing up Andy Delort for a 1-0 victory over AC Ajaccio in Round 7, and added another for the forward in a 1-1 draw with AJ Auxerre four games later.

The Montpellier game was the first time Thuram had been used as a No.10 this season, and he repaid interim coach Didier Digard's faith and then some. Whether he stays there given his skill-set remains to be seen, though.

Watch: Highlights of Nice's 6-1 destruction of Montpellier

What they said:

"He's a player with technical ease far above the average and physically ahead of others in his age group. He's intelligent, kind and endearing. He plays as a central midfielder but will end up in defensive midfield over time. He has significant potential and can have a great career."

- Thuram's former youth coach, Serge Gnahoré

"I only have good memories from Monaco. I made very good friends there, but the page has been turned. I'm at a very good club today, with a good project and very good fans. I'm very happy to be here."

- Thuram on swapping Monaco for Nice

“I defend better, and win the ball back more than I did last season. That's what's required of a midfielder. I like to help my teammates play. I can play as a No.6 or No.8, after that it's up to the coach to decide."

- Thuram on his best position