Q&A

The Sheriff of Luxembourg

A small club from Moldova are making quite the impression in their debut Champions League campaign – and Sébastien Thill is making the biggest noise

Additional Content

Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

Q&A

The Sheriff of Luxembourg

A small club from Moldova are making quite the impression in their debut Champions League campaign – and Sébastien Thill is making the biggest noise

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Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Can you summarise your Champions League journey so far?

It’s like we’re living a dream, especially for us players and for a club that’s always dreamt of playing in the Champions League. This year, they’ve fulfilled that dream. In the first game against Shakhtar, I think it was already a dream to get points in the Champions League. Against Real Madrid, it was a huge explosion of joy. I don’t think anyone had dared dream about it. We achieved something out of the ordinary that day. 

Only 14 months ago you were playing semi-professional football in Luxembourg It’s been quite a turnaround hasn’t it?

Yes, it’s something extraordinary. I try to give my best every day but, having said that, scoring against Real or beating Real is something beautiful and you have to enjoy those moments.

Tell us more about that goal against Real Madrid.

It started from a throw-in and the ball fell just outside the box. I was there, no one was marking me. I didn’t ask questions. When you play football professionally, you know how it feels; you know if it’s going in or if it’s going to go over the bar. The way I hit it, I knew straight away that it was going to go in. I’ve written a bit of history as well, because I’m the first player from Luxembourg to have scored in the Champions League. 

You also scored a great goal against Inter, how did that compare?

I’m always happy to score goals. It was also to make it 1-1 at the time, so we were all happy. It’s a shame to have lost the game, but we’re playing them again in a week and we’ll try to do better. I think that you can easily train for dead-ball situations and free kicks. If you never try at training, you can’t do it in games. So we train for some things regularly and then we try to do them in matches. This time it was a success, so that’s good.

Sébastien Thill scores a freekick against Inter on matchday 3.


You come from a football-mad family – your father Serge played against the great Olympique de Marseille of the 1990s…

We are a football family, so we always talk before and after matches, whether it’s my mum, my dad or my brothers. We often discuss what we can do better, or what went well, for example. It’s great to have a family that has also played football at a good level: they can always help you and give good advice. 

You must have great pride being Luxembourgish, but do you feel at home now at Sheriff?

Yes. It’s something that will remain in the history of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country that is expanding in terms of football, even the national team is getting good results. This will remain forever in my memory and in the history of Luxembourg. And yes, I feel at home here in Tiraspol. I’ve already played in Russia and it’s quite similar here but yes, I feel good. And we’re getting some good results because of that.

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