Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed he counts on Lilian Thuram for regular advice.

Koulibaly was asked about the players he grew up admiring.

It is two of the key players from the 1998 France World Cup winning team Koulibaly names as his early footballing idols.

"Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram," he says, when asked by the official Chelsea matchday programme who inspired him as a young player.

"I was French. I am French. I was born in France, so I grew up with them as my example, and it helped me a lot.

"As French guys with African origins, I was watching them like big stars, idols. Today, I speak with Lilian Thuram and he gives me a lot of advice, a lot of help."