Barthez made his first division debut for Toulouse on 21 September 1991, against Nancy. He joined Marseille in 1992, and won both the French championship and the Champions League at the end of his first season in Marseille, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory over A.C. Milan in final of the latter competition. The 1993 victory made him the youngest goalkeeper to win a Champions League title until Iker Casillas did so in 2000.