Antonio Di Natale

Antonio Di Natale

Di Natale pictured in 2012
Personal information
Full nameAntonio Di Natale[1]
Date of birth13 October 1977
Place of birthNaples, Italy
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Udinese
Number10
Youth career
Empoli
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1996–2004Empoli158(49)
1997–1998→ Iperzola (loan)33(6)
1998→ Varese (loan)5(0)
1998–1999→ Viareggio (loan)25(12)
2004–Udinese359(187)
National team
2002–2012Italy42(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 April 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).

Antonio 'Totò' Di Natale (Italian pronunciation: [anˈtɔnjo di naˈtale]; born 13 October 1977) is an Italian footballer who captains and plays as a forward for Italian Serie A club Udinese.

A quick, mobile, hardworking, and versatile striker, with a lethal eye for goal, Di Natale can play anywhere along the front line; he has been deployed as a lone striker, out wide in an attacking trident, or even in a deeper, creative, supporting role. He is known for his control, technical skills, and for his ability to both score and create goals.[2][3] Regarded as one of the best Italian forwards of his generation,[4][5][6][7] Di Natale earned the prestigious Serie A Capocannoniere award — as Serie A's top goalscorer — for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons, also winng the AIC Italian Footballer of the Year award in 2010.[8]

Di Natale is Udinese's top appearance holder and goal-scorer in Serie A, with 187 goals in 359 appearances, and in UEFA club competitions, with 17 goals in 37 appearances. With 205 goals, he is also the 6th highest goal-scorer in Serie A, alongside Roberto Baggio, and with 305 goals, he is the 8th highest scoring Italian player in all competitions, behind Silvio Piola, Alessandro Del Piero, Giuseppe Meazza, Roberto Baggio, Filippo Inzaghi, Francesco Totti, and Luca Toni.[9] Unlike most strikers, Di Natale has enjoyed his most prolific seasons in front of goal well after the age of thirty; between 2009 and 2011, Lionel Messi (82) and Cristiano Ronaldo (86) were the only two players to have scored more goals than Di Natale (67).[10]

Di Natale has also represented Italy 42 times, scoring 11 goals. With Italy, he took part at UEFA Euro 2008, the FIFA 2010 World Cup, scoring a goal, and at UEFA Euro 2012, where he scored a goal as Italy reached the final of the tournament.

Despite previously announcing he would retire from professional football at the end of the 2013–14 Serie A season, Di Natale confirmed on 30 May 2014 that he would not retire and would continue to play on into the 2014–15 season.[11]

Personal life

Also known as Totò,[12] Di Natale was born in Naples on 13 October 1977 to Salvatore, a professional painter, and Giovanna. He has two brothers, Paolo and Carmine, and two sisters, Michela and Anna. While playing for Empoli, at the age of 19, Di Natale met his future wife, Ilenia Betti, whom he married on 15 June 2002; the couple have two sons together, Filippo and Diletta.[13] In August 2010, he rejected a transfer to Italian giants Juventus because his children had grown up in Udine and his family was settled and enjoyed living there.[14]

Di Natale took financial responsibility of the disabled sister of Udinese teammate Piermario Morosini, who died on 14 April 2012 when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest while playing on loan for Livorno. Morosini's death left his sister with no other living relatives.[15]

Club career

Despite being born in Naples, Antonio Di Natale made the move north for his footballing career, joining Empoli's youth system. While at Empoli, he was loaned out three times, enjoying success with Viareggio in the 1998–99 campaign, where he scored 12 goals in 25 games for the Tuscan side. Upon his return to his parent club, Di Natale finally made his breakthrough into the first team squad and established himself as an integral member of the side. He netted six times in 25 appearances for Empoli during the 1999–2000 campaign, as Empoli finished in ninth place in Serie B.

Empoli won promotion to the Serie A in 2002, finishing in fourth place on 67 points.[16] They finished with 60 goals, the largest tally in the competition, and Di Natale finished as the club's top goalscorer with 16 league goals. In Empoli's first season back in the topflight, Di Natale helped the club fight off relegation by netting 13 times in the league.[17] This included a hat-trick in Empoli's 4–2 defeat of Reggina on 17 November 2002.[18] Following two seasons in the Serie A, Empoli were relegated back to the Serie B at the end of the 2003–04 campaign.[19]

Udinese

Di Natale training with Udinese.

After Empoli were relegated, Di Natale joined Udinese for the 2004–05 Serie A season, along with Manuel Belleri and Emílson Cribari. In Udine, Di Natale partnered with Vincenzo Iaquinta and David Di Michele in attack, and the Friulian club finished fourth place at the end of the season and qualified for the Champions League for the following year.[20] In his debut season with Udinese, Di Natale played 33 games and scored seven goals.

He scored a brilliant lob in the fifth minute and a terrific volley in the 63rd with his "weaker" left foot. Forming a formidable attacking duo with Fabio Quagliarella, Di Natale improved his goal tally, becoming the focal point of the attack. In 2007, he was named captain of Udinese and his contract was extended to 30 June 2012.[21][22]

Di Natale playing for Udinese in 2011

May 2010 saw the conclusion of Di Natale's best-ever season, scoring 29 goals in Serie A, and contributing 54% of Udinese's total goals.[23] He also surpassed Oliver Bierhoff's club record for most league goals in a season, who had scored 28. A brace against Bari on 9 May 2010 saw Di Natale surpass the 100 goal mark in Serie A. For his performances, Di Natale was voted Italian Footballer of the Year and finished as the top scorer in Serie A. He also received the Serie A Fair Play award for interrupting play in a match while Lazio's Libor Kozák was injured, with Udinese down 3–2 late in the game.[24] The 2009–10 season saw Di Natale finish as runner-up for the European Golden Shoe with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba on 29 goals,[25] five behind FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.[26]

On 14 November 2010, Di Natale scored a hat-trick during a match against Lecce[27] and on 28 November, he scored a second consecutive home hat-trick during a match against hometown club Napoli.[28] On 8 May 2011, Di Natale struck two first half goals to give Udinese a 2–1 victory over Lazio and into fourth place with two games remaining to play.[29] Despite Di Natale missing a late penalty, with a 0–0 draw against champions Milan on the final day, Udinese secured fourth place and a spot in the playoff round of the Champions League.[30] During the 2010–11 season, Di Natale had the best strike rate of any player in Italy, scoring 28 goals in 36 games with a strike rate of 0.78 goals per game. This was also the third best strike rate in Europe, behind Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barça's Lionel Messi.[31]

On 23 October 2011, Di Natale netted a brace in a 3–0 defeat of Novara, which sent Udinese to the top of the Serie A standings.[32] On 13 May 2012, Di Natale opened the scoring against Catania on the final matchday of the Serie A season and Diego Fabbrini added a second-half strike to secure four straight Serie A victories and ensure Udinese a place in next season's Champions League qualifying round.[33] On 4 July 2012 he signed a new 2-year contract with the club.[34]

Di Natale's first goal of the 2012–13 season came on 16 September 2012 when he scored Udinese's second goal within five minutes of the start of the game, but a red card to Andrea Lazzari and two lates goals from Siena condemned Udinese to a 2–2 draw.[35] On 6 January 2013, Di Natale notched a brace as Udinese downed 10-man Internazionale 3–0, lifting Udinese to eighth in the table.[36] In Udinese's next league match, on 13 January, Di Natale scored two more goals as his side defeated Fiorentina 3–1 to extend their streak of five unbeaten Serie A matches.[37] Di Natale scored his 150th Serie A goal for Udinese on 3 March, converting from close range after a cross from Luis Muriel, securing a 0–1 victory at Pescara.[38]

His last goal of the 2012–13 campaign came on the final matchday, on 19 May 2013, scoring Udinese's winning goal in a 5–2 thrashing of Internazionale, confirming the club's place in the UEFA Europa League for the following season.[39]

After Udinese's 3–1 loss to Hellas Verona on January 6, 2014, Di Natale told Sky Sports Italia he would retire at the end of the 2013–14 season. "I have already decided, in June I'll stop playing football. It's already established."[40]

On 8 March 2014, Di Natale scored his 185th Serie A goal, the winning strike in Udinese's 1–0 victory over Milan, to overtake Gabriel Batistuta on the all-time Serie A scoring charts.[41] He ended the 2013–14 season with 17 goals, making him the fourth-top goalscorer in Serie A at the age of 36.[42] On 30 May 2014, he decided not to retire.

Before the 2013–14 season Di Natale was offered a contract with an annual salary of €10 million by Guangzhou Evergrande, however, he declined it and chose to stay in Udinese.[43] Di Natale scored four goals in a 5–1 win over Ternana in the third round of the Coppa Italia on 23 August 2014.[44] On the 31 August in Udinese's opening Serie A match of the 2014-15 season, Di Natale scored two second half goals in a home win over newly promoted Empoli.[45] On 23 November 2014, Di Natale scored his 200th goal in his 400th appearance in Serie A.[46]

On February 2, 2015, Di Natale was offered an $8 million contract by a yet unnamed team in the MLS. Di Natale has been linked to MLS expansion club New York City FC.[47] On 28 April, Di Natale scored his 205th goal in Serie A, matching Italian legend Roberto Baggio as the sixth highest goalscorer in Serie A history, at the age of 37;[48] this was also his 700th career appearance.[49]

International career

Di Natale made his debut with the Italian national team on 20 November 2002, under manager Giovanni Trapattoni, in a friendly match against Turkey.[7] He won few caps in later years, scoring his first goal on 18 February 2004 in a friendly match against the Czech Republic, a game which ended in a 2–2 draw.[50]

Euro 2008

In 2006, Di Natale regained a spot with the Azzurri under new coach Roberto Donadoni and was involved in the Euro 2008 qualification campaign. He was then called up to UEFA Euro 2008, where he missed a crucial penalty during the quarter-final penalty shoot-out against Spain, who went on to win 4–2 on penalties and later the entire tournament.[51] He missed the 2009 Confederations Cup because of a knee injury, which occurred on 28 March 2009 in an international match against Montenegro.[52]

Di Natale (right) playing for Italy during the UEFA Euro 2012 Final.

2010 World Cup

Di Natale took part at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, under manager Marcello Lippi, where he was given the number 10 shirt. Italy was placed into Group F at the finals, drawing their first two group games by a score of 1–1 to Paraguay and New Zealand, respectively. In their final group game on 24 June 2010, he scored a goal in the 3–2 defeat against Slovakia, which resulted in Italy finishing bottom of its group.[53]

Euro 2012

In 2012, Di Natale was included in the Italy squad for UEFA Euro 2012, under manager Cesare Prandelli, and after coming on as a substitute in the first match against Spain, he scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw, shooting right-footed past Iker Casillas after a pass from Andrea Pirlo.[54] It was the only goal that Spain conceded during the whole tournament. Italy reached the final of the tournament on 1 July at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, when they lost to Spain 4–0.[55]

Following the tournament, Di Natale retired from international football with 11 goals scored from 42 games for the Azzurri.[56][57]

International goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.[58]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 18 February 2004 Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo  Czech Republic 2–1 2–2 Friendly
2. 15 November 2006 Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo  Turkey 1–0 1–1 Friendly
3. 22 August 2007 Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest  Hungary 1–0 1–3 Friendly
4. 12 September 2007 Olympic Stadium, Kiev  Ukraine 1–0 2–1 Euro 2008 qualifier
5. 2–1
6. 30 May 2008 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence  Belgium 1–0 3–1 Friendly
7. 2–0
8. 6 September 2008 Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca  Cyprus 1–0 2–1 2010 World Cup qualifier
9. 2–1
10. 24 June 2010 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  Slovakia 1–2 2–3 2010 World Cup
11. 10 June 2012 PGE Arena Gdańsk, Gdańsk  Spain 1–0 1–1 Euro 2012

Career statistics

As of 28 April 2015
Club Season League Cup[59] Europe[60] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Empoli 1996–97 10000010
Total 10000010
Iperzola (loan) 1997–98 3360000336
Total 3360000336
Varese (loan) 1998 40000040
Total 40000040
Viareggio (loan) 1998–99 251200002512
Total 251200002512
Empoli 1999–2000 2565100307
2000–01 35931003810
2001–02 381642004218
2002–03 271351003214
2003–04 3352100356
Total 158491960017755
Udinese 2004–05 33754204011
2005–06 358331044815
2006–07 311122––3313
2007–08 361711––3718
2008–09 221211733016
2009–10 352930––3829
2010–11 362810––3728
2011–12 362311654329
2012–13 332310834226
2013–14 321721423820
2014–15 301214––3116
Total 35918721173717417221
Career total 58025440233717657294

Honours

International

Italy

Individual

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 – List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Tris Di Natale, bis Matri - La Lazio pareggia in casa". www.gazzetta.it. La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Clegg, Jonathan. "A Striker From the Shadows". www.wsj.com. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Udinese, Di Natale nella storia: fa 200 reti in Serie A". http://www.gazzetta.it'' (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 23 November 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Cosimo Cito (23 November 2014). "Di Natale nell'olimpo dei bomber: duecento gol in serie A". http://www.repubblica.it'' (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Gianluca Minchiotti (7 November 2013). "Le Classifiche di CM: i dieci più grandi attaccanti del calcio italiano". http://www.calciomercato.com'' (in Italian). Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Antonio Di Natale". http://it.uefa.com'' (in Italian). 4 June 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Italy – Serie A Top Scorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Di Natale punta i 300 gol in carriera: è a 293 dopo la quaterna in Coppa Italia". http://tribunasportiva.blogspot.it'' (in Italian). 26 August 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Clegg, Jonathan. "A Striker From the Shadows". www.wsj.com. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Calcio, Di Natale non si ritira e resta a Udine". https://it.eurosport.yahoo.com''. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Prandelli lauds Di Natale impact". FIFA. Agence France-Presse. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  13. ↑ "I baby vip azzurri!" (in Italian). Leiweb. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  14. ↑ "Di Natale: 'Juve? No, grazie'". Calcio Mercato. 26 May 2012.
  15. ↑ "Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale to look after disabled sister of Piermario Morosini following player's death". Telegraph. 16 April 2012.
  16. ↑ "Serie B TIM 2001–02". Lega Serie B. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "Serie A TIM 2002–03". Lega Serie A. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  18. ↑ "Empoli 4–2 Reggina". ESPNFC. 17 November 2002.
  19. ↑ "Serie A TIM 2003–04". Lega Serie A. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "Serie A 2004–05". Lega Serie A. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Graeme Bailey (29 July 2007). "Di Natale signs on". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  22. ↑ "CALCIO, UDINESE: IN QUATTRO RINNOVANO FINO AL 2012". la Repubblica (in Italian). 12 October 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  23. ↑ "Serie A Statistics 2010 Season". WhoScored.com.
  24. ↑ Udinese.it – Antonio Di Natale awarded Best Italian Player 2009/2010
  25. ↑ "Golden Boot ("Soulier d'Or") Awards". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  26. ↑ "European Golden Shoe". European Sports Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  27. ↑ "Di Natale treble downs Lecce". FIFA. 14 November 2010.
  28. ↑ "Serie A Round-Up: Antonio Di Natale Bags A Hat-Trick To Take Down Napoli". Goal. 28 November 2010.
  29. ↑ "Di Natale at the double". ESPNFC. 8 May 2011.
  30. ↑ "Udinese 0–0 AC Milan". ESPNFC. 22 May 2010.
  31. ↑ "The Golden Shoe and Espadrille". Soccer AM. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  32. ↑ "Udinese 3–0 Novara". ESPNFC. 23 October 2011.
  33. ↑ "Catania 0–2 Udinese". ESPNFC. 13 May 2012.
  34. ↑ "Eterno Capitano bianconero: Di Natale rinnova fino al 2014!" (in Italian). Udinese Calcio. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  35. ↑ "Siena 2–2 Udinese". ESPNFC. 16 September 2012.
  36. ↑ "Di Natale downs 10-man Inter". ESPNFC. 6 January 2013.
  37. ↑ "Serie A Round 20 Results: Lazio & Napoli keep up pressure as Roma & Fiorentina suffer away-day misery". Goal. 13 January 2013.
  38. ↑ "US Pescara 0-1 Udinese". ESPNFC. 3 March 2013.
  39. ↑ "Inter slump yet further". ESPNFC. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  40. ↑ "Di Natale announces his retirement from football". Goal.com. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  41. ↑ "Di Natale heaps further misery on Milan". UEFA. 8 March 2014.
  42. ↑ "Antonio Di Natale set for retirement u-turn". AllSports. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  43. ↑ http://www.football-italia.net/52335/di-natale-rejected-%E2%82%AC10m-wages
  44. ↑ "Coppa Italia, Lazio a valanga. Udinese, Di Natale show" [Coppa Italia, Lazio avalanche. Udinese, the Di Natale show]. Sky Italia (in Italian). 24 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  45. ↑ "Serie A: Udinese win 2-0 at home to Empoli". Sky Sports. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  46. ↑ "Di Natale hits magic 200-goal mark". FIFA.com. 23 November 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  47. ↑ MLS club makes huge offer to DiNatale - gianlucadimarzio.com
  48. ↑ "Di Natale matches Baggio with 205th goal; Carpi promoted". http://www.washingtontimes.com''. The Washington Times. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  49. ↑ Monica Tosolini (27 April 2015). "Di Natale fa anche 700". http://www.udineseblog.it'' (in Italian). Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  50. ↑ "ITALY 2 – 2 CZECH REPUBLIC". SoccerWay. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  51. ↑ "Casillas' saves put Spain in semis". UEFA. 22 June 2008.
  52. ↑ "Antonio DI NATALE". FIFA. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  53. ↑ "World Cup 2010: Italy exit as Slovakia turf out reigning champions". The Guardian. 24 June 2010.
  54. ↑ "Spain 1–1 Italy". BBC Sport. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  55. ↑ "Spain 4 Italy 0: Silva, Alba, Torres and Mata the heroes as La Roja create history in Kiev". Daily Mail. 1 July 2012.
  56. ↑ "Di Natale: "I did think about retiring I'm not going to Euro 2012 to be on holiday"". La Gazzetta dello Sport. 22 May 2012.
  57. ↑ "Nazionale in cifre: Di Natale, Antonio". http://www.figc.it'' (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  58. ↑ "Antonio Di Natale – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  59. ↑ Includes Coppa Italia
  60. ↑ Counts for appearances and goals at the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup. Including qualifying games.
  61. ↑ "PALLONE D'ARGENTO A EL SHAARAWY: L'ALBO D'ORO". http://www.acmilan.com'' (in Italian). 12 May 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  62. ↑ "In Villa Ghirlanda è stato presentato il “Memorial Scirea 2011”". Retrieved 21 January 2015.

External links