Francesco Toldo

"Toldo" redirects here. For the Indonesian footballer, see Fauzi Toldo.
Francesco Toldo

Toldo with Internazionale in 2009
Personal information
Full nameFrancesco Toldo
Date of birth2 December 1971
Place of birthPadua, Italy
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Youth career
1983–1985USMA Caselle
1985–1987Montebelluna
1987–1990Milan
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1990–1993Milan0(0)
1990–1991→ Verona (loan)0(0)
1991–1992→ Trento (loan)38(0)
1992–1993→ Ravenna (loan)31(0)
1993–2001Fiorentina266(0)
2001–2010Internazionale148(1)
Total483(1)
National team
1993–1994Italy U218(0)
1995–2004Italy28(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Francesco Toldo (born 2 December 1971) is an Italian retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

In a professional career which spanned two full decades, he mainly represented Fiorentina and Internazionale (eight and nine seasons respectively), winning a total of 15 titles combined – in his last five years, however, he was solely a backup for the Nerazzurri.

For Italy, Toldo appeared in five international competitions, being a starter in Euro 2000. A large, strong, and imposing keeper, who was also agile, consistent, and reactive, Toldo is regarded by pundits as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation.[1]

Club career

Born in Padua, Veneto, Toldo started his career with A.C. Milan. He never played a game with the club however, being loaned during his link, successively to Hellas Verona FC, Trentino Calcio 1921 and Ravenna Calcio.

Toldo then joined AC Fiorentina, and became the Viola club's starter for eight seasons, winning the Coppa Italia twice, the Supercoppa Italiana, and playing in one edition of the UEFA Champions League. In 2000, Toldo was named the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for his performances. One year before Fiorentina faced bankruptcy, in 2001, Toldo transferred to F.C. Internazionale Milano.[2] Fiorentina also announced that Toldo and Rui Costa were sold to Parma AC for a combined 140 billion lire in June 2001,[3] however both players refused to join.[4] Eventually Toldo joined Inter, Gianluigi Buffon joined Juventus from Parma; Edwin van der Sar to Fulham from Juventus and Parma signed a replacement goalkeeper from Inter: Sébastien Frey.

During his first season with the Inter, Toldo performed at a high level, reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, and narrowly missing out on the Serie A title on the final match-day as Inter threw away their lead by losing to Lazio, eventually finishing in third place behind Juventus and Roma. Due to his consistency with Inter, Toldo soon became a fan favourite and was noted for his passionate performances. He was praised particularly for his saves against Valencia in the Champions League, leading football pundits to nickname the Madrigal stadium "La Plaza de Toldo". During the match, Toldo was seen choking teammate Di Biagio after an argument on the pitch. Toldo helped Inter reach the semi-finals of the Champions League that season, losing out to the eventual champions and inter-city rivals Milan on away goals. Another great memory for Inter fans was his equalising goal in the last minute against Juventus in the 2002-03 season. The game finished 1-1 but Toldo was the hero of the day, although Inter would ultimately finish runners-up to Juventus in Serie A that season. During the 2004-05 season, Toldo helped Inter win the Coppa Italia, and he also reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League, losing out to Milan once again. He followed up this victory with another Supercoppa Italiana title in 2005. Toldo was the number one keeper for Inter until the summer of 2005, when Brazilian Júlio César relegated him to the bench after he had elected to sit out Inter's summer friendly match tour of England.

Toldo practicing with Internazionale

Toldo briefly regained first-choice status in February 2006, following his signing of a contract extension (until June 2009[5]) and a slip in form by César, not before rumours linked him both to U.S. Città di Palermo, Milan and Fiorentina. Toldo still contributed 9 appearances for Inter in Serie A during the 2005-06 season, where Inter were awarded the title following Juventus's and Milan's involvement in the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, also helping Inter to win another Coppa Italia, as well as the 2006 Supercoppa Italiana. He also made 6 Serie A appearances in Inter's Serie A title win during the 2006-07 season. Toldo made 8 appearances across all competitions during the 2007-08 season, 3 of which were in Serie A, and the other 5 coming in the Coppa Italia, where Inter reached the final. Inter won the scudetto that season for the third successive time.

In April 2009, the 37-year-old, still backing up César, signed a further two-year extension to his link, taking it to the summer of 2011.[6][7] Toldo made 7 appearances across all competitions during the 2008-09 season, making 3 appearances in Serie A, 3 in the Coppa Italia, and 1 in the Champions League, as Inter won their fourth consecutive Serie A title that year.

In June 2010 it was reported that Toldo would retire from football after winning a Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League treble during the 2009-10 season,[8] since the club had also signed a new backup keeper, Luca Castellazzi. It was formally announced on 7 July, via Inter Channel, the official club channel.[9]

International career

At Under-21 level level, Toldo made 8 appearances for Italy between 1993 and 1994; he was notably a member of the side that won the 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, making a crucial save in the semi-final shoot-out against hosts France.[10]

Toldo was capped 28 times for Italy. His debut came on 8 October 1995, replacing Gianfranco Zola after the ejection of Luca Bucci in a 1–1 draw in Croatia for the UEFA Euro 1996 qualifiers. He was picked up for the finals in England, as a reserve.

Despite facing competition from high profile keepers such as Gianluca Pagliuca, Angelo Peruzzi, Christian Abbiati, Luca Marchegiani, Ivan Pelizzoli, Francesco Antonioli, and in particular Gianluigi Buffon, Toldo was chosen to start in Euro 2000, as Buffon broke his hand in a friendly match against Norway just eight days before the tournament started.

He helped his country to finish runner-up at Euro 2000 behind the World Champions France, keeping three clean sheets, and saving one penalty during the semi-final against hosts Netherlands, and adding two more penalty saves in the successful shootout. Toldo was named as part of the Team of the Tournament for his performances, also earning the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Award. Following his successful European Championship campaign, Toldo retained the number 1 Italy goalkeeping spot throughout the first half of Italy's 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, although Buffon was ultimately named Italy's starting goalkeeper for the 2002 World Cup.

Additionally, Toldo was an unused reserve in Italy's 1998 FIFA World Cup, 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 squads, after which he announced his retirement from international football in 2004.

Honours

Club

Fiorentina
Inter

International

Italy
Italy Under-21

Individual

Orders

5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2000[11]

Statistics

Club

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1990/91VeronaSerie B0000-00
1991/92TrentoSerie C238000-380
1992/93RavennaSerie C131000-310
1993/94FiorentinaSerie B33050-380
1994/95Serie A34050-390
1995/9634080-420
1996/973203080430
1997/9834030-370
1998/9933010030460
1999/0034030130500
2000/013206020400
2001/02InterSerie A3301090430
2002/0332110180511
2003/0432020110450
2004/053002070390
2005/06905050190
2006/07609020170
2007/0830500080
2008/0930301070
2009/1000300030
Country Italy 48317407906361
Total 48317407906361

International

[12]

Italy national team
YearAppsGoals
199510
199650
199700
199800
199900
2000110
200120
200240
200340
200410
Total280

References

  1. ↑ "TOP 20: I più grandi portieri interisti". Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "REACHED AN AGREEMENT FOR TOLDO: HE IS INTER'S". FC Internazionale Milano. 5 July 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "Toldo e Rui Costa al Parma Buffon a un passo dalla Juve". la Repubblica (in Italian). 29 June 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "Fiorentina duo reject Parma move". BBC Sport. 30 June 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "Toldo with Inter until 2009". Inter Milan. 20 February 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Inter 'keeper Toldo signs two-year extension". ESPNsoccernet. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  7. ↑ "Toldo with Inter until 2011". Inter Milan. 2 March 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Taidelli, Luca (18 June 2010). "Toldo si ritira: resta in società" [Toldo retires: will stay with team] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "Toldo: "I have decided to hang up my boots"". Inter Milan. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Un sinistro di Orlandini regala all'Italia il secondo titolo consecutivo". http://www.figc.it/''. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "ONORIFICENZE". http://www.quirinale.it'' (in Italian). 12 July 2000. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  12. ↑ Francesco Toldo - International Appearances; at RSSSF

External links

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