Ignazio Abate

Ignazio Abate

Abate with Milan in 2012
Personal information
Full nameIgnazio Abate
Date of birth12 November 1986
Place of birthSant'Agata de' Goti, Italy
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionRight back
Club information
Current team
Milan
Number20
Youth career
Rescaldina
1999–2004Milan
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2003–Milan150(1)
2004–2005→ Napoli (loan)29(2)
2005–2006→ Piacenza (loan)13(0)
2006–2007→ Modena (loan)38(1)
2007–2008→ Empoli (loan)24(1)
2008–2009→ Torino (loan)25(1)
National team‡
2004Italy U183(0)
2005Italy U192(1)
2005–2006Italy U206(0)
2006–2009Italy U2110(1)
2008Olympic Italy8(1)
2011–Italy22(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 March 2015

Ignazio Abate (Italian pronunciation: [iɲˈɲattsjo aˈbate]; born 12 November 1986) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a fullback for Milan in Serie A. He is renowned for his quick sprints down the right wing as well as being one of the fastest players in the top leagues of European football.

Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999. From 2004 to 2009 he spends his five years in various loan spells with several Italian clubs, before going back to Milan. He had an important role when Milan won their 18th Scudetto in 2011.

Abate has represented the Italy national team and Italy U21 national team, and also played for the Italy U19 national team and Italy U20 national team. Prior to starring for the senior team, he represented his country in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2009 European U-21 Championship. He made his senior international debut in November 2011, in a friendly match against Poland and since then has represented the country in UEFA Euro 2012. Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal against Germany in November 2013.

Early years

Abate was born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, the son of former Italian goalkeeper Beniamino Abate.[1]

Club career

Early career

Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999.[2] During the 2003–04 season, he made his professional debut, playing in a Coppa Italia game against Sampdoria on 3 December. He also made his debut in European competitions, in a Champions League group-stage game versus Celta Vigo on 9 December.[3] In that match he set the record as the youngest Milan player to ever play in the UEFA Champions League, at 17 years and 27 days.[4]

Various loan spells (2004–2007)

For the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to Napoli in Serie C1, where he made 29 appearances and scored 2 goals.[3] In the summer of 2005 he had been set to spend the following season on loan to Serie A side Sampdoria.[5] However, prior to the actual start of the competitions, he was called back and loaned to Piacenza instead, though he only made 13 appearances in his first Serie B season.[3] The following one was more successful for the young winger, who made 38 appearances during his loan spell at Modena.[3]

Serie A debut (2007–2009)

In the 2007–08 season Abate eventually made his Serie A debut, after being acquired by Empoli in a co-ownership deal, for €900,000.[6][7] That year, he also scored his first goal in Serie A, in a match against Genoa, on 27 April 2008.[8] Following Empoli's relegation, Milan fully purchased him for €2 million as well as Luca Antonini for €2.75M (and sold Nicola Pozzi and Lino Marzoratti for €4.75M total fee)[9][10] only to send him to Torino in another co-ownership deal, for €2 million.[11][12] Despite an early injury, he had a good season, appearing in 25 games and scoring 1 goal.[3]

Back to Milan

Abate playing for AC Milan against Arsenal.

On 24 June 2009, Milan reclaimed Abate for €2.55 million[13] and this time he was included in the team roster for the upcoming 2009–10 season.[14] After serving mainly as a reserve midfielder in the first few games, he later started to be employed as the regular right back by Milan head coach, Leonardo.[1] Due to his good performances, on 11 February 2010 he was offered and signed an extension to his contract until 2014.[15][16]

New coach Allegri kept him in the same position for the 2010–11 season. His dribbling skills and speed in the right wing allowed him to out run opponent defenders, his crossing into the center also result in goals regularly. His solid defense has also lent a hand in winning Milan their 18th Scudetto and the Super Coppa Italiana.

International career

Abate (left) in action for Italy against England in the quarter-final of UEFA Euro 2012

After playing at various levels of youth international football, Abate made his U–21 debut with Italy in a friendly against Luxembourg, coming off the bench during the second half, on 12 December 2006.[17]

With the Olympic national team coached by Casiraghi, he won the 2008 Toulon Tournament, in which he played four games and scored a goal against the United States.[18] He also took part in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[19]

He then participated in the 2009 European U-21 Championship held in Sweden, making two appearances.[20]

Abate was a member of the Italian squad for UEFA Euro 2012.[21]

He was part of Italy's 23 man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, featuring in 1 match.

Abate warming up with AC Milan.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 13 January 2015.[22]
Club statistics
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AC Milan 2003–04 Serie A 00101[lower-alpha 1]0—20
2009–10 Serie A 300105[lower-alpha 1]0—360
2010–11 Serie A 290206[lower-alpha 1]0—370
2011–12 Serie A 290208[lower-alpha 1]01[lower-alpha 2]0400
2012–13 Serie A 270204[lower-alpha 1]0—330
2013–14 Serie A 191108[lower-alpha 1]0—281
2014–15 Serie A 12010—130
Total 1461100320101891
Napoli (loan) 2004–05 Serie C1 33200——332
Total 33200——332
Piacenz (loan) 2005–06 Serie B 13000——130
Total 13000——130
Modena (loan) 2006–07 Serie B 38130——411
Total 38130——411
Empoli (loan) 2007–08 Serie A 241212[lower-alpha 3]0—282
Total 2412120—282
Torino (loan) 2008–09 Serie A 25120——271
Total 25120——271
Career total 2796171340103317
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ↑ Appearance in Italian Supercup
  3. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of 31 March 2015[23]
Italy
YearAppsGoals
201110
201260
2013101
201440
201510
Total221

International goals

Scores and results table. Italy's goal tally first:
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 November 2013 San Siro, Milan, Italy  Germany 1–1 1–1 Friendly

Personal life

Abate and his wife Valentina[24] have a son, Matteo (born 19 November 2011).[25]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alessandra Bocci (22 September 2009). "Fedeltà Abate "Niente estero io studio qui"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "Seconda Squadra 2003/2004". acmilan.com (in Italian). Associazione Calcio Milan. Archived from the original on 9 October 2003. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "A.C. Milan – Ignazio Abate". acmilan.com. Associazione Calcio Milan. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Milan youngster set for record books". Football Italia. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Abate per la Samp". uefa.com (in Italian) (Union of European Football Associations). 20 July 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  6. ↑ AC Milan Spa 2007 Annual Report (Italian)
  7. ↑ "Empoli raid Rossoneri for trio". uefa.com (Union of European Football Associations). 28 June 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  8. ↑ "Genoa vs. Empoli – 27 April 2008". soccerway.com. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  9. ↑ Empoli FC SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2008 (Italian), PDF purchased from Italian CCIAA
  10. ↑ "A.C. Milan official announcement". acmilan.com (Associazione Calcio Milan). 16 June 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  11. ↑ AC Milan Spa 2008 Annual Report (Italian)
  12. ↑ "Torino sign Abate". worldsoccer.com. 24 July 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  13. ↑ "AC Milan Group 2009 Annual Report" (PDF). AC Milan (in Italian). ca. April 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ↑ "A.C. Milan official note". acmilan.com. Associazione Calcio Milan. 24 June 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  15. ↑ "A.C. Milan official note". acmilan.com (Associazione Calcio Milan). 11 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  16. ↑ "Abate and Antonini commit to Milan". uefa.com (Union of European Football Associations). 11 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  17. ↑ "Italia – Lussemburgo". figc.com (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  18. ↑ "U-21 Italy – U-21 USA 2:0". footiemag.com (in German). 25 May 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  19. ↑ "Italy – Squad list". fifa.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "Italy – Italy Under 21". soccerway.com. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "Ranocchia and Destro miss Italy cut". uefa.com. Union of European Football Associations. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  22. ↑ "Ignazio Abate". AC Milan. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "Abate, Ignazio". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  24. ↑ "Ignazio Abate, amore a Formentera". vanityfair.it (in Italian). Vanity Fair. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  25. ↑ Lorenzo Turati (21 November 2011). "Abate, la maturità e... Matteo!". spaziomilan.it (in Italian). Retrieved 25 August 2012.

External links