Mauro Camoranesi

Mauro Camoranesi

Camoranesi in 2010
Personal information
Full nameMauro Germán Camoranesi[1]
Date of birth4 October 1976
Place of birthTandil, Argentina
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing positionWinger
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1995–1996Aldosivi31(0)
1996Santos Laguna13(1)
1997Wanderers6(1)
1997–1998Banfield38(16)
1998–2000Cruz Azul75(21)
2000–2002Verona54(7)
2002–2010Juventus224(27)
2010–2011VfB Stuttgart7(1)
2011–2012Lanús35(0)
2012–2014Racing Club39(3)
Total522(77)
National team‡
2003–2010Italy55(5)
Teams managed
2015–Coras de Tepic
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:06, 27 July 2011 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 June 2010

Mauro Germán Camoranesi (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmauɾo kamoɾaˈnesi], Italian pronunciation: [ˈmauro kamoraˈneːsi]; born 4 October 1976 in Tandil, Argentina) is a former Italian Argentine footballer. Camoranesi was a midfielder, who usually deployed on the right wing, or on occasion as a central or attacking midfielder behind the strikers.[2] He was a quick, energetic, and technically gifted player, with excellent ball control, who excelled at dribbling and beating players in one on one situations.[2] He was also gifted with good vision, crossing and passing ability, which allowed him to create chances for his team mates.[3] In addition to these characteristics, he also had an accurate and powerful shot.[3] He has been criticised for his aggression and lack of discipline at times, which caused him to pick up unnecessary bookings.[3]

Camoranesi was part of Italy's winning squad at the 2006 World Cup.

Club career

Early career

Camoranesi had always been a big fan of the Argentinian club River Plate growing up, but as a youngster, he played in the squad of Club Atlético Aldosivi. Aldosivi is situated in Mar del Plata just 100 miles away from Camoranesi's birthplace of Tandil. However, he moved to Mexico to begin his professional playing career at Santos Laguna during the 1995–96 season and scored one goal in 13 games for the team; Santos Laguna fans nicknamed him "El Cholo".

Banfield

More travels came for the young Argentine the following year, as he moved to Uruguayan club Montevideo Wanderers briefly, before returning to his homeland to play for Banfield, solidifying himself as an impressive attacking right midfielder, while playing 38 games with 16 goals.

Cruz Azul

The following season, Camoranesi moved once again, this time back to Mexico and club Cruz Azul, where he played from 1998 to 2000, making over 60 appearances and scoring 20 goals.

Verona

He caught the attention of Italian Serie A side Verona by scoring 21 goals in 79 games with Cruz Azul, an impressive achievement for a midfielder. He moved to Italy in 2000, signing with Verona where he played for two years.

Juventus

Camoranesi wearing Juventus' shirt in 2008

In 2002, Camoranesi was signed on a co-ownership deal; initially Juventus agreed a price of €1[4] in cash plus player deal (which Max Vieri was sold for €517,000 (or 1 billion lire) plus €2.324 million cash (or 4.5 billion lire cash)) On 26 June 2003, he was signed outright by the Bianconeri on a permanent basis for an additional fee of €5 million; this was the same day Juventus signed Marco Di Vaio in similar deal.

Camoranesi won Serie A in 2002–03, and Italian Super Cups in 2002 and 2003. Camoranesi was also a Serie A champion with Juve in 2004–05 and 2005–06, but Juventus were stripped of both of those titles as another result of the 2006 Italian football scandal.

Despite his agent Sergio Fortunato linking the player to clubs such as Lyon, Valencia, and Liverpool over the summer of 2006, following Juventus's relegation, Camoranesi made an announcement himself in September, pledging loyalty to Juventus "In January, I will not ask to be sold; I'm happy to stay here.",[5] he stated.

Camoranesi contributed to a number of notable goals when Juventus played in Serie B after the relegation. Against Lecce in April 2007, he performed an impressive piece of skill similar to a Cruyff turn, turning the ball through a defender's legs on the wing, before retrieving it to help set up Juventus's first goal of the match. Later in the match, he scored his side's third; Camoranesi took the ball past three Lecce defenders, before hitting the ball from the edge of the box, with his left foot into the top corner.[6] Just days before he had scored a header in the 2–0 victory against close title contenders Napoli. His original shirt number was 16, but was changed to 8 for the 2007–08 season. He changed back to number 16 from 8 after just one season. Despite suffering several injuries during the 2007–08 season, he was a very important and influential player in Juventus' return season. He also won the award Guerin d'Oro in this Season.

Camoranesi had an impressive pre-season before the up-and-coming 2008–09 Serie A season. After struggling in the first few games in the start of Serie A season 2009–10, Camoranesi came back strongly and proved to be one of Juventus' most important players. He managed to get his name on ths scoresheet too, scoring the solitary goal against Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League, as well as a brace in a 5–2 win over Atalanta.

Stuttgart

On 31 August 2010, Camoranesi signed a one-year contract with Stuttgart as a free agent.[7] His contract with Juventus was mutually terminated on the same day.[8] On 26 January 2011, his contract with Stuttgart was mutually terminated, with Camoranesi admitting that he "just didn't fit in the club sporting wise, although he liked the team, the people and the city." He expressed a desire to continue his career in Argentina.[9]

Lanús

On 2 February 2011, Camoranesi signed a two-year contract with Lanús with the option to coach youth players if he decides to retire.[10] In October 2011, Camoranesi made headlines for kicking an opponent in the head. In a match against Racing Club, Camoranesi fouled Patricio Toranzo and was shown a red card by the referee. Instead of walking off, Camoranesi ran back and kicked Toranzo in the head while Toranzo was still lying on the ground. Toranzo later commented that Camoranesi is "not much of a man, just a coward" and suggested Camoranesi would need to see a psychiatrist for his violent behaviour. Camoranesi faces a long ban from football for this incident.

Racing Club

On 20 July 2012, Camoranesi signed in for Argentine side Racing Club from Avellaneda. On 13 June 2013, He announced that he would retire from football at the end of the season in June, although rumours have circulated he could be close to joining Leicester to link up with argentine midefield Esteban Cambiasso [11] [12][13] On 16 March 2014, Mauro was subbed on in the 68th minute for teammate Rodrigo De Paul, his side lost 0-2 away to Newell's Old Boys, a club which saw former Juventus F.C. teammate David Trezeguet score the second goal of the game in the 83rd minute. This turned out to be Camoranesi's last game in his career.

International career

Camoranesi was eligible for Italian citizenship through a great-grandfather who in 1873 emigrated from Potenza Picena, in Italy's Marche region, to Argentina.[14] His dual citizenship made him eligible to play for either Argentina or Italy, but the Azzurri showed interest in him first and, on 12 February 2003, he made his international debut in a friendly match against Portugal, which Italy won 1–0, under former coach Giovanni Trapattoni. Camoranesi played for Italy at UEFA Euro 2004 and was also part of Marcello Lippi's Italy team which won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He has been capped 55 times by Italy and has scored five goals, the first of which came in Italy's 2006 World Cup qualifier away to Belarus on 7 September 2005, which the Italians won 4–1.

During the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, he admitted the reason for not singing Italy's national anthem before their matches was because he did not know the words,[15] although he could be seen singing (at least a part of) the anthem during the World Cup celebrations in Circus Maximus on 10 July 2006. Camoranesi was not the first Juventus player born in Argentina to play for Italy; Omar Sivori played for the azzurri, as well as Luis Monti and Raimundo Orsi who also won the World Cup while playing for Juventus.

At the end of the final match in Germany's World Cup, in which Italy defeated France on penalties, Camoranesi had teammate Massimo Oddo chop off a large chunk of his long hair as the rest of the squad danced around them in a circle. Camoranesi then went up to the camera and dedicated the triumph by saying in Spanish: "Para los pibes del barrio..."

Camoranesi commented in an interview in regards to the World Cup victory: "I feel Argentine but I have defended the colors of Italy, which is in my blood, with dignity. That is something nobody can take away."[16]

He was successively called up to Italy's squads for UEFA Euro 2008 and 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He also took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, his last experience with the Italian national team.

Club career statistics

[17]

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Argentina League Cup South America Total
1994–95AldosiviPrimera B Nacional310310
Mexico League Cup North America Total
1995–96Santos LagunaPrimera División131131
Uruguay League Cup South America Total
1997Montevideo WanderersPrimera División6161
Argentina League Cup South America Total
1997–98BanfieldPrimera B Nacional38163816
Mexico League Cup North America Total
1998–99Cruz AzulPrimera División39113911
1999–0036103610
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
2000–01Hellas VeronaSerie A22410-234
2001–0229310-303
2002–03Juventus30410131445
2003–042635140354
2004–053641091465
2005–063430090433
2006–07Serie B33420-354
2007–08Serie A22510-232
2008–091911061262
2009–102430091334
Germany League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
2010–11StuttgartBundesliga700060130
Argentina League Cup South America Total
2011LanúsPrimera División17020190
2011–1215031181
Country Mexico 88228822
Uruguay 6161
Argentina 7016517517
Italy 2753413150433839
Germany 700060130
Total 4467113161552079

International career statistics

Italy national team
YearAppsGoals
200360
200450
200572
2006111
200740
200891
2009111
201020
Total555

Honours

Club

Juventus
Racing Club

International

Italy

Orders

  • Collar of Merit Sports: 2006[18]
  • 4th Class / Officer: Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana:(2006)[19]

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 – List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "mauro germán camoranesi". Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Mauro German Camoranesi – Scheda Tecnica". Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "Reports and Financial Statements at 30 June 2003" (PDF) (in Italian). Juventus FC. 28 October 2003. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Football Italia @ Bravo".
  6. ↑ "Channel 4 – Week 34 Serie B".
  7. ↑ "VfB sign Camoranesi". VfB Stuttgart. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  8. ↑ "Camoranesi: consensual rescinding of contract". Juventus F.C. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  9. ↑ "All the best Mauro!". VfB Stuttgart. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  10. ↑ "Mauro Camoranesi Signs Two-Year Deal With Lanús". Club Atlético Lanús. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  11. ↑ "Mauro Camoranesi joins Argentine side Racing Club". 21 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "Mauro Camoranesi needs therapy". Goal.com. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  13. ↑ "Sparkar liggande spelare i huvudet". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 29 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  14. ↑ http://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/civitanova_marche/2009/02/24/153789-potenza_picena_paese_tarocchi.shtml
  15. ↑ "Argentina's my anthem: Camoranesi". ESPN Soccernet. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
  16. ↑ "?". lastampa.it.
  17. ↑ "Mauro Camoranesi". National Football Teams. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  18. ↑ "Coni: Consegnati i Collari d’oro e diplomi d’onore ai campionissimi". Coni.it. 23 February 2014.
  19. ↑ "ONORIFICENZE - 2006". http://www.quirinale.it/'' (in Italian). 12 December 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

External links