Full Name :Fabio Cannavaro Date Of Birth:September 13, 1973 (age 36) Place of Birth:Naples, Italy Height:1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) Position:Centre-back Current Club:Real Madrid National Debut:1997 Caps:132 (2) www.fabiocannavaro.it
Fabio Cannavaro, (born September 13, 1973 in Naples, Italy) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer. Currently he is the captain of the Italian national football team and plays at club level for Real Madrid.
During his career Cannavaro has earned world wide prominence, winning many personal accolades. For example he was the first ever defender to win FIFA World Player of the Year and the first defender since Franz Beckenbauer in 1972 to win the European Footballer of the Year award; both of these were achieved in 2006. He was also selected in the FIFPro World XI squad twice, during 2005–06 and 2006–07.
Before moving to Real Madrid in Spain, Cannavaro played most of his club career in the Italian Serie A league. The clubs he played for includes his hometown side Napoli, Parma who he achieved significant domestic cup and European success with, Juventus where he won two later revoked scudetto titles and Internazionale.
Biography
Cannavaro was born in Naples to Gelsomina and Pasquale Cannavaro. His mother worked as a maid, while his father was a bank clerk; his father also played football for provincial side Giugliano. As a youngster Cannavaro played for a team from Bagnoli before being quickly spotted by the scouts of Napoli, his chilhood team. He is well known for his fierce defending and interception.
Club career Napoli
Cannavaro was born in Naples to Gelsomina and Pasquale Cannavaro, his mother worked as a maid, while his father was a bank clerk; his father also played football for provincial side Giugliano. As a youngster Cannavaro played for a team from Bagnoli before being quickly spotted by the scouts of his childhood team Napoli.
At the time when Cannavaro was in the youth system, Napoli were enjoying the most successful period to date of their history, with players such as Diego Maradona and Ciro Ferrara. Fabio had a duty as ball boy at the Stadio San Paolo and his progress was such that he became a member of the first team alongside some of his childhood idols. Cannavaro's debut in Serie A came on 7 March 1993, at the Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin for a game against Juventus.
Unfortunately, post-Maradona Napoli were in desperate need of funds and were soon forced to sell Cannavaro to Parma F.C..
Parma
At Parma, Cannavaro initially began to win plaudits from a wider audience and establish himself as an extremely talented defender. Together with his defensive partner Lilian Thuram and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Gialloblù became renowned as the team with one of the best defences in Serie A. Under the guidance of coach Carlo Ancelotti, they helped the club to its best ever league finish in 1997, finishing second, a point behind the champions Juventus. In 1998-99, Parma won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia amongst other trophies. Fabio's individual prowess was recognised in the form of the Albo d'Oro (or Oscar del Calcio: Migliore difensore): literally the oscar for best defender in Italy award. Cannavaro was named runner-up 3 years in a row (2000, 2001, 2002) as the Migliore difensore. Note that Fabio would later win this award in 2005.
Internazionale
In the summer of 2002, Cannavaro joined Internazionale for a fee of €32 million.
Juventus
After a two year stint at the Nerazzurri, he signed for Juventus. Fabian Carini left Juventus, when he was exchanged for Fabio Cannavaro in a transfer which was worth 10 Million Euro. In coming to Turin, he re-joined his ex-Parma partners Lilian Thuram and Gigi Buffon, to reform one of the most successful defensive line-ups in Serie A, and enabling Cannavaro to win his first scudetto with Juventus in 2005 and a second the following season in 2006. Juventus captain Cannavaro won l'Oscar del Calcio: Migliore difensore, the Football Oscar, for his exceptional debut season at the Turin giants.
After the 2006 World Cup, the Calciopoli trial verdicts relegated Juventus FC to Serie B and stripped the club of its 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Scudetti. Cannavaro, mindful of his age and the imminent prospect of two years of the club not being able to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, decided to leave Juventus. Cannavaro said that "Even if I know this may be hard to believe, I would have stayed at Juventus had they remained in Serie A – even with a 30-point deduction.".
Real Madrid
He rejoined coach Fabio Capello at Real Madrid and inherited the number 5 shirt of the legendary Zinedine Zidane. Although no fee was confirmed by either club, press speculation has often set the combined transfer's worth at roughly 20 million euros. On July 25, he officially signed a three-year contract. He scored his first goal for the club on August 18, 2006 in a friendly against Real Betis. He won the '06-07 La Liga title with Madrid, and was named the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year. Fabio Cannavaro is the first and so far only defender to win the award (Paolo Maldini came in second place in 1995), as well as the oldest recipient.
International career
Fabio Cannavaro's first taste of international success came over a decade ago under coach Cesare Maldini with Italy's U-21 side, winning consecutive European Under-21 Football Championship titles in 1994 and 1996. In 1996, he participated in the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
In the national team, Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta have combined very effectively to form the basis of the Italian central defence for 10 years. He has played for his country in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups, as well as Euro 2000 and Euro 2004. Cannavaro made his international debut in January 1997 against Northern Ireland and has since earned 113 caps. Only Paolo Maldini (126 caps) has appeared in more games for Italy.
Cannavaro's first international tournament came at 1998 FIFA World Cup under his mentor Paolo Maldini, and the squad was coached by Maldini's father Cesare. Italy went out in the quarter-finals to hosts and eventual champions France; Cannavaro suffered a cut on his forehead from an elbow by Stephane Guivarc'h during the match. The match was decided by a penalty shoot-out after the teams were tied 0-0.
In Euro 2000, it was Les Bleus who once again shattered Italy's dreams. Cannavaro had a strong tournament and the Azzurri reached the final, where they led the then world champions 1-0 going into injury time. Near the end of regular time, Sylvain Wiltord found the equalizer, and an extra-time golden goal from David Trézéguet gave France the title.
At the 2002 FIFA World Cup he was credited with holding the defence together, almost single-handedly after Alessandro Nesta was injured against Croatia. Italy however went out amidst a refereeing controversy losing to co-hosts South Korea in the second round, again to a golden goal.
Cannavaro had a hard act to follow when he took over as captain from Maldini after the 2002 World Cup, but he quickly won the team over with his constant smile, laid-back Neapolitan approach and inspiring performances. After Maldini's international retirement he first captained Italy in a match at Napoli and received a standing ovation on the pitch where he sported the local side's colours between 1991 and 1995.
Cannavaro's only international goal was scored on May 30, 2004 against Tunisia, Italy won 4-0. Euro 2004 which was hosted by Portugal turned out to be a disappointment. Cannavaro picked up yellow cards during the two draws with Denmark (0-0) and Sweden (1-1), forcing him to sit out the final group game. Italy defeated Bulgaria 2-1, but failed to advance on goal difference.
2006 World Cup
Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their 2006 World Cup campaign. One of his key performances came against Germany in the World Cup Semi-Finals 2006. His crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on July 9, 2006, the night of his 100th cap. Cannavaro never received a single yellow or red card throughout the 690 minutes he played in the tournament.
Along with Buffon, Cannavaro played every minute of every match in the tournament for Italy. The Italian defense conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament, an own-goal against the United States and a penalty in the final against France.
Cannavaro earned a spot on the All-Star Team at the end of the competition - awarded by FIFA's Technical Study Group - alongside six other Italian teammates, Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni, Francesco Totti and Gianluca Zambrotta. He was runner-up in the race for the Golden Ball, finishing behind French captain Zinedine Zidane; it was a close contest with Zidane polling 2012 points to Cannavaro's 1977
Euro 2008
On June 2, 2008, Fabio Cannavaro was injured during Italy's first training session for Euro 2008. Cannavaro sustained the knock following a tackle by fellow defender Giorgio Chiellini and was carried off the field on a stretcher. Italy doctor Paolo Zeppilli said: "We have to do tests but it does not look like a minor injury". Test had shown that he tore ligaments in his left ankle. Right after the examinations, Italian journalists awaited Cannavaro, who told them: "I'm going home", with a melancholic smile on his face. After the day was over, Roberto Donadoni called up Fiorentina centre-back Alessandro Gamberini as his official replacement. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon captained the team in his place. Cannavaro added he will stay with the squad to offer support. This would have been Cannavaro's third Euro tournament.
Cannavaro has also put his plans to retire from the national team after UEFA Euro 2008 on hold and added that it has made him more determined to captain Italy through the 2010 World Cup.
Record Breaking Caps
In a 2009 Confederations Cup match against Brazil, Fabio Cannavaro equalled Paolo Maldini's record of being Italy's most capped player. On August 12, 2009 in a friendly match against Switzerland, Fabio Cannavaro became Italy's most capped player of all time. He won his 127th cap for his country beating Paolo Maldini's former record of 126.
Personal
His younger brother, Paolo Cannavaro, is also a defender, and plays for Napoli. The two brothers were first spotted by an English scout when Fabio was only twelve. Michael Hutchinson (who was working for Newcastle United at the time) decided to personally train them as central defenders, having sixteen years of experience as a professional central defender himself. The two brothers played alongside each other at Parma from 2000 until 2002, when Fabio left for Inter. His mother, Gelsomina, worked as a maid and his father, Pasquale, was a bank clerk. Although they are no longer playing together, Fabio has expressed interest in ending his career with Paolo in a Napoli shirt.
With his fellow Napoletano Ciro Ferrara, Cannavaro has helped establish a charity foundation, Fondazione Cannavaro Ferrara, specialising in the procurement of cancer research equipment and surgery for special cases of cancer for a hospital in their native Naples.
Cannavaro was involved in a doping controversy in 1999, when playing for Parma in a UEFA cup tie against Marseille. Undercover camcorder footage taken from before this game showed Cannavaro receiving an intravenous injection in a hotel. Cannavaro denied any wrong doing, and was never charged with any doping offences.
His younger brother, Paolo Cannavaro, is also a defender, and plays for Napoli. The two brothers were first spotted by an English scout whilst Fabio was only twelve , Michael Hutchinson, who was working for Newcastle United at the time decided to personally train them as central defenders, using his experience, from being a proffesional central defender for 16 years. The two brothers played alongside each other at Parma from 2000 until 2002, when Fabio left for Inter. His mother, Gelsomina, worked as a maid and his father, Pasquale, was a bank clerk.
Honours Club Parma
Coppa Italia: 1998–99
Supercoppa Italiana: 1999
UEFA Cup: 1998–99
Coppa Italia: 2001–02 Juventus
Serie A: 2004-05, 2005-06 (2 Titles) (revoked due to calciopoli) Real Madrid
La Liga: 2006–07 Italy National Team
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship: 1992-94, 1994-96 (2 Titles)
UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2000
FIFA World Cup: 2006 Personal
Serie A Defender of the Year runner-up: 2000
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2000
Serie A Defender of the Year runner-up: 2001
Serie A Defender of the Year runner-up: 2005
FIFPro World XI: 2005-06
World Soccer Player of the Year: 2006
Serie A Defender of the Year: 2006
Oscar del Calcio: 2006
UEFA Team of the Year: 2006
European Footballer of the Year: 2006
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006
FIFA World Cup Silver Ball Award: 2006
FIFPro World XI: 2006-07
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2006
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