Antonio Cassano
Encyclopedia
Antonio Cassano is an Italian
footballer who plays for Serie A
club Milan
as a striker. Nicknamed Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia ("the jewel of Old Bari"), he is known for his short temper as much as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello
, in November 2002. The word is regularly used by Italian journalists as a euphemism
for any behavior incompatible with team spirit in football.
and his father left the family shortly thereafter. He was raised in the Bari Vecchia neighbourhood, and began playing football at an early age. Cassano was spotted by an A.S. Bari
scout and brought up through the team's youth system, and he made his Serie A debut for Bari against local rivals U.S. Lecce
in 1999.
, for a transfer fee of 60billion Italian lire (about €30 million). His first season
produced five goals, and he attracted media attention after openly clashing with coach Fabio Capello
after he was left out of a practice match a few days after his international debut. In the 2003 Italian Cup final
against A.C. Milan
, Cassano was sent off after protesting an official's decision, and he flashed the sign of the horns at the referee while leaving the pitch.
He was omitted from the squad during Roma's tumultuous 2004–05 campaign
while Luigi Delneri, Roma's third coach of the season (after Cesare Prandelli
and Rudi Völler
), was in charge. After Delneri himself resigned during the season, his replacement, Bruno Conti
, returned Cassano to the starting lineup, with Cassano captaining the team in the absence of incumbent Francesco Totti
, who was serving a five-match suspension.
During the 2005–06 preseason, Cassano was in constant conflict with club management over the renewal of his contract, which was due to expire on June 30, 2006. In January 2006, he acrimoniously parted ways with Roma and signed with Real Madrid
. for just €5M.
. His début came on 18 January 2006, in a Spanish Cup match against Real Betis
, and scored his first goal just three minutes after entering the match in the second half. However, just four months into his tenure with the club, he began gaining weight due to poor eating habits, which resulted in Madrid fining him for every gram he remained over his playing weight.
On 30 October, Madrid's official website announced that Cassano had been suspended due to his “disrespect” of Capello, who had joined the club at the beginning of 2006–07 season, following a dressing room argument arising from his omission from the team after a game against Gimnàstic de Tarragona
, and was subsequently benched along with David Beckham
and Ronaldo
. In an interview with a Roman radio station, Cassano said he would "walk all the way back" to rejoin Roma, and indicated his eagerness to make peace with Totti, with whom Cassano had conflicted with before his departure from Roma. However, Cassano remained with Madrid after the January 2007 transfer window
had closed, and the rest of his season was cut short by an ankle injury.
In an interview with Spanish radio in July 2007, Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón
described Cassano's attitude as "unsustainable in the last couple of months" and indicated that he would be leaving the club.
, he had instead chosen 99, because 9 plus 9 equals 18.
He made his Sampdoria début in the Derby della Lanterna
against Genoa
on 23 September, in which he was substituted by former Roma teammate Vincenzo Montella
in the final minutes of the match. Cassano scored his first league goal upon his return against Atalanta
a week later, in a 3–0 victory. He scored in three consecutive games in January, and helped end league leaders Inter Milan
's winning league run with a goal in a 1–1 draw. However, Cassano was sent off in a 2–2 draw with Torino FC on 2 March 2008, which he compounded by hurling his shirt at the referee as he left the pitch, and was punished with a five-match ban. Sampdoria ended the season with a UEFA Cup berth, while Cassano was acquired on a permanent basis by the club on a undisclosed fees from Madrid.
In his second season, Cassano confirmed to have temperamentally improved, also becoming vice-captain for the team behind Angelo Palombo
. After the January signing of Giampaolo Pazzini from ACF Fiorentina
, Cassano managed to form a fruitful striking partnership with the former viola forward, that was praised by both media and Sampdoria supporters, and led club chairman Riccardo Garrone
to compare it with striking duo of Gianluca Vialli
and Roberto Mancini
that led Sampdoria to win their only scudetto to date, an opinion that was later shared also by both Vialli and Mancini.
His third season with Sampdoria again began very well for Cassano, who affirmed himself as a valid assist-man for Pazzini, and being instrumental in the club's impressive seasonal start, that led them up to first place after a 1-0 home win to Inter
. However, a result crisis, including a 3-0 defeat in the local derby against crosstown rivals Genoa
, left Sampdoria down to mid-table on January, leading head coach Luigi Delneri to put Cassano off the team for "technical and tactical reasons", casting doubts about the player's future at the club.
In the final days of the transfer window, he was linked with a move on loan to Fiorentina
, that was however denied with an official statement from the club, but was described by the media as Cassano's own refusal to leave Sampdoria. This was confirmed by Cassano himself through an official statement published on Sampdoria's website, citing his relationship with club chairman Riccardo Garrone
, his teammates and the team supporters as the main reason for his choice.
On October 2010 Cassano was excluded from the first team squad with immediate effect after he had a heated row with chairman Riccardo Garrone following the player's refusal to attend an award ceremony. Following such events, Sampdoria formally applied for a contract termination to a league arbitration panel, a position that was confirmed even after Cassano apologised to Garrone and the club. On December 16, the arbitration panel ordered Sampdoria to reinclude Cassano into the first team from 1 January 2011, rejecting the blucerchiatis request for a contract termination, but also concluding Cassano will be paid only 50% of his salary for the remainder of his contract.
which was indicated in Cassano's buy-out clause when he left the Spanish club. The agreement involved Sampdoria and Milan paying €2.5 million each to Real Madrid. Cassano then signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Milan, which was later confirmed by Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi
. He made his debut for his new club in a 1-0 win against Cagliari Calcio
where he came on as a substitute for Alexander Merkel
in the latter stages of the game. He scored his first goal for A.C. Milan
in a 4-0 win against Parma FC. He went on to score three more goals that season, two against former clubs A.S. Bari
and U.C. Sampdoria
and the other one a penalty against fierce rivals Internazionale F.C..
He never really claimed a spot in the starting XI and was behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic
, Alexandre Pato
and Robinho
in the Milan pecking order and due to his wish to keep his spot in the Italian national side, a lot of speculation formed over his future with links to Fiorentina and even English Premier League side Liverpool F.C.
. In the end, though, he stayed with Milan and, after a good pre-season, scored in the first Serie A
game of 2011-12 against Roman side Lazio.
. His début came in November 2003 against Poland
, in which he scored his first goal. He was part of Italy's UEFA Euro 2004 squad as a reserve, but after Totti was suspended following a spitting incident with Christian Poulsen
in a group match against Denmark
, Cassano was inserted into the starting lineup for a 1–1 draw with Sweden
in which he scored. He also netted a last-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over Bulgaria
, but Italy were eliminated in the group stage on goal difference.
Cassano was left off the final roster for the 2006 World Cup
, but was called up for two Euro 2008 qualifying
matches in September 2006. He was part of the finals roster and went scoreless in the tournament as Italy were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain
after a penalty shootout.
After a two-year absence from the Azzurri team, and following widespread criticism from the media towards Marcello Lippi
about his exclusion from the 2010 FIFA World Cup
squad, Cassano was readmitted into the Italian team on August 6, 2010 by new head coach Cesare Prandelli
for his first game in charge of the team, a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire
to played on August 10 at Upton Park
, London
. Almost a month later, in Italy's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier played in Estonia
Cassano scored the tying goal in a 1-2 away victory and also assisted Leonardo Bonucci's
second goal with a back-heel. Cassano scored a long-range goal from just outside the box in Italy's 5-0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier win over the Faroe Islands. He scored again against Estonia
helping Italy secure a 3-0 win.
. Cassano's wife gave birth to the couple's first child, a son, his name is Christopher, he was born on March 14, 2011.
It was reported that on 30 October 2011, Cassano complained of finding it difficult to speak or move when the team returned to Milan.
AC Milan announced and confirmed on 2 November 2011 that Antonio Cassano suffered ischemic-based cerebral damage, though it should be temporary. Cassano underwent minor heart surgery soon after and is expected to return to playing in a few months.
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Individual
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
footballer who plays for Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
as a striker. Nicknamed Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia ("the jewel of Old Bari"), he is known for his short temper as much as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
, in November 2002. The word is regularly used by Italian journalists as a euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
for any behavior incompatible with team spirit in football.
Bari
Cassano was born in BariBari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
and his father left the family shortly thereafter. He was raised in the Bari Vecchia neighbourhood, and began playing football at an early age. Cassano was spotted by an A.S. Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
scout and brought up through the team's youth system, and he made his Serie A debut for Bari against local rivals U.S. Lecce
U.S. Lecce
Unione Sportiva Lecce or simply U.S. Lecce is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia who play in the Italian Serie A. After being crowned Serie B champions in 2009–10, the team successfully managed to avoid relegation in 2010-11....
in 1999.
Roma
At the age of nineteen, Cassano signed with reigning Serie A champions A.S. RomaA.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
, for a transfer fee of 60billion Italian lire (about €30 million). His first season
Serie A 2001-02
In the 2001-02 season, the Serie A, the major football Italian professional league, was composed by 18 teams, for the 14th consecutive time from season 1988-89....
produced five goals, and he attracted media attention after openly clashing with coach Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
after he was left out of a practice match a few days after his international debut. In the 2003 Italian Cup final
Coppa Italia 2002-03
- Second Round :-First leg:---------Second leg:--------Milan win Coppa Italia 6–3 on aggregate.-References:*...
against A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, Cassano was sent off after protesting an official's decision, and he flashed the sign of the horns at the referee while leaving the pitch.
He was omitted from the squad during Roma's tumultuous 2004–05 campaign
Serie A 2004-05
In the 2004–05 season, the Serie A, the highest professional football league in Italy, was composed of 20 teams for the first time in several years....
while Luigi Delneri, Roma's third coach of the season (after Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Claudio Prandelli is an Italian football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of the Italy national football team.-Playing career:...
and Rudi Völler
Rudi Völler
Rudolf 'Rudi' Völler is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team...
), was in charge. After Delneri himself resigned during the season, his replacement, Bruno Conti
Bruno Conti
Bruno Conti is an Italian ex-football player and former coach of the Serie A club Roma from 14 March 2005 to 30 June 2005. His two sons Daniele and Andrea are both professional footballers...
, returned Cassano to the starting lineup, with Cassano captaining the team in the absence of incumbent Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
, who was serving a five-match suspension.
During the 2005–06 preseason, Cassano was in constant conflict with club management over the renewal of his contract, which was due to expire on June 30, 2006. In January 2006, he acrimoniously parted ways with Roma and signed with Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. for just €5M.
Real Madrid
Cassano became the second ever Italian player to sign for Real Madrid after former Roma teammate Christian PanucciChristian Panucci
Christian Panucci is a retired Italian footballer. He was a member of the Italian national team. Panucci is a right back, but can also play as a centre back.-Early career:...
. His début came on 18 January 2006, in a Spanish Cup match against Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
, and scored his first goal just three minutes after entering the match in the second half. However, just four months into his tenure with the club, he began gaining weight due to poor eating habits, which resulted in Madrid fining him for every gram he remained over his playing weight.
On 30 October, Madrid's official website announced that Cassano had been suspended due to his “disrespect” of Capello, who had joined the club at the beginning of 2006–07 season, following a dressing room argument arising from his omission from the team after a game against Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
, and was subsequently benched along with David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
and Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
. In an interview with a Roman radio station, Cassano said he would "walk all the way back" to rejoin Roma, and indicated his eagerness to make peace with Totti, with whom Cassano had conflicted with before his departure from Roma. However, Cassano remained with Madrid after the January 2007 transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
had closed, and the rest of his season was cut short by an ankle injury.
In an interview with Spanish radio in July 2007, Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón
Ramón Calderón
José Ramón Calderón Ramos is a lawyer and an ex-President of Spanish sports club Real Madrid.-Life and career:...
described Cassano's attitude as "unsustainable in the last couple of months" and indicated that he would be leaving the club.
Sampdoria
On 13 August 2007, Sampdoria took Cassano on a one-year loan, agreeing to pay €1.2 million of his €4.2 million salary. He was presented to approximately 2,500 fans five days later. In his first press conference, Cassano said that since his first-choice number 18 was already taken by teammate Vladimir KomanVladimir Koman
Vladimir Koman Jr. is a Ukrainian–born Hungarian footballer, currently playing for Italian Serie B team Sampdoria. He is most known for his strong performance in the in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, gaining the Silver Boot by scoring five goals for the Hungarian team...
, he had instead chosen 99, because 9 plus 9 equals 18.
He made his Sampdoria début in the Derby della Lanterna
Derby della Lanterna
The Derby della Lanterna, translated as the Derby of the Lantern , is the official name of the matches played between Genoa's two professional sides U.C. Sampdoria and Genoa C.F.C...
against Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
on 23 September, in which he was substituted by former Roma teammate Vincenzo Montella
Vincenzo Montella
Vincenzo Montella is a retired Italian footballer. Currently he is the youngest head coach of Serie A, after being named at the helm of Sicilian outfit Catania on 9 June 2011....
in the final minutes of the match. Cassano scored his first league goal upon his return against Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
a week later, in a 3–0 victory. He scored in three consecutive games in January, and helped end league leaders Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
's winning league run with a goal in a 1–1 draw. However, Cassano was sent off in a 2–2 draw with Torino FC on 2 March 2008, which he compounded by hurling his shirt at the referee as he left the pitch, and was punished with a five-match ban. Sampdoria ended the season with a UEFA Cup berth, while Cassano was acquired on a permanent basis by the club on a undisclosed fees from Madrid.
In his second season, Cassano confirmed to have temperamentally improved, also becoming vice-captain for the team behind Angelo Palombo
Angelo Palombo
Angelo Palombo is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie B club Sampdoria. Tenacious in the tackle and hard-working on the pitch, he is known for his play-making skills and never-say-die attitude...
. After the January signing of Giampaolo Pazzini from ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, Cassano managed to form a fruitful striking partnership with the former viola forward, that was praised by both media and Sampdoria supporters, and led club chairman Riccardo Garrone
Riccardo Garrone (born 1936)
Riccardo Garrone is an Italian enterpreneur. He is the owner Serie A association football club U.C. Sampdoria, and honorary chairman and former CEO of Italian oil firm ERG, which is owned by his family....
to compare it with striking duo of Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
and Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
that led Sampdoria to win their only scudetto to date, an opinion that was later shared also by both Vialli and Mancini.
His third season with Sampdoria again began very well for Cassano, who affirmed himself as a valid assist-man for Pazzini, and being instrumental in the club's impressive seasonal start, that led them up to first place after a 1-0 home win to Inter
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
. However, a result crisis, including a 3-0 defeat in the local derby against crosstown rivals Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
, left Sampdoria down to mid-table on January, leading head coach Luigi Delneri to put Cassano off the team for "technical and tactical reasons", casting doubts about the player's future at the club.
In the final days of the transfer window, he was linked with a move on loan to Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, that was however denied with an official statement from the club, but was described by the media as Cassano's own refusal to leave Sampdoria. This was confirmed by Cassano himself through an official statement published on Sampdoria's website, citing his relationship with club chairman Riccardo Garrone
Riccardo Garrone (born 1936)
Riccardo Garrone is an Italian enterpreneur. He is the owner Serie A association football club U.C. Sampdoria, and honorary chairman and former CEO of Italian oil firm ERG, which is owned by his family....
, his teammates and the team supporters as the main reason for his choice.
On October 2010 Cassano was excluded from the first team squad with immediate effect after he had a heated row with chairman Riccardo Garrone following the player's refusal to attend an award ceremony. Following such events, Sampdoria formally applied for a contract termination to a league arbitration panel, a position that was confirmed even after Cassano apologised to Garrone and the club. On December 16, the arbitration panel ordered Sampdoria to reinclude Cassano into the first team from 1 January 2011, rejecting the blucerchiatis request for a contract termination, but also concluding Cassano will be paid only 50% of his salary for the remainder of his contract.
Milan
On 20 December 2010, it was reported that Milan, Sampdoria and the player agreed the installment plan to pay €5 million to Real MadridReal Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
which was indicated in Cassano's buy-out clause when he left the Spanish club. The agreement involved Sampdoria and Milan paying €2.5 million each to Real Madrid. Cassano then signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Milan, which was later confirmed by Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
. He made his debut for his new club in a 1-0 win against Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
where he came on as a substitute for Alexander Merkel
Alexander Merkel
Alexander Merkel is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Genoa.- Early career :Born in Kazakhstan to Russian parents of German ancestry, Merkel moved to Germany with them in 1998, aged 6...
in the latter stages of the game. He scored his first goal for A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
in a 4-0 win against Parma FC. He went on to score three more goals that season, two against former clubs A.S. Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
and U.C. Sampdoria
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
and the other one a penalty against fierce rivals Internazionale F.C..
He never really claimed a spot in the starting XI and was behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
, Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva , commonly known as Alexandre Pato or simply Pato, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Milan and the Brazilian national team. His nickname, Pato, refers to his place of birth, Pato Branco...
and Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
in the Milan pecking order and due to his wish to keep his spot in the Italian national side, a lot of speculation formed over his future with links to Fiorentina and even English Premier League side Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. In the end, though, he stayed with Milan and, after a good pre-season, scored in the first Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
game of 2011-12 against Roman side Lazio.
International career
Cassano has sixteen caps and four goals with ItalyItaly national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
. His début came in November 2003 against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
, in which he scored his first goal. He was part of Italy's UEFA Euro 2004 squad as a reserve, but after Totti was suspended following a spitting incident with Christian Poulsen
Christian Poulsen
Christian Bjørnshøj Poulsen is a Danish footballer who plays for Evian in Ligue 1. He has played for a number of European clubs, winning the Danish Superliga championship with F.C...
in a group match against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, Cassano was inserted into the starting lineup for a 1–1 draw with Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
in which he scored. He also netted a last-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
, but Italy were eliminated in the group stage on goal difference.
Cassano was left off the final roster for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, but was called up for two Euro 2008 qualifying
2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying
This page describes the qualifying procedure for the UEFA Euro 2008.- Seedings :Qualification coefficients were used to rank the teams according to their results in both UEFA Euro 2004 and FIFA World Cup 2006 qualifying stages. Only the group matches, and not any additional playoffs, counted...
matches in September 2006. He was part of the finals roster and went scoreless in the tournament as Italy were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
after a penalty shootout.
After a two-year absence from the Azzurri team, and following widespread criticism from the media towards Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI is a former Italian World Cup-winning football manager and former player. He served as Italian national team head coach from 16 July 2004 to 12 July 2006 and led Italy to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was re-appointed as Italian head coach in the summer of 2008...
about his exclusion from the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
squad, Cassano was readmitted into the Italian team on August 6, 2010 by new head coach Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Claudio Prandelli is an Italian football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of the Italy national football team.-Playing career:...
for his first game in charge of the team, a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
to played on August 10 at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Almost a month later, in Italy's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier played in Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
Cassano scored the tying goal in a 1-2 away victory and also assisted Leonardo Bonucci's
Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team.-Internazionale:Bonucci started his career at Viterbese but was loaned to Internazionale in the summer of 2005. He played a number of pre-season friendlies for Inter first team...
second goal with a back-heel. Cassano scored a long-range goal from just outside the box in Italy's 5-0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier win over the Faroe Islands. He scored again against Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
helping Italy secure a 3-0 win.
Personal life
Cassano got engaged with water polo player Carolina Marcialis in 2008 and then married at June 19, 2010 at church Chiesa di San Martino, PortofinoPortofino
Portofino is a small Italian fishing village, comune and tourist resort located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is crowded round its small harbour, is closely associated with Paraggi Beach, which is a few minutes up the coast...
. Cassano's wife gave birth to the couple's first child, a son, his name is Christopher, he was born on March 14, 2011.
It was reported that on 30 October 2011, Cassano complained of finding it difficult to speak or move when the team returned to Milan.
AC Milan announced and confirmed on 2 November 2011 that Antonio Cassano suffered ischemic-based cerebral damage, though it should be temporary. Cassano underwent minor heart surgery soon after and is expected to return to playing in a few months.
Club statistics
Reference: La Gazzetta dello Sport| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Bari A.S. Bari Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B.... |
1999–00 | 21 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||
| 21 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2000–01 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 29 | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||
| Total | 48 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 50 | 6 | 2 | |
| Roma A.S. Roma Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s... |
2001–02 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 27 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 43 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2003–04 | 33 | 14 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 18 | 4 | ||||||||
| 2004–05 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 | 5 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | 118 | 39 | 8 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 161 | 52 | 10 | |
| Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
2005–06 2005–06 La Liga * Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC... |
12 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| 2006–07 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 2 | |
| Total | 19 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 4 | 3 | |
| Sampdoria U.C. Sampdoria Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria... |
2007–08 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| 2008–09 | 35 | 12 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 15 | 18 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Serie A The 2009–10 Serie A was the seventy-eighth season since its establishment. There were three promoted teams from the Serie B, replacing the three teams that were relegated following the 2008–09 season. Nike provided a new match ball - the T90 Ascente - for this season... |
32 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||||||
| 33 | 11 | 10 | |||||||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Serie A The 2010–11 Serie A was the 79th season since its establishment, the first under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 22 May 2011... |
7 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
| Total | 96 | 35 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 115 | 41 | 38 | |
| Milan A.C. Milan Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others... |
2010–11 2010–11 Serie A The 2010–11 Serie A was the 79th season since its establishment, the first under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 22 May 2011... |
17 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 21 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||
| 2011–12 2011–12 Serie A The 2011–12 Serie A is the eightieth season since its establishment, and the second under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 9 September 2011 and will end on 13 May 2012. The league was originally scheduled to start on 27 August, but this was delayed due to a strike by the players... |
9 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 5 | |
| Total | 26 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 7 | 11 | |
| Career total | 307 | 88 | 57 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 47 | 14 | 7 | 388 | 110 | 64 | |
National team
|-|2003||2||1
|-
|2004||4||2
|-
|2005||2||0
|-
|2006||2||0
|-
|2007||0||0
|-
|2008||5||0
|-
|2009||0||0
|-
|2010||5||2
|-
|2011||8||4
|-
!Total||28||9
|}
International goals
- Scores list Italy's tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 12 November 2003 Warsaw, Poland 3 – 1 Lost Friendly 2 18 June 2004 Lisbon, Portugal 1 – 1 Draw UEFA Euro 2004 3 22 June 2004 Guimarães GuimarãesGuimarães Municipality is located in northwestern Portugal in the province of Minho and in the Braga District. It contains the city of Guimarães.The present Mayor is António Magalhães Silva, elected by the Socialist Party.-Parishes:-Economy:...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
2 – 1 Win UEFA Euro 2004 4 3 September 2010 Tallinn, Estonia 1 – 2 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...5 7 September 2010 Florence, Italy 5 – 0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...6 3 June 2011 Modena, Italy 3 – 0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...7 2 September 2011 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands 1 – 0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...8 11 October 2011 Pescara, Italy 3 – 0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...9 11 October 2011 Pescara, Italy 3 – 0 Win UEFA Euro 2012 Qualification UEFA Euro 2012 qualifyingThe qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
Honours
- RomaA.S. RomaAssociazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
:- Supercoppa ItalianaSupercoppa ItalianaThe Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
: 20012001 Supercoppa ItalianaThe 2001 Supercoppa Italiana was a match played by Serie A 2000-01 winners Roma and Coppa Italia 2000-01 winners Fiorentina.The match took place on 19 August 2001 in Stadio Olimpico, Rome and resulted in a 3-0 victory for Roma....
- Supercoppa Italiana
- Real MadridReal Madrid C.F.Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
:- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2006–07
- La Liga
- Milan:
- Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
: 2010–112010–11 Serie AThe 2010–11 Serie A was the 79th season since its establishment, the first under a league committee separate from Serie B. It began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 22 May 2011... - Supercoppa ItalianaSupercoppa ItalianaThe Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
: 20112011 Supercoppa Italiana- References :...
- Serie A
Individual
- Serie A Young Footballer of the YearSerie A Young Footballer of the YearThe Serie A Young Footballer of the Year is an annual association football award. It is presented to the under-24 footballer who has been considered to have performed the best over the previous Serie A season...
– 2001, 2003