Fabio Cannavaro biography
Italian Soccer - Footballer
Place of birth Naples, Italy
Naples is capital of the Campania region and the Province of Naples in Italy. The city has a population of about 1 million.
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1/2in)
Playing position: Centre back
career
Senior clubs
Club App (Gls)
Napoli 68 (2)
Parma 212 (5)
Internazionale 50 (2)
Juventus 74 (6)
Real Madrid 22 (0)
National team
Italy U-21 21 (0)
Italy 106 (1)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as March 6, 2007.
National team caps and goals correct as November 15, 2006.
Honours
National competitions
2 Coppa Italia (Parma FC) - 1999, 2002
1 SuperCoppa Italiana (Parma FC) - 1999
European competitions
1 UEFA Cup (Parma FC) - 1999
International competitions
2 European Under-21 Football Championship - 1992-1994, 1994-1996
1 UEFA European Championship - 2000 (runner-up)
1 World Cup- 2006
Individual
1 UEFA Team of the Tornament- 2000
4 Oscar del Calcio - Migliore difensore (Albo d'Oro) - 2006, 2005, 2002 (Runner-up), 2001 (Runner-up), 2000 (Runner-up)
1 Oscar del Calcio - Migliore calciatore italiano - 2006
1 Silver Ball- 2006
1 World Cup All-Star Team- 2006
1 FIFpro World XI- 2006
1 FIFA World Player of the Year- 2006
1 World Soccer Player of the Year- 2006
1 European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or)- 2006
1 UEFA Team of the Year- 2006
Fabio Cannavaro is famous for his anticipation, concentration and reading of the game, abilities which allow him to make well timed interceptions and precise slide tackles. These characteristics have contributed with other factors, including his fitness and stamina, to a widespread recognition of him being one of the best outright defenders ever, allowing him to join a long line of world class Italian defenders. Cannavaro stands 1.76m (5ft. 9.5") tall, which is relatively short for a centre back in pro football, but his leaping ability allow him to compete seemingly unhindered in the air.
Born in Naples, Cannavaro has played for his hometown club SSC Napoli (1992-95), Parma FC (1995-2002), FC Internazionale Milano (2002-04) and Juventus FC (2004-2006) during his career in Serie A, before moving to Real Madrid in the Spanish Primera Divisiòn.
Cannavaro's talent was quickly spotted by scouts from local club Napoli, who were enjoying the most successful period of their history. The team which included Diego Maradona and Ciro Ferrara, had just won the Scudetto. Cannavaro started out as a ball boy at Stadio San Paolo and his progress was such he became a member of the first team alongside some of his childhood idols.
Cannavaro's Serie A debut came on 7 March 1993, at Turin’s Stadio Delle Alpi against Juventus. Unfortunately, post Maradona Napoli were in desperate need of funds and were soon forced to sell Cannavaro to Parma FC.
At Parma, Cannavaro began to win plaudits from a wider audience and establish himself as a 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 2nd, a point behind champions Juventus. In 98-99, 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.
In the summer of 2002, Cannavaro joined Inter for €32 million. After a two year stint at a 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. 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, 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 La Vecchia Signora. He accompanied one of his team mates, Emerson and in doing so re joined his former Juve coach Fabio Capello at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid. Although no fee was confirmed by either club, press speculation has often set the combined transfer's worth at 20 million euros.
On July 25, Fabio Cannavaro officially became a Real Madrid player, with a three year contract and the number 5 jersey, which previously belonged to Manuel Sanchís and Zinedine Zidane. He scored a first goal for the club on August 18, 2006 in a friendly match against Real Betis. On his 33rd birthday, Real Madrid played against Olympique Lyonnais in the Champion League losing 2 - 0.
On December 20, 2006, shortly after being awarded the Fifa World Player of the Year award, Cannavaro was at fault for the opening goal and produced a poor performance as Real Madrid suffered an embarrassing 3 - 0 home defeat to Recreativo Huelva.
International career
Fabio Cannavaro's first taste of international success came over a decade ago under coach Cesare Maldini with Italy's U21 side, winning consecutive European Under 21 Football Championship titles in 1992-1994 and 1994-1996. 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. He has played for his nation in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups, as well as Euro 2000 and Euro 2004. Cannavaro made a international debut in January 1997 against Northern Ireland and has since earned 105 caps. Only Paolo Maldini (126 caps) and Dino Zoff (112 caps) have 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 scar 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 a 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 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.
Euro 2004 which was hosted by Portugal turned out to be a disappointment. Cannavaro picked up yellow cards during 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.
Cannavaro's only international goal was scored on May 30, 2004 against Tunisia, Italy won 4 - 0.
2006 World Cup
Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their 2006 World Cup campaign. His performance against Germany in the World Cup Semi-Finals 2006 was earmarked as one of the finest individual performance ever seen in football by many pundits, including Eamon Dunphy.
He 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, Francesco Totti, Luca Toni, and Gianluca Zambrotta. After victories in the 2006 World Cup, the Azzurri celebrated to the soundtrack of traditional Italian songs on Cannavaro's iPod.
He was runner up in the race for the Golden Ball, finishing runner up to French captain Zinedine Zidane. Those who voted for Cannavaro felt he had played immaculately through the tournament, while Zidane only shone in the knockout phase of the competition, it was a close contest with Zidane polling 2012 points to Cannavaro's 1977.
His crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on July 9, 2006, the night of his 100th cap. Cannavaro never received a 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 defence conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament, an own goal against the USA and a penalty in the final against France.
Personal
Cannavaro was voted "sexiest player" of the 2006 World Cup. He is married to Daniela, whom he first met at the age of 16. Cannavaro proclaimed his love for her by writing her love notes on walls. They have two sons, Christian (born July 17, 1999) and Andrea (born October 20, 2004), and a daughter, Martina (born December 22, 2001).
He idolizes Ciro Ferrara and Diego Maradona heroes of his native Naples. His first experience of the FIFA World Cup came at Italia '90, in which Italy played Argentina in the semi finals. He was a ball boy at Stadio San Paolo along with fellow Napoli youth team members, who witnessed his native club's star Diego Maradona help defeat Italy.
With his fellow Napoletano Ciro Ferrara, Cannavaro has helped establish a charity foundation, Fondazione Cannavaro Ferrara, specialising in procurement of cancer research equipment and surgery for special cases of cancer for a hospital in 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 the game showed Cannavaro receiving an introvenous injection in a hotel. Cannavaro denied any wrong doing, and was never charged with doping offences.
His younger brother, Paolo Cannavaro, is also a defender, and plays for Napoli. The two brothers played alongside each other at Parma from 2000 until 2002, when Fabio left to Inter.
FIFA World Player of the Year
On 18th December 2006 Fabio Cannavaro won the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Fabio Cannavaro is the only defender in football history to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year and he is also the oldest recipient of the coveted award.
