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Fabio Cannavaro Profile |
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Birth Date: September 13, 1973
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Birth Place: Naples, Italy
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Birth Name: Fabio Cannavaro
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Height: 5'9"
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Fabio Cannavaro Wallpaper |
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Biography |
Fabio Cannavaro (September 13, 1973, Naples, Italy) is a
professional footballer currently playing for Real Madrid.
He is captain of the Italian national team, which recently
won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He is generally considered the
best central defender in the world today.
As a defender, 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 the 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,
although not particularly tall, has a noteworthy leaping
ability that allows him to compete seemingly unhindered in
the air, both when defending and attacking.
Cannavaro has played for S.S.C. Napoli (1992-95), Parma F.C.
(1995-2002), Internazionale Milano F.C. (2002-04) and
Juventus FC (2004-2006) during his career in Serie A, before
moving to Real Madrid.
Cannavaro was born in Naples. His 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 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 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 F.C..
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, Gialloblu
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.
In the summer of 2002, Cannavaro joined Internazionale for a
fee of €32 million. After a two year stint at the
Nerazzurri, he signed for Juventus. Here 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 2005, 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 La Vecchia Signora. 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.”. He accompanied one of his team
mates, Emerson and in doing so re-joined his former Juve
coach Fabio Capello at the 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 roughly 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 his 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; Cannavaro was at fault for
both goals.
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 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 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 102caps. 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 the equalizer, and an
extra-time golden goal from David Trezeguet 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.
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.
Cannavaro's only international goal was scored on May 30,
2004 against Tunisia, Italy won 4-0.
Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their 2006 World Cup
campaign. Though forwards Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco
Totti, and Christian Vieri had received the most attention
in past international tournaments, Cannavaro was considered
one of the top Italian players in Germany.
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, Luca Toni, Francesco Totti
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 that he had played immaculately
throughout 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.
However, Zidane was arguably the most dominant player on his
squad, compared to Cannavaro who faced competition from his
teammates; notably Buffon who was named the tournament's
best goalkeeper and outpolled Zidane and Cannavaro in Golden
Ball Internet voting, and Pirlo who won the Bronze Ball.
His crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on July 9,
2006, the night of his 100th cap. Notably, Cannavaro never
received a single yellow or red card throughout the 690
minutes he played in the tournament. The Italian defence
conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament, an
own-goal and a penalty shot.
He is regarded as a sex symbol in his native Italy and was
recently voted "sexiest player" of the 2006 World Cup. He is
married to Daniela, who he met at the age of 18. They had a
romantic courtship, as Fabio proclaimed his love for Daniela
by writing her love notes on walls. They have two sons,
Christian (b. July 17th 1999) and Andrea (b. October 20,
2004), and a daughter, Martina (b. December 22, 2001).
He idolizes Ciro Ferrara and Diego Maradona heroes of his
native Naples. His first experience of the World Cup came at
Italia '90, where the home team was playing Argentina in the
semi-finals. He was a ball boy at the Stadio San Paolo along
with his fellow Napoli youth team members, who witnessed his
native club's star Diego Maradona help defeat Italy.
Cannavaro is revered by fans of Italian football because of
his character, his determination and his humility. He is
nearly always photographed with his famous engaging smile.
Together with his fellow Napoletano Ciro Ferrara, Fabio has
helped establish a charity foundation, "FCF | 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.
He has many tattoos. On the inside of his upper right arm,
is "Andrea" (one of his sons) and on the outside, a tattoo
of a warrior. On his right forearm, is a tattoo saying
"Daniela" (his wife) and on his upper back, is a tattoo with
Chinese characters while on the lower back, is a tattoo of
"Christian" (his other son). Also, on his right leg, he has
a tattoo of a sun.
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 for
Inter. Cannavaro has expressed his desire to play for his
native club Napoli after his stint at Real Madrid. |
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Other Information |
Soccer player, starting his professional career at Napoli.
His brother, Paolo (born in 1981) is also a soccer player
and currently playing for FC Parma.
His children's names are Christian, Martina, and Andrea.
Has played for Napoli (1992-1995), Parma (1995-2002), Inter
Milan (2002-2004) and Juventus (since 2004). In 1999, he won
the UEFA Cup and the Italian Cup.
Has two older siblings, Paolo and Renata.
Captain of Italian National Team. Wears #5 for Italian
National Team and #28 for his club Juventus.
He played for Italy in the 2002 FIFA World Cup of Soccer.
Captained the Italian Soccer team to victory at the 2006
Fifa World Cup. To date, he has collected 100 caps.
Was voted "sexiest player" of the 2006 World Cup. |
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