Alessandro Birindelli facts for kids
Birindelli training with Juventus in 2006
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 12 November 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Pisa, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Full-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| San Frediano | |||
| –1992 | Empoli | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1997 | Empoli | 117 | (1) |
| 1997–2008 | Juventus | 196 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | Pisa | 37 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Pescina Valle del Giovenco | 27 | (0) |
| Total | 377 | (3) | |
| International career | |||
| 1997 | Italy U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2004 | Italy | 6 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Zambia (assistant) | ||
| 2011 | Pistoiese (head of youth development) | ||
| 2011 | Pistoiese | ||
| 2012 | Dinamo București (assistant) | ||
| 2013–2014 | Pisa (head of youth development) | ||
| 2014–2016 | Trapani (head of youth development) | ||
| 2016–2017 | Empoli U17 | ||
| 2017–2018 | Pisa U16 | ||
| 2018–2021 | Pisa U19 | ||
| 2021–2023 | Empoli U16 | ||
| 2023–2025 | Empoli U20 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alessandro Birindelli, born on November 12, 1974, is a former Italian professional footballer. He played as a full-back, which means he defended on the sides of the field. He could play well on both the left and right sides.
Birindelli is most famous for playing 11 years with Juventus, one of Italy's biggest football clubs. During his time there, he won many awards and played in 305 official games.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Alessandro Birindelli was born in Pisa, Italy. He started playing football at age eight for a local team called San Frediano. He was a big fan of Juventus from a young age.
He also admired Paolo Maldini for his professional attitude. Birindelli joined Empoli FC's youth academy. He began as a right winger before becoming a defender.
In 1996, his team, Empoli, won the Coppa Italia Serie C. They also finished second in their league, which helped them move up to Serie B. The next year, Empoli moved up again, this time to Serie A, Italy's top football league.
Joining Juventus
After playing almost 150 games for Empoli, Birindelli joined Juventus in 1997. The team was managed by Marcello Lippi and already had famous players like Alessandro Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane. Other new players joining at the same time included Edgar Davids and Filippo Inzaghi.
Birindelli played his first league game for Juventus on August 31, 1997. It was a 2–0 win against US Lecce. His very first game for the club was in the Supercoppa Italiana, where Juventus beat Vicenza Calcio.
Winning Titles with Juventus
In his first season, Birindelli helped Juventus win the Scudetto, which is the Italian league championship. They finished five points ahead of Inter Milan. Juventus also reached the UEFA Champions League final that year but lost to Real Madrid.
Birindelli won two more league titles with Juventus in 2002 and 2003. He also helped them win two Italian Supercups. Juventus reached the Coppa Italia final twice during this time.
In the 2002–03 Champions League, Juventus reached the final again. They played against AC Milan in the first all-Italian final. The game went to penalties, and Juventus lost 3–2. Birindelli was one of the few Juventus players who scored his penalty kick.
Challenges and Comeback
In 2005, Birindelli hurt his ankle during a friendly game. This injury caused him to miss the entire 2005–06 season.
In 2006, Juventus faced a big challenge. The club was involved in a match-fixing scandal. As a result, they lost their 2005 and 2006 league titles. They were also moved down to the second division, Serie B.
Birindelli stayed with Juventus. The team started the 2006–07 season with a 30-point penalty. This penalty was later reduced to nine points. Juventus then won the Serie B title and moved back up to Serie A. Birindelli played in 37 league games that season and became the team's vice-captain.
For the 2007–08 season, Claudio Ranieri became the new coach. Birindelli played only seven league games that year. On May 17, 2008, he left Juventus after 11 years with the club.
Later Football Teams
On July 22, 2008, Birindelli joined Pisa Calcio, his hometown team. He finally got to play for the club from where he was born. However, the team was moved down from Serie B at the end of the season. Pisa then faced financial problems and was removed from Italian football.
In August 2009, Birindelli signed a two-year contract with a smaller club, AS Pescina Valle del Giovenco. He became a free agent in June 2010 when this club also had financial issues.
International Games
Birindelli played for Italy's under-17 team in the 1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship. He also played for the under-23 squad in the 1997 Mediterranean Games. Italy won the gold medal in that tournament, and Birindelli played in three of the four matches, including the final against Turkey.
His first game for the senior Italian national team was on November 20, 2002. It was a 1–1 friendly game against Turkey. He played five more games for Italy over the next two years. His last game was a 2–0 loss to Iceland. He was not chosen for UEFA Euro 2004.
Playing Style
Alessandro Birindelli was known as a hard-working and determined player. He could play in different positions, like a full-back or a wide midfielder, on either side of the field. He was especially good on the right side. People remembered him for his speed, energy, and how consistently well he played. He was also known for his good sportsmanship.
Coaching Career
After retiring from playing football in July 2010, Birindelli became an assistant coach for the Zambia national team. He worked with fellow Italian coach Dario Bonetti. He left this role in February 2011.
On September 19, 2011, Birindelli became the head coach at US Pistoiese 1921 in Serie D. He left this coaching job the following month.
Personal Life
Alessandro Birindelli is married to Silvia, his childhood sweetheart. They have two children, Samuele and Matteo. His son, Samuele Birindelli, also became a professional football player. Samuele made his first professional appearance as a defender for Pisa in December 2016.
Honours and Achievements
Empoli
- Coppa Italia Serie C: 1995–96
Juventus
- Serie A (Italian League): 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03
- Serie B (Second Division): 2006–07
- Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) runner-up: 2001–02, 2003–04
- Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Supercup): 1997, 2002, 2003
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1997–98, 2002–03
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999
Italy U23
- Mediterranean Games: 1997
See also
In Spanish: Alessandro Birindelli para niños
