Alessandro Pistone facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 July 1975 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Milan, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Full-back | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Solbiatese | 20 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | AC Crevalcore | 29 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Vicenza | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Inter Milan | 45 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Newcastle United | 46 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | → Venezia (loan) | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Everton | 103 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | R.A.E.C. Mons | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 263 | (8) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Italy U21 | 11 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | F.C.D. Oggiono | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Alessandro Pistone (born 27 July 1975) is a former professional football player and manager from Italy. He played as a full-back, which is a defensive position on the side of the field.
Alessandro is well-known for playing with big clubs like Inter Milan in Italy's top league, Serie A. He also played for Premier League teams Newcastle United and Everton in England. He was part of the Italy Under-21 national team and played in the 1996 Olympics.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Italy
Alessandro Pistone was born in Milan, Italy. He began his football journey with smaller Italian teams like Solbiatese and AC Crevalcore. These teams are now in the lower levels of Italian professional football.
In the 1995–96 season, he moved to Vicenza. While playing there, he caught the attention of Roy Hodgson, who was the manager of Internazionale at the time.
Playing for Internazionale
In the 1996–97 season, Pistone joined Internazionale, also known as Inter Milan. This was a dream come true for him, as it was his hometown club. He played in 45 matches for Inter.
Alessandro also played in the 1997 UEFA Cup Final, where Inter Milan unfortunately lost to Schalke 04.
Time at Newcastle United
After a strong season with Internazionale, Newcastle United manager Kenny Dalglish signed Pistone in July 1997. The transfer fee was about £4.5 million. Even though he was mainly a full-back, Pistone sometimes played as a central defender for Newcastle.
He played in the 1998 FA Cup Final against Arsenal, which Newcastle United lost. After an injury early in his second season, Pistone faced a tough time. The new manager, Ruud Gullit, did not include him in the main team.
Pistone was sent on loan to Venezia for four months, where he played 10 games. However, when Bobby Robson became the new manager, Pistone returned to the first team. He scored one league goal for Newcastle against Middlesbrough in May 2000.
Joining Everton
In July 2000, Pistone moved to Everton for about £3 million. His first season with Everton was challenging due to several injuries, including a knee injury that kept him out for six months. He only played 8 games that season.
He continued to face injuries in the 2001–02 season, missing most of the games. However, he did score his first goal for Everton against Bolton Wanderers during this period.
Pistone managed to overcome his injuries and played in most of Everton's games in the 2004–05 season. His contract was ending, and the manager, David Moyes, was unsure if he could stay injury-free. However, because Everton qualified for the Champions League, they needed more defenders. So, he was offered a new two-year contract, which he accepted.
In the 2005–06 season, Pistone played only 3 games before suffering another serious knee injury. This injury ended his season early. After this, he did not play any more first-team games for Everton. After 7 years and 103 appearances for Everton, Pistone left the club on 14 May 2007.
Later Career and Retirement
After leaving Everton, Pistone tried out with other English clubs like Middlesbrough and Watford, but he did not sign a contract with them.
In December 2007, he joined the Belgian club RAEC Mons. He felt the club believed in him and gave him a chance to play at a good level. However, he only made four appearances before leaving the club at the end of the 2007–08 season.
International Appearances
Alessandro Pistone was a key player for the Italian Under-21 national team. He helped them win the European Under-21 Championships in 1996. In the final against Spain, the game ended in a 1–1 draw, leading to a penalty shootout. Pistone scored Italy's second penalty, helping them win 4–2. He also represented Italy at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Coaching and Life After Football
Coaching Experience
After retiring from playing, Pistone started coaching young players at Aldini Bariviera and Varese Calcio. In September 2015, he became the manager of the first team for Oggiono, a club in Italy's fifth football division. He left Oggiono in November 2016 because of the club's financial situation.
Life Beyond the Pitch
Since finishing his football career, Alessandro Pistone has taken part in Italian Poker Circuit events. He also owns and runs a restaurant in Milano near Central Station, Italy. His restaurant is known for its Saveloy Dip.
See also
In Spanish: Alessandro Pistone para niños
