Carlo Cudicini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Carlo Cudicini

Cudicini in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Carlo Cudicini
Date of birth	(1973-09-06) 6 September 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Milan, Italy
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Chelsea (loan player technical coach)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1995	AC Milan	0	(0)
1993–1994	→ Como (loan)	6	(0)
1995–1996	Prato	30	(0)
1996–1997	Lazio	1	(0)
1997–2000	Castel di Sangro	46	(0)
1999–2000	→ Chelsea (loan)	1	(0)
2000–2009	Chelsea	141	(0)
2009–2012	Tottenham Hotspur	19	(0)
2013	LA Galaxy	21	(0)
Total		265	(0)
International career
1990–1992	Italy U18	20	(0)
1992–1993	Italy U21	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carlo Cudicini (born 6 September 1973) is a retired Italian football player who was a goalkeeper. He now works as a coach for Chelsea, helping players who are on loan to other clubs.

Football runs in his family. His father, Fabio Cudicini, was also a famous goalkeeper for AC Milan. His grandfather, Guglielmo Cudicini, was a defender. Carlo started his own career at AC Milan in 1992 but found it hard to get into the main team. After playing for a few other Italian clubs, he moved to England to join Chelsea in 1999.

At Chelsea, he became the main goalkeeper, taking over from Ed de Goey. He was so good that fans voted him Chelsea's Player of the Year for the 2001–02 season. He remained the top choice until Petr Čech joined in 2004. In 2009, Cudicini moved to Tottenham Hotspur, and later finished his career in America with the LA Galaxy.

Cudicini played for Italy's youth teams but never for the main national team. At one point, England wanted him to play for their national team, but he was not allowed to because of football rules.

Club Career

Starting in Italy

Cudicini began his career at the famous Italian club AC Milan. However, he only played in two Champions League games and one cup match. He did not play in any Serie A (Italy's top league) games for them.

To get more experience, he was sent on loan to Como. He later moved to other Italian clubs like Prato, Lazio, and Castel di Sangro. A serious wrist injury made it difficult for him to play regularly during this time.

Becoming a Star at Chelsea

1999–2004: Rise to the Top

In 1999, Cudicini joined Chelsea in England, first on loan and then permanently. He slowly began to play more games, sharing the goalkeeper spot with Ed de Goey.

Soon, Cudicini's amazing saves made him the number one choice. Fans loved his skill, and he was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year for the 2001–02 season. He became known for saving penalties. In the 2002–03 season, he was named the best goalkeeper in the Premier League.

2004–2009: A New Role

In 2004, Chelsea got a new manager, José Mourinho, and a new goalkeeper, Petr Čech. Čech became the first-choice keeper, and Cudicini became the backup. This meant he played mostly in cup games instead of league matches.

On 14 October 2006, during a game against Reading, both Čech and Cudicini were injured. Cudicini was knocked unconscious and had to be carried off the field. He recovered, but for a while, Chelsea had to use their third-choice goalkeeper, Henrique Hilário.

Even as a backup, Cudicini was an important part of the team. He played 19 games in the 2007–08 season when Čech was injured. He played his 200th game for Chelsea in December 2007. His last game for the club was in January 2009.

Tottenham Hotspur

Cudicini warming up with Chelsea in 2008

On 26 January 2009, Cudicini joined Tottenham Hotspur, one of Chelsea's rivals in London. At Tottenham, he was mostly a backup goalkeeper, first to Heurelho Gomes and later to Brad Friedel.

In November 2009, Cudicini was in a serious motorcycle accident. He injured his wrists and pelvis. It took him many months to recover, but he eventually returned to play for Tottenham in 2010. He played in some important Champions League and Europa League games for the club.

LA Galaxy

Playing for the LA Galaxy in 2013

On 31 December 2012, Cudicini moved to the United States to play for the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer (MLS). He played one season with the team before they released him in January 2014, which marked the end of his playing career.

International Career

Cudicini played for Italy's under-18 and under-21 national teams when he was younger. However, he was never chosen to play for the main Italian national team.

In 2002, he was called to join the squad for a friendly match against Turkey, but he did not get to play. The main goalkeepers at the time were Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Toldo.

Because he had lived in England for a long time, The Football Association (the head of English football) looked into whether he could play for England. However, FIFA rules did not allow it.

Style of Play

Cudicini was known for being a quick, agile, and athletic goalkeeper. During his best years at Chelsea, many people thought he was one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

He was an excellent shot-stopper, famous for his quick reflexes and smart positioning. He was especially good at saving penalties. Even though he wasn't as tall as some other goalkeepers, his speed and agility made him very hard to score against.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Cudicini became a coach. In 2015, he was the goalkeeping coach for the Republic of Ireland's under-21 team.

In 2016, he returned to Chelsea. He first worked as an assistant to head coach Antonio Conte. In 2019, he took on a new role as a technical coach for loan players. He helps young Chelsea players who are playing for other clubs to gain experience.

Career Statistics

Club

Honours

AC Milan

• Serie A: 1992–93
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1992–93

Chelsea

• FA Cup: 1999–2000, 2006–07
• League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07; runner-up: 2007–08
• FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield: 2000, 2005

Individual

• Chelsea Player of the Year: 2001–02

See also

In Spanish: Carlo Cudicini para niños