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Claudio Marchisio

Marchisio in 2021

Personal information

Full name

Claudio Marchisio

Date of birth

19 January 1986 (age 39)

Place of birth

Turin, Italy

Height

1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)

Position(s)

Midfielder

Youth career

1993–2005

Juventus

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2005–2018

Juventus

294

(33)

2007–2008

→ Empoli (loan)

(0)

2018–2019

Zenit Saint Petersburg

(2)

Total

329

(35)

International career

2007–2008

Italy U21

(1)

2009–2017

Italy

(5)

Medal record

Men's Football

Representing Italy
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up	2012 Poland–Ukraine
FIFA Confederations Cup
Third	2013 Brazil

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Claudio Marchisio (born 19 January 1986) is a former Italian professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both in defense and attack.

Claudio spent most of his career at Juventus, his hometown club. He started in their youth system. He won seven Serie A titles in a row with Juventus from 2012 to 2018. He also won four Coppa Italia titles. He was a very important player for the team.

He also played for the Italian national team. He played in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He helped Italy reach the final of UEFA Euro 2012, where they finished second. He also won a third-place medal at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played 55 games for Italy and scored five goals.

People often compared Marchisio to another famous Juventus midfielder, Marco Tardelli. This was because of his energy, strong play, and ability to switch between attacking and defending. He could play in many different midfield positions.

Early Life and Football Start

Claudio Marchisio was born in Turin, Italy. His family were big fans of Juventus. When he was a child, he was a ball boy at the Stadio delle Alpi, Juventus's old stadium.

He joined the Juventus youth team when he was seven years old. He was also good at running and skiing. He even started training to be a surveyor, just in case football didn't work out. But he soon focused only on football.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Juventus

Marchisio in 2005

In the Juventus youth system, Marchisio first played as a forward. He looked up to Alessandro Del Piero, a Juventus legend. When he was 16, he moved to a deeper midfield role.

He joined the first team in 2006 after Juventus was moved down to Serie B. He made his first team debut in August 2006 in the Coppa Italia. In October, he played his first league game. He quickly became a regular player. Juventus won promotion back to Serie A that season.

Loan to Empoli

In 2007, Marchisio was loaned to Empoli for a season. This helped him get more experience playing in first-team games. He played his first Serie A game for Empoli in August. He also played in the UEFA Cup, which was his first European club game. Empoli was moved down to a lower league that season, but Marchisio played well.

Returning to Juventus and Becoming a Star

Marchisio playing for Juventus in 2009, in a match against Bari

Marchisio returned to Juventus in 2008. He played his first Champions League game. Many people praised his performances. He scored his first Serie A goal against Fiorentina. He quickly became a favorite among Juventus fans. He signed a new five-year contract.

He continued to be a key player for Juventus. In December 2009, he scored the winning goal against Internazionale in the Derby d'Italia. He was voted Juventus Player of the Year for 2009 by fans. He even captained the team for the first time in a Europa League game in March 2010.

Winning Titles with Juventus

2011–12 Season: First Scudetto

The 2011–12 season was a great one for Marchisio. He played alongside new teammates Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo. They were called the "M-V-P" midfield by fans and the media. He scored his first two goals in one game against Milan. He ended the season with ten goals. Juventus won their first Scudetto (Serie A title) in nine years.

2012–13 Season: More Success

Marchisio continued to shine in the 2012–13 season. He scored his first goal in a UEFA club competition in the Champions League. He helped Juventus win their second Serie A title in a row. They also reached the Champions League quarter-finals.

2013–14 Season: Third Title

In the 2013–14 season, Marchisio often competed with Paul Pogba for a spot. He helped Juventus win their third Serie A title in a row. Juventus set an Italian record with 102 points that season.

2014–15 Season: Cup and Champions League Final

The 2014–15 season was very important for Marchisio. He played his 200th Serie A game and 300th game for Juventus in all competitions. He won his first Coppa Italia title. He also played in the Champions League Final against Barcelona. Juventus lost the final, but Marchisio was named in the UEFA Champions League squad of the season.

2015–16 Season: Injuries and Fifth Title

In July 2015, Marchisio signed a new five-year contract with Juventus. He faced some injuries during the 2015–16 season. In April 2016, he suffered a serious knee injury. This meant he missed the rest of the season and UEFA Euro 2016. Juventus won their fifth Serie A title in a row that season.

2016–17 Season: Sixth Title and Second Champions League Final

Marchisio returned to play in October 2016 after his injury. He scored his first goal since his injury in the Champions League. He made his 250th Serie A appearance for Juventus. Juventus won a historic sixth Serie A title in a row. Marchisio played in his second Champions League Final in three years, but Juventus lost to Real Madrid.

2017–18 Season: Leaving Juventus

Marchisio had another knee injury at the start of the 2017–18 season. In August 2018, after 25 years in the Juventus system, Marchisio left the club. He played 389 games for Juventus, scoring 37 goals.

Time at Zenit Saint Petersburg

Marchisio with Zenit Saint Petersburg in November 2018, prior to a Champions League match

In September 2018, Marchisio signed a two-year contract with Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. He made his debut for Zenit that month. He left the club in July 2019.

On October 3, 2019, Claudio Marchisio announced his retirement from professional football.

International Career for Italy

Youth Teams and Senior Debut

Marchisio played for the Italy under-21 team. He helped them win the Toulon Tournament in 2008.

He made his debut for the senior Italian national team on August 12, 2009. He played in a friendly game against Switzerland. He quickly became a regular player for Italy.

World Cups and European Championship

Marchisio was part of Italy's squad for the 2010 World Cup. Italy did not do well and was eliminated in the first round.

He scored his first goal for Italy in a Euro 2012 qualifier in October 2011. He was a key player for Italy at UEFA Euro 2012. Italy reached the final but lost to Spain.

He also played in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Italy finished third. He helped Italy reach the semi-finals for the first time in this competition.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Marchisio scored Italy's first goal of the tournament against England. Italy was eliminated in the group stage. In his final group match against Uruguay, he received a red card.

After the World Cup, Marchisio continued to play for Italy. However, injuries affected his international career. His last game for Italy was in June 2017. In total, he played 55 games for Italy and scored five goals.

How Claudio Marchisio Played

Claudio Marchisio posing for a picture with a fan in Toronto in 2011

Marchisio was known for being very versatile in midfield. He could play in many different positions. His best position was as a central midfielder. From there, he could help both in defense and attack. He was often called a "box-to-box midfielder" because he covered the whole field.

He was good at winning the ball back and then quickly starting attacks. He had good vision, passing skills, and could read the game well. He was also good at dribbling and shooting from distance. He could use both his right and left feet.

People often compared him to Juventus legend Marco Tardelli. This was because of his strong, hard-working, and smart style of play. Marchisio was also known for his composure and leadership on the field. He often scored or set up important goals in big games.

Life After Football

After retiring, Marchisio wrote an autobiography called Nero su bianco (Black on white). He also published another book called Il mio terzo tempo (My third half). Since 2021, he has been a columnist for a newspaper in Turin. He also uses social media to talk about important social issues.

In 2016, Marchisio and his wife opened a Japanese-Italian restaurant called "Legami" in Turin. It has grown into a chain with several locations.

Marchisio also co-founded a company that helps professional athletes manage their image rights and legal advice. His former teammate Giorgio Chiellini joined him in this business.

Personal Life

Marchisio holds up the FARE T-shirt and show his support for the FARE Action Weeks 2011.

Claudio Marchisio married Roberta Sinopoli in June 2008. They have two sons, Davide (born in 2009) and Leonardo (born in 2012). His wife used to be a tennis player.

Fans and media gave Marchisio the nickname Il Principino ("The Little Prince"). This was because of his calm behavior on the field and how he dressed. He was also sometimes called the "De Rossi of Turin," comparing him to another famous Italian midfielder, Daniele De Rossi.

Marchisio was featured on the Italian cover of the video game FIFA 13 alongside Lionel Messi. He also appeared in the Netflix docu-series First Team: Juventus.

In October 2019, Marchisio and his wife were robbed at their home in Turin, but they were not hurt. In April 2021, his family tested positive for COVID-19.

Career Statistics

Club

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Juventus	2005–06	Serie A	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2006–07	Serie B	25	0	1	0	—				26	0
	2008–09	Serie A	24	3	2	0	6	0			32	3
	2009–10		28	3	0	0	7	0			35	3
	2010–11		32	4	1	0	8	0			41	4
	2011–12		36	9	3	1	—				39	10
	2012–13		29	6	2	0	8	2	1	0	40	8
	2013–14		29	4	2	0	11	0	1	0	43	4
	2014–15		35	3	4	0	12	0	1	0	52	3
	2015–16		23	0	3	0	5	0	1	0	32	0
	2016–17		18	1	2	0	8	1	1	0	29	2
	2017–18		15	0	4	0	1	0	0	0	20	0
Total			294	33	24	1	66	3	5	0	389	37
Empoli (loan)	2007–08	Serie A	26	0	1	0	2	0	—		29	0
Zenit Saint Petersburg	2018–19	Premier League	9	2	1	0	5	0	—		15	2
Career Total			329	35	26	1	73	3	5	0	433	39

International

Italy national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2009	2	0
2010	7	0
2011	9	1
2012	13	0
2013	10	1
2014	10	2
2015	3	1
2016	0	0
2017	1	0
Total	55	5

International goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	7 October 2011	Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade	Serbia	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
2.	11 June 2013	Estádio São Januário, Rio de Janeiro	Haiti	2–0	2–2	Friendly
3.	4 June 2014	Stadio Renato Curi, Perugia	Luxembourg	1–0	1–1	Friendly
4.	14 June 2014	Arena da Amazônia, Manaus	England	1–0	2–1	2014 FIFA World Cup
5.	17 November 2015	Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna	Romania	1–1	2–2	Friendly