Cristiano Doni facts for kids
Doni in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 April 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.86 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1991–1992 | Modena | 0 | (0) |
| 1992–1993 | Rimini | 31 | (6) |
| 1993–1994 | Pistoiese | 31 | (3) |
| 1994–1996 | Bologna | 54 | (11) |
| 1996–1998 | Brescia | 51 | (8) |
| 1998–2003 | Atalanta | 145 | (55) |
| 2003–2005 | Sampdoria | 44 | (7) |
| 2005–2006 | Mallorca | 24 | (2) |
| 2006–2011 | Atalanta | 151 | (48) |
| Total | 531 | (140) | |
| National team | |||
| 2001–2002 | Italy | 7 | (1) |
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Cristiano Doni (born 1 April 1973) is an Italian former professional football player. He mostly played as an attacking midfielder. He could play on either side of the field or in the middle.
He spent most of his career, which lasted for about 20 years, with Atalanta. He played over 300 official games for them. He also scored more than 100 goals for the club. Doni played 266 matches in Italy's top league, Serie A, scoring 77 goals. He also played for Brescia and Sampdoria in this league.
Doni also played for the Italian national team. He was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Early Club Days
Cristiano Doni was born in Rome, Italy. He started his professional football journey at 18. His first club was Modena. After that, he played for several other teams. These included Rimini, Pistoiese, and Bologna.
He made his first appearance in Serie A in the 1997–98 season. This was for Brescia in a game against Inter Milan. After two years with Brescia, he moved to Bergamo to play for Atalanta.
Time at Atalanta
Doni quickly became a well-known player at Atalanta. He was known for his hard work and his ability to score goals. In three out of five seasons, he scored more than 10 goals.
After playing two seasons for Sampdoria, Doni moved abroad. At 32 years old, he joined Mallorca in Spain. He only stayed for one season there.
He then returned to his main team, Atalanta. He even took a pay cut to come back. Doni signed a two-year contract with Atalanta. Despite his age, he continued to be a very important player for the team's attack. He scored 34 league goals in his first three years back. He also became the team captain.
In the 2010–11 season, Doni was 37 years old. He scored 12 goals in Serie B, Italy's second division. His goals helped Atalanta win the league title. This meant they returned to the top division after one year. Doni's long and successful playing career ended at the age of 38.
Playing for Italy
Doni played seven times for the Italian national team. His first game was on 7 November 2001. He scored a goal in a 1–1 friendly match against Japan.
After this, the manager Giovanni Trapattoni chose him for the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. Doni started in two games during the tournament. The first was a 2–0 win against Ecuador. The second was a 2–1 loss to Croatia. In the game against Croatia, he helped set up a goal for Christian Vieri.
How He Played
Cristiano Doni was known for his excellent vision on the field. He also had great technical skills. He was a creative midfield playmaker. This meant he was good at setting up plays for his teammates.
He could both score goals and help others score. He had a powerful and accurate shot from mid-range.
Awards and Achievements
Team Honours
Bologna
Brescia
- Serie B: 1996–97
Atalanta
- Serie B: 2010–11
Individual Awards
- Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 2009
