Fabio Grosso facts for kids
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Grosso with Frosinone in 2023
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fabio Grosso | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 November 1977 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left-back | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Sassuolo (head coach) | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Renato Curi | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1999 | Renato Curi | 125 | (55) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Chieti | 68 | (17) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Perugia | 67 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Palermo | 90 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Inter Milan | 23 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Lyon | 53 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2012 | Juventus | 47 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 473 | (87) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2009 | Italy | 48 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Bari | |||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Hellas Verona | |||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Brescia | |||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Sion | |||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Frosinone | |||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Lyon | |||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Sassuolo | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Fabio Grosso is an Italian football manager and a former player. He was born on November 28, 1977, in Rome, Italy. He is best known for his amazing performances as a left-back for the Italian national team, especially during their victory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
After playing for several smaller Italian clubs, Fabio Grosso became well-known during his time with Palermo. This led to him joining big clubs like Inter Milan, Lyon in France, and Juventus. He won several league titles and cups with these teams. He retired from playing football in 2012 after winning the Italian league title, known as the Scudetto, with Juventus.
For the Italian national team, Grosso played 48 matches. He scored a very important goal against Germany in the semi-final of the 2006 World Cup. He also scored the winning penalty kick in the final against France, helping Italy win the World Cup for the fourth time. Today, he is a football coach and is currently the head coach of Sassuolo.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Early Club Days
Fabio Grosso started his football journey in the youth system of Renato Curi Angolana in 1994. He quickly became a key player for their senior team from 1995 to 1999. During this time, he played as an attacking midfielder and left winger, scoring 47 goals in 108 games.
In 1998, he moved to Chieti, where he continued to impress as an attacking midfielder. He scored 17 goals in 68 league matches over three seasons.
Joining Serie A with Perugia
In July 2001, Grosso joined Perugia, a team in Italy's top league, Serie A. Here, his coach, Serse Cosmi, changed his position to a left wing-back. This new role suited him well, and he became a regular starter. He played 67 games for Perugia, scoring 7 goals, before moving to Palermo in January 2004.
Success with Palermo
When Grosso joined Palermo, they were in Serie B, the second division. He helped them win the Serie B title and get promoted to Serie A in 2004. Palermo had a great first season back in Serie A, finishing sixth and qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Grosso was a regular player, making 36 appearances. His strong performances with Palermo earned him a spot in Italy's 2006 World Cup squad.
Winning Titles with Inter and Lyon
After the 2006 World Cup, Grosso joined Inter Milan. In his only season there, he helped Inter win the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana. He played 23 league games and scored two goals.
In July 2007, Grosso moved to France to play for Lyon. He quickly became a key player, helping Lyon win the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and the Trophée des Champions in his first season. He played 53 games for Lyon over two seasons.
Juventus and Retirement
Fabio Grosso returned to Italy in August 2009, joining Juventus. He immediately became a starter and scored his first goal for the club in November 2009. He played 28 games in his first season, scoring two goals.
In his final season, 2011–12, Juventus won the Serie A title without losing a single game. Grosso played two matches that season. His contract ended in the summer of 2012, and he decided to retire from professional football.
International Career for Italy
First Steps with the National Team
Fabio Grosso made his debut for the Italian national team on April 30, 2003, in a friendly match against Switzerland. He scored his first goal for Italy in a World Cup qualifying match against Scotland on September 2, 2005.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup Triumph
From 2005 onwards, Grosso became a regular starter for Italy under coach Marcello Lippi. He played a crucial role in Italy's victory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
In the Round of 16 match against Australia, with the score tied 0–0, Grosso entered the penalty box and was fouled. Francesco Totti then scored the winning penalty, sending Italy to the quarter-finals.
On July 4, 2006, Grosso scored the first goal against host nation Germany in the 119th minute of the World Cup semi-finals. It was a fantastic curling shot with his left foot that went past the goalkeeper. This goal helped Italy win 2–0 and reach the final.
In the World Cup final against France, the game ended 1–1 after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Grosso stepped up and scored the winning penalty, securing Italy's fourth World Cup title!
Later International Matches
Grosso also played for Italy in UEFA Euro 2008. He performed well on the left side of the field as Italy reached the quarter-finals. He even scored Italy's first penalty in the shootout against Spain, though Spain won that match.
He continued to be the first-choice left-back for Italy in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and during the qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not included in the final squad for the 2010 World Cup.
Coaching Career
Starting in Youth Football
After retiring as a player, Fabio Grosso began his coaching career in the Juventus youth system in 2013. In March 2014, he was appointed as the manager of the Juventus Primavera (U-19) youth team.
Managing Professional Clubs
On June 13, 2017, Grosso became the head coach of Bari in Serie B. His team finished seventh but lost in the playoffs.
He then managed Hellas Verona from June 2018 to May 2019. After that, he had a short time as manager of Brescia in Serie A in November 2019.
In August 2020, Grosso took charge of Sion in the Swiss Super League. He was with them until March 2021.
Success with Frosinone
On March 23, 2021, Grosso was appointed manager of Frosinone. He led them to win the 2022–23 Serie B title, which meant they were promoted to Serie A! After this great success, his contract ended, and he decided to leave the club.
Return to Lyon and Sassuolo
In September 2023, Grosso returned to Lyon, the French club he once played for, this time as their manager. However, his time there was short, and he left in November 2023.
On June 3, 2024, Fabio Grosso was appointed as the manager of Sassuolo.
Playing Style
Fabio Grosso was known as a strong, fast, and energetic player. He was good at both defending and attacking, thanks to his hard work, skill, and stamina. He was a versatile player who could play as an offensive left-back, or even as a winger or wing-back on either side of the field. He was also very good at crossing the ball and was a specialist in taking free kicks, penalty kicks, and corner kicks.
Personal Life
Fabio Grosso is married to Jessica Repetto.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Renato Curi | 1994–95 | Eccellenza | 18 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 2 | ||||
| 1995–96 | 28 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 11 | ||||||
| 1996–97 | 30 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 15 | ||||||
| 1997–98 | 32 | 19 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 19 | ||||||
| 1998–99 | Serie D | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 8 | |||||
| Total | 125 | 55 | — | — | — | — | 125 | 55 | ||||||
| Chieti | 1998–99 | Serie C2 | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||||
| 1999–2000 | 25 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 4 | ||||||
| 2000–01 | 31 | 9 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 9 | ||||||
| Total | 68 | 17 | — | — | — | — | 68 | 17 | ||||||
| Perugia | 2001–02 | Serie A | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2002–03 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 4 | |||||
| 2003–04 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 67 | 7 | 13 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 91 | 7 | ||||
| Palermo | 2003–04 | Serie B | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
| 2004–05 | Serie A | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 1 | ||||
| 2005–06 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 90 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 106 | 2 | ||||
| Inter | 2006–07 | Serie A | 23 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |
| Lyon | 2007–08 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| 2008–09 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 53 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 78 | 2 | ||
| Juventus | 2009–10 | Serie A | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 47 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 59 | 2 | ||||
| Career total | 473 | 87 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 562 | 88 | ||
International
| Italy | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 | – | – |
| 2005 | 11 | 1 |
| 2006 | 11 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 | 1 |
| 2008 | 10 | 0 |
| 2009 | 10 | 1 |
| Total | 48 | 4 |
International goals
- Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 3 September 2005 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |  Scotland |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 4 July 2006 | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany |  Germany |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 3. | 13 October 2007 | Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy |  Georgia |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 4. | 9 September 2009 | Stadio Olimpico di Torino, Turin, Italy |  Bulgaria |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Managerial statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| Bari | 13 June 2017 | 18 June 2018 | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 64 | 55 | +9 | 43.48 |
| Hellas Verona | 21 June 2018 | 1 May 2019 | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 51 | 45 | +6 | 36.11 |
| Brescia | 5 November 2019 | 2 December 2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0.00 |
| Sion | 25 August 2020 | 5 March 2021 | 25 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 40 | −10 | 20.00 |
| Frosinone | 23 March 2021 | 17 June 2023 | 86 | 42 | 25 | 19 | 134 | 81 | +53 | 48.84 |
| Lyon | 16 September 2023 | 30 November 2023 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | −5 | 14.29 |
| Sassuolo | 3 June 2024 | present | 41 | 27 | 7 | 7 | 83 | 45 | +38 | 65.85 |
| Total | 244 | 108 | 71 | 65 | 368 | 287 | +81 | 44.26 | ||
Honours and Awards
As a Player
- Perugia
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003
- Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2006–07
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2006
- Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2007–08
- Coupe de France: 2007–08
- Trophée des Champions: 2007
- Juventus
- Serie A: 2011–12
- Italy National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 2006
- Special Awards
- CONI: Golden Collar of Sports Merit: 2006
- Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic: 2006
As a Manager
- Frosinone
- Serie B: 2022–23
- Sassuolo
- Serie B: 2024–25
- Individual Coaching Award
- Silver Bench: 2022–23
See also
In Spanish: Fabio Grosso para niños
