Federico Balzaretti facts for kids
Balzaretti playing for Italy at the UEFA Euro 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 December 1981 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Turin, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left-back | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Vicenza (director of football) | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1999 | Torino | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2005 | Torino | 94 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | → Varese (loan) | 44 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | → Siena (loan) | 16 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Juventus | 57 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Fiorentina | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Palermo | 143 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2015 | Roma | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 399 | (8) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Italy U20 | 23 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2002 | Italy U21 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Italy | 16 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Federico Balzaretti (born 6 December 1981) is a former Italian professional footballer. He played as a left-back, which is a defender who plays on the left side of the field. After retiring from playing, he became a technical director for a football club.
Federico started his career in the youth team of Torino. He then played for several clubs, including Juventus, Fiorentina, Palermo, and Roma. He won a league title with Juventus, but it was later taken away due to a big football issue. He also played for the Italian national team and helped them reach the final of the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament.
After struggling with injuries, Federico stopped playing football on 12 August 2015. He had played in 221 games in Italy's top league, Serie A, and scored 4 goals. He also played in 130 games in Serie B, scoring 3 goals.
Contents
Federico Balzaretti's Club Journey
Starting at Torino
Federico Balzaretti began his football journey at age 6 with his hometown club, Torino. He played in their different youth teams. He quickly became known as a strong and fast defender who could also attack from the side. People saw that he had a lot of potential.
Between 1999 and 2002, he was loaned out to smaller clubs like Varese and Siena. This helped him gain experience. When he returned to Torino, he became a favorite among the fans. He would often show his love for the club by kissing the team badge after games.
In the 2004–05 season, Federico played a big part in helping Torino get promoted back to Serie A, Italy's top league. However, the club faced financial problems, and all the players were allowed to leave.
Moving to Juventus
On 15 August 2005, Balzaretti joined Juventus. This was a rival club in the same city. It was a tough choice for him, but he wanted to stay in Turin because his first wife was expecting their daughter. Some Torino fans were very upset by this move. They felt he had betrayed their club.
In the 2005–06 season, he played regularly for Juventus. The team won the Serie A league title that year. However, this title was later taken away because of a big football scandal. In the next season, 2006–07, Juventus played in a lower league, Serie B. Federico scored his first goal as a professional player in Serie B on 17 February 2007, helping Juventus win 5–0 against Crotone. The team was promoted back to Serie A that season.
Time at Fiorentina and Palermo
In July 2007, Federico Balzaretti was sold to Fiorentina. He played only six games for them in the first half of the Serie A 2007-08 season. He then moved to Palermo in January 2008.
At Palermo, Federico chose the number 42 jersey to honor his father, who was born in 1942. He quickly became a very important player for the team. He played regularly for many seasons and became known as one of the best left-backs in Italy. In January 2010, he signed a new contract with Palermo.
Playing for Roma
On 1 August 2012, Balzaretti signed a three-year contract with Roma. He made his first appearance for Roma in a 2–2 draw against Catania during the 2012–13 season.
He scored his first goal for Roma in a big local derby match against Lazio on 22 September 2013. Roma won that game 2–0. However, during his second season at the club, Federico suffered a serious hip injury. This injury caused a lot of pain and needed several operations. It even made him think about ending his career. He finally returned to play in the last match of the 2014–15 season on 31 May 2015.
Retiring from Football
On 12 August 2015, Federico Balzaretti announced that he was retiring from professional football. He was 33 years old. He explained that he could not fully recover from his hip injury, which had bothered him for two years. He felt he could no longer play at 100 percent.
He shared a message saying: "I am retiring from Football. Unfortunately the injury I've had is forcing me to hang up my boots. It has been a difficult decision to make, but I can't continue playing the way I want to, at 100 percent. Last year, in my last news conference here, I said I wanted to get back on the field and play one more match for Roma. I managed to play 90 more minutes with Roma and I'd like to thank everyone here for making that last dream come true. I'm happy to have spent the last few months of the season with this group and I am delighted we secured second place."
Federico Balzaretti's International Career
Before playing for the main Italian national team, Federico Balzaretti played for several youth teams between 2000 and 2002.
He made his first appearance for the Italian national team on 17 November 2010. This was in a friendly match against Romania. He was chosen to be part of the Italian team for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. During the tournament, he became the main left-back. He also played the entire match against Germany as a right-back, helping his team reach the final.
How Federico Balzaretti Played
Federico Balzaretti was an attacking full-back who played on the left side of the field. He could also play as a winger or a wing-back. His best qualities were his speed, his energy, and his ability to send the ball accurately into the penalty area for his teammates to score. He was a smart player who could adapt to different positions on the field, even playing on the right side when needed.
Federico Balzaretti's Life After Playing
After retiring from playing football, Federico Balzaretti decided to stay at Roma. He started working with the club's sports management team. He said he liked this new role and felt it was a good fit for him.
On 2 November 2021, he was announced as the new director of football for Vicenza, a club in Italy's Serie B league.
Federico Balzaretti's Personal Life
Federico Balzaretti is married to a famous Italian ballerina named Eleonora Abbagnato. They got married in the summer of 2011 in Palermo. They have two children together. Federico also has two children from a previous relationship.
Federico Balzaretti's Achievements
Juventus
- Serie B: 2006–07 (Won the second division league title)
Roma
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2012–13 (Finished second in the Italian Cup)
Italy
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2012 (Finished second in the European Championship)
Individual
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2011–12 (Chosen as one of the best players in Serie A for that season)
Images for kids
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Balzaretti at Fiorentina
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Balzaretti warming up prior to a friendly game against Chelsea
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Balzaretti slide tackles Steven Gerrard at Euro 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Federico Balzaretti para niños
