Francesco Coco facts for kids

Francesco Coco was born on January 8, 1977. He is a retired Italian footballer. He played as a defender. Even though he was naturally right-footed, he often played as a left wing-back or left-back. He played for famous clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Barcelona.

Coco won two Serie A league titles in Italy. He also played for the Italian national team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Playing for Clubs: A Football Journey

Early Career with Milan Clubs

Francesco Coco was born in Paternò, Italy. He spent most of his club career playing for teams in Milan. He started with AC Milan from 1993 to 2002. Later, he joined Inter from 2002 to 2007.

During his time at Milan, he was loaned to other teams. He played for Vicenza Calcio and Torino FC. In the 2001–02 season, he played for FC Barcelona on loan. He performed well there. Coco helped AC Milan win the Serie A league title in the 1995–96 and 1998–99 seasons.

Moving to Inter and Later Loans

In 2002, Coco moved from AC Milan to Inter Milan. This was part of a player exchange deal. His time at Inter was affected by injuries. He helped Inter reach the semi-finals of the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League and win the 2004–05 Coppa Italia.

In the 2005–06 season, he was loaned to Livorno. He played one season there. After his loan, he returned to Inter. In 2006, he tried to find a new club, but no deals worked out. So, he stayed with Inter.

Trials and Retirement from Football

In January 2007, Coco had a trial with the English club Manchester City. After three days, the club decided he was not part of their plans. Later, he was loaned to Torino for the 2006–07 season.

He returned to Inter briefly. On September 7, 2007, he and Inter agreed to end his contract. After this, Coco announced he wanted to stop playing football. He decided to try an acting career instead.

Playing for Italy: National Team Career

Francesco Coco played for Italy's youth national teams. He was part of the Italy U18 team. He also played for the Italy U21 team. He helped the U21 team win the 2000 UEFA U-21 Championship. Coco also played for the Italy U23 team that won the 1997 Mediterranean Games.

His first game for the main Italy national football team was on October 7, 2000. It was a 3–0 win against Romania. This was a qualifying match for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Italy in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His last call-up to the national team was in September 2002. He played a total of 17 games for Italy.

How Francesco Coco Played

Coco was a fast and strong player. He was also very flexible in his playing style. He usually played as an attacking fullback or wingback. This was because he was tough and worked hard. He was good at both defending and attacking.

Even though he was naturally right-footed, he could play well on both the right and left sides of the field. He was known for his strong tackles and physical play. He was also good at crossing the ball with both feet. Sometimes, he even played as a wide midfielder. Despite his talent, he sometimes struggled with injuries and was not always consistent.

Life Outside Football

Francesco Coco was not just a football player. He was also a businessman. He owned shops with his father, Antonio. He also had his own clothing brand called "Urban 77". Coco was a well-known person in Italy's social scene.

He also wrote the introduction for a book called Mio marito è un calciatore (My husband is a footballer). Coco was also known for his relationship with Italian actress and model Manuela Arcuri.

After he stopped playing professional football, Coco said he wanted to become an actor. He appeared on L'Isola dei Famosi. This is the Italian version of the TV show Survivor. He left the show voluntarily a few days after it started.

Awards and Achievements

Milan

• Serie A: 1995–96, 1998–99

Inter

• Coppa Italia: 2004–05

Italy

• UEFA Under-21 European Championship: 2000
• Mediterranean Games: 1997

See also

In Spanish: Francesco Coco para niños