Gianluca Pessotto facts for kids
Pessotto in 2006
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gianluca Pessotto | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 11 August 1970 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Latisana, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender, midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1989 | AC Milan | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Varese | 64 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Massese | 22 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Bologna | 21 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Verona | 34 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Torino | 32 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–2006 | Juventus | 243 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 416 | (9) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2002 | Italy | 22 | (1) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Gianluca Pessotto (born August 11, 1970) is a former Italian professional football player who played as a defender or midfielder. He played for the Italian national team and spent most of his career with the famous club Juventus. With Juventus, he won many awards in Italy and across Europe.
After he stopped playing in 2006, Pessotto stayed at Juventus to help coach. Today, he is the Sporting Director for the club's youth teams, helping to train the next generation of football stars.
Fans gave Pessotto the nickname Il Professorino, which means "The Little Professor." This was because he wore glasses and was interested in philosophy and books. He even earned a law degree while he was a professional player. He was also called "Passerotto" ("Little Sparrow") because he was so fast and seemed to fly across the field.
Contents
Club Career
Early Years
Pessotto was born in Latisana, Italy. He started his journey in the AC Milan youth program but was sold to the team Varese in 1989 before playing any professional games for Milan.
He played for several Italian clubs in his early career, including Varese, Massese, Bologna, and Verona. He gained valuable experience and showed his skills, which led him to Italy's top league, Serie A. In 1994, he joined Torino and had a great first season in Serie A, playing in 32 games.
A Legend at Juventus
In 1995, Pessotto made a big move to Juventus, one of the biggest clubs in Europe. He quickly became a very important player. He was part of a defense that was considered one of the best in the world. Teams found it very difficult to score against Juventus.
During his 12 years with the club, he played alongside other famous defenders like Ciro Ferrara, Lilian Thuram, and Fabio Cannavaro. He was known for his experience and leadership.
Pessotto retired from football in 2006. With Juventus, he won many trophies, including:
- The UEFA Champions League in 1996.
- The Intercontinental Cup in 1996.
- Four Serie A championships (called Scudetti).
- Four Supercoppa Italiana titles.
- One Coppa Italia in 1995.
International Career
Pessotto played 22 times for the Italian national team between 1996 and 2002. He represented his country in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
He also played in UEFA Euro 2000. In the semi-final match against the Netherlands, he scored a penalty kick in the shootout, which helped Italy reach the final. In the final against France, he assisted on a goal for Italy. However, Italy lost the match in the final moments, and Pessotto earned a runner-up medal.
An injury kept him from playing in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Style of Play
Pessotto was a versatile and intelligent player. He could play as a defender on the side of the field (a full-back) or as a winger. Even though he was right-footed, he could play well on the left side of the field.
He was known for his speed, stamina, and smart reading of the game. He was good at chasing down opponents, winning the ball, and then running up the field to help his team attack. He was also a reliable penalty taker. His teammates and coaches respected him for his professionalism and fair play.
Life After Football
After retiring as a player, Pessotto became a team manager at Juventus. In June 2006, he had a serious accident when he fell from a fourth-story window at the Juventus headquarters. He suffered many injuries but was declared out of danger by doctors a few weeks later.
After he recovered, he returned to his work at Juventus. In 2009, he was named the coach for the Primavera (Under-20) youth team. He continues to work with the club's young players today.
Honours
Club
Juventus
- Serie A: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003
- Intercontinental Cup: 1996
- UEFA Champions League: 1995–96
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2002–03
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999
- UEFA Super Cup: 1996
International
Italy
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2000
Individual
- Premio Nazionale Carriera Esemplare "Gaetano Scirea": 1995
Orders
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5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2000
See also
In Spanish: Gianluca Pessotto para niños
