Giuseppe Giannini facts for kids
Giannini in 1983
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Giuseppe Giannini | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 20 August 1964 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | Almas Roma | |||||||||||||||
| 1980–1983 | Roma | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1981–1996 | Roma | 318 | (49) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Sturm Graz | 16 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Napoli | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Lecce | 47 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 385 | (55) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1986 | Italy U-21 | 16 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1986–1991 | Italy | 47 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Foggia | |||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Sambenedettese | |||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Argeş Piteşti | |||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Massese | |||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Gallipoli | |||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Verona | |||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Grosseto | |||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Lebanon | |||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Latina (head of youth) | |||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Racing Roma | |||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Unicusano Fondi | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Giuseppe Giannini (born August 20, 1964) is a famous Italian former footballer. He played as a midfielder and was known for his elegant style.
He spent most of his 15-year playing career with A.S. Roma, a popular club in Italy. Fans saw him as a true symbol of the club. Later, Francesco Totti took over his famous number 10 jersey and his role as an attacking midfielder. Giannini also played 47 times for the Italian national team. He helped Italy reach the semi-finals of the 1988 UEFA European Championship and the 1990 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Italy.
Italian sports journalists often called him "Il Principe" (The Prince). This nickname came from his graceful and skillful way of playing on the field.
Playing for Clubs
Early Career and Roma Years
Giuseppe Giannini was born in Rome, Italy. He started his football journey as a young player with a local club called Almas Roma. Even at a young age, many big Italian clubs noticed his talent. He eventually chose to join A.S. Roma, even though other famous teams like S.S. Lazio and A.C. Milan wanted him.
Giannini made his first appearance in Italy's top league, Serie A, on January 31, 1982. Over the next fifteen years, he played more than 400 games for Roma. He became the team's captain and helped them win the Serie A title once. He also won the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) three times. He played in the UEFA Cup final in the 1990–91 season.
Moving to Other Teams
In 1996, Giannini left Roma to play for SK Sturm Graz in Austria. However, he only stayed for half a season because he missed Italy. Before he retired in 1999, Giannini had short periods playing for Napoli and Lecce back in Italy.
Playing for Italy
Youth and Senior Teams
Giuseppe Giannini played for the Italy under-21 team under coach Azeglio Vicini. In 1986, they reached the final of the 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Giannini even scored a goal in the first game of the final against Spain. However, Italy lost the final after a penalty shootout.
He played 47 games for the Italian senior national team between 1986 and 1991, scoring 6 goals. His first game for Italy was against Malta in December 1986, when he was 22 years old.
Major Tournaments
Giannini represented Italy in two big tournaments: the 1988 European Championships and the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Both tournaments were held in Italy, and the team reached the semi-finals in both.
In the 1990 World Cup, Italy won a bronze medal, finishing in 3rd place. Giannini scored a goal in Italy's second group match, which was a 1–0 win against the United States. He also helped set up goals for other players in important matches. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the Team of the Tournament at Euro 1988. His last game for Italy was in October 1991.
How He Played
Giuseppe Giannini was known as "Il Principe" (The Prince) because of his elegant playing style. He was a "fantasista," which means a creative player. He had great technique, vision, and could pass the ball very well. This made him an excellent playmaker.
He usually played as a central midfielder, often in a role called a "regista" or deep-lying playmaker. This meant he controlled the game from deeper on the field, carrying the ball and looking for passes. He could also play further forward as an attacking midfielder or second striker, where he would create chances or make runs into the box.
Giannini was considered one of Italy's best midfielders of the 1980s and 90s. Besides his skills, he was also a hard-working and versatile player with good stamina. He could shoot accurately with both feet and often scored goals from midfield. He was also a strong leader, serving as Roma's captain.
Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Giannini became a football manager. He coached several clubs in Italy and even the national team of Lebanon.
Early Coaching Roles
From 2003 to 2005, he managed Foggia. He also coached Sambenedettese and Argeş Piteşti in Romania. In 2007, he took charge of Massese.
Success with Gallipoli
In 2008, Giannini became the head coach of Gallipoli. In his first season, he led Gallipoli to win their league, which meant the club was promoted to Serie B for the first time in its history. This was a huge achievement for the team.
He faced some challenges at Gallipoli, including financial issues at the club. He even resigned briefly in 2010 due to players not being paid, but he returned shortly after. However, he eventually left the club for good in March 2010.
Later Coaching Jobs
In June 2010, Giannini signed a two-year contract to coach Verona, aiming to help them get promoted. In 2011, he became the head coach of Grosseto in Serie B. He left that role after a short time due to disagreements with the club's chairman.
Coaching Lebanon
On July 6, 2013, Giannini was officially appointed as the manager of the Lebanese National Team. He tried to build on Lebanon's recent success in World Cup qualification.
Under his guidance, Lebanon had some memorable matches. They drew twice against Kuwait and had a big 5–2 win against Thailand. One of his most famous matches was a 2–2 draw against Olympic Brazil.
Recent Roles
In June 2017, Giannini returned to management in Italy, coaching Racing Roma and then Fondi. However, his time at Fondi was short due to poor results.
Honours
Player
Roma
- Serie A: 1982–83
- Coppa Italia: 1983–84, 1985–86, 1990–91
Sturm Graz
- Austrian Supercup: 1996
- Austrian Cup: 1997
Italy
- Scania 100 Tournament: 1991
Manager
Gallipoli
- Lega Pro Prima Divisione: 2008–09
- Supercoppa di Lega di Prima Divisione: 2009
Individual
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1988
- A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2013
Orders
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5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 1991
See also
In Spanish: Giuseppe Giannini para niños
