Lorenzo Insigne facts for kids
Insigne in 2021
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 4 June 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Frattamaggiore, Naples, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.63 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Winger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Toronto FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| –2006 | Olimpia Sant'Arpino | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Napoli | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2022 | Napoli | 337 | (96) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | → Cavese (loan) | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | → Foggia (loan) | 33 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | → Pescara (loan) | 37 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Toronto FC | 54 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Italy U20 | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Italy U21 | 15 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2022 | Italy | 54 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Lorenzo Insigne (born on June 4, 1991) is an Italian professional football player. He is known for playing as a winger for the Major League Soccer club Toronto FC.
Insigne started his professional journey with Napoli in 2009. He made his first appearance in Italy's top league, Serie A, in 2010. After that, he played on loan for several teams like Cavese, Foggia, and Pescara. He returned to Napoli in 2012.
Lorenzo Insigne can play on either side of the field or in the middle. He is usually a left winger. People know him for his creative play, quickness, and great technical skills. He is also very good at scoring from free-kicks.
Insigne played for the Italy under-21 team. With them, he won a silver medal at the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He joined the senior national team in 2012. He played for Italy in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, and UEFA Euro 2020. He helped Italy win the Euro 2020 tournament.
Contents
Lorenzo Insigne: A Football Journey
Starting His Club Career
In 2006, when he was 15, Napoli signed Insigne from Olimpia Sant'Arpino. He made his debut for Napoli's youth team in 2008. In the 2009–10 season, he scored 15 goals for them.
He first joined the main Napoli team in 2009. His Serie A debut was on January 24, 2010, in a 2–0 win against Livorno. After that, he played for Cavese on loan for the rest of the season. He played 10 games there.
Loan Spells and Growing as a Player
The next season, Insigne was loaned to Foggia. He scored his first professional goal on August 14 in a cup match. On August 29, he scored his first league goal. Under coach Zdeněk Zeman, he scored 19 league goals. He also scored seven goals in the Coppa Italia Lega Pro.
On July 8, 2011, he was loaned to Pescara in Serie B. Zeman was also his coach there. He played his first game in Italy's second division on August 26, 2011. He scored his first goal for Pescara on September 4. Insigne finished the season with 18 goals and 14 assists. He was the second-highest scorer, just behind his teammate Ciro Immobile.
Pescara won the Serie B title and moved up to Serie A. Insigne was named the "Best Player" of the Serie B season. He shared this award with teammates Immobile and Marco Verratti.
Becoming a Napoli Legend
After his loan, Insigne returned to Napoli and chose the number 24 jersey. On September 16, 2012, he scored his first goal in Serie A. This happened in a 3–1 win against Parma. Four days later, he played his first game in a European club competition. Napoli won 4–0 against AIK Fotboll in the UEFA Europa League.
Insigne helped Napoli finish second in Serie A that season. He played 43 games, scoring five goals and making seven assists. He faced strong competition from other players for a starting spot.
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In the next season, Insigne played his first UEFA Champions League game. He scored a goal from a free-kick in a 2–1 win against Borussia Dortmund. On May 3, 2014, in the Coppa Italia final, Insigne scored two goals. Napoli won 3–1 against Fiorentina, lifting the trophy.
During the 2014–15 season, Insigne got a knee injury in November 2014. He returned to play on April 4, 2015, after five months. In his next league game, he scored a goal and wore the captain's armband.
On September 13, 2015, Insigne scored in the first game of the 2015–16 Serie A season. He continued to score, including two goals against Milan. His great performances led some people to compare him to the famous Napoli legend Diego Maradona.
In April 2017, Insigne scored two goals in a game for Napoli. This brought his total to 14 goals for the Serie A season. This was his best goal-scoring season yet. On October 14, 2017, Insigne scored his 100th club career goal. This was in a 1–0 win against rivals Roma.
After Marek Hamšík left the club in February 2019, Insigne became the official captain of Napoli. On August 24, he scored two goals and assisted two more in a 4–3 win against Fiorentina.
On June 13, 2020, Insigne helped Napoli reach the Coppa Italia Final. In the final on June 17, Insigne scored Napoli's first penalty kick. Napoli won the trophy 4–2 in a penalty shootout against Juventus. Insigne lifted the trophy as captain.
Moving to Toronto FC
On January 8, 2022, Insigne signed a contract to join Major League Soccer club Toronto FC. He joined as a designated player on a free transfer. His four-year contract began on July 1.
He played his first game for Toronto FC on July 23. This was in a 4–0 win against Charlotte FC. He helped set up a goal for his captain Michael Bradley. On August 6, Insigne scored his first goal for the club. It was a game-winning goal in a 4–3 win against Nashville SC.
Playing for Italy
Youth Teams
Insigne was a regular player for the Italy under-21 squad. He played 15 games and scored seven goals for them. He made his debut on October 6, 2011, scoring two goals and assisting two more.
He played in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. On June 5, 2013, he scored a free-kick goal against England. He helped Italy reach the final, where they lost 4–2 to Spain.
Senior Team Debut
In September 2012, at age 21, Insigne was called up to the Italy senior team. He made his senior debut on September 11, 2012, in a World Cup qualifier against Malta. On August 14, 2013, Insigne scored his first goal for Italy in a friendly game against Argentina.
He was chosen for Italy's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played his first World Cup game on June 20, 2014, against Costa Rica. Italy was eliminated in the group stage.
On May 31, 2016, Insigne was part of Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2016. He came on as a substitute and helped set up a goal against Spain. In the quarter-final against Germany, he scored Italy's first penalty in the shootout. Italy lost the shootout 6–5.
Winning Euro 2020
In June 2021, Insigne was in Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He wore the number ten shirt. In the first game on June 11, he scored Italy's final goal in a 3–0 win over Turkey.
On July 2, he scored Italy's second goal in a 2–1 win over Belgium in the quarter-finals. His goal was a beautiful curling shot from outside the box. UEFA named him the "star of the match."
On July 11, Insigne won the European Championship with Italy. They beat England 3–2 in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw. Insigne started the final game. He made more solo runs into the penalty area than any other player in the tournament.
How Lorenzo Insigne Plays
Lorenzo Insigne is nicknamed "Lorenzo Il Magnifico," which means "Lorenzo the Magnificent." He is a fast, talented, and skillful player. He is right-footed and usually plays as a winger on the left side. This allows him to cut inside and curl shots towards the goal with his strong right foot. He often scores goals this way, which he says was inspired by his hero Alessandro Del Piero.
Insigne is a hard-working and smart player. He can play in many attacking positions. He is also known for helping out in defense. Even though he is not very big, he is quick and agile with the ball. He has great balance and control. His dribbling skills and speed help him get past defenders.
He can also play in deeper, more creative roles. He can be a playmaker behind the strikers. His good passing and vision help him create chances and provide assists for his teammates. Insigne once said he preferred assisting goals over scoring them. He can also play as a "false 9" in the center. He is also very good at taking free-kicks.
Because of his skills and small size, some people have compared him to famous players like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. After scoring a goal, Insigne often makes a "heart" gesture with his hands.
His Life Off the Field
Lorenzo Insigne has three brothers who also play football: Roberto, Marco, and Antonio. Lorenzo married Genoveffa "Jenny" Darone on December 31, 2012. They have two sons: Carmine, born in 2013, and Christian, born in 2015.
Career Numbers
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Napoli | 2009–10 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 3 | – | 51 | 9 | |||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 37 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | 42 | 13 | |||
| 2016–17 | Serie A | 37 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 1 | – | 49 | 20 | |||
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 37 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | – | 48 | 14 | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 28 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | – | 41 | 14 | |||
| 2019–20 | Serie A | 37 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | – | 46 | 13 | |||
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 35 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 19 | ||
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 32 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | – | 37 | 13 | |||
| Total | 337 | 96 | 23 | 8 | 73 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 434 | 122 | |||
| Cavese (loan) | 2009–10 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 0 | |||
| Foggia (loan) | 2010–11 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione | 33 | 19 | 7 | 7 | – | – | 40 | 26 | |||
| Pescara (loan) | 2011–12 | Serie B | 37 | 18 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 38 | 20 | |||
| Toronto FC | 2022 | MLS | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 6 | |||
| 2023 | MLS | 20 | 4 | 1 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 21 | 5 | |||
| 2024 | MLS | 23 | 4 | 4 | 1 | – | 3 | 2 | 30 | 7 | |||
| Total | 54 | 14 | 6 | 2 | – | 3 | 2 | 63 | 18 | ||||
| Career total | 470 | 146 | 37 | 19 | 73 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 584 | 185 | |||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2012 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 15 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 10 | |
- Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Insigne goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 August 2013 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | 2 |  Argentina |
1–2 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 24 March 2016 | Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy | 7 |  Spain |
1–0 | 1–1 | |
| 3 | 11 June 2017 | Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy | 16 |  Liechtenstein |
1–0 | 5–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 27 March 2018 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 23 |  England |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 8 June 2019 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece | 31 |  Greece |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 6 | 11 June 2019 | Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy | 32 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–1 | 2–1 | |
| 7 | 15 November 2019 | Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 34 | 2–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 8 | 4 June 2021 | Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna, Italy | 41 |  Czech Republic |
3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 11 June 2021 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | 42 |  Turkey |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 |
| 10 | 2 July 2021 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | 45 |  Belgium |
2–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 |
Trophies and Awards
Pescara
- Serie B: 2011–12
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2013–14, 2019–20
Italy U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2013
Italy
- UEFA European Championship: 2020
- UEFA Nations League third place: 2020–21
Individual
- Serie B Footballer of the Year: 2012
- Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2013–14
- Serie A Player of the Month: March 2021
- UEFA Europa League Goal of the Season: 2021–22
Orders
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5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2021
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Fun Fact: The "Tiraggiro"
Insigne helped make the word tiraggiro popular in Italy. After his goals and Italy's win at Euro 2020, this word was added to the Italian encyclopedia Treccani in 2021.
Tiraggiro comes from a Neapolitan phrase meaning "curling shot." It describes Insigne's special way of shooting. He cuts in from the left side and curls the ball with his right foot. Newspaper articles often use this term when talking about Insigne's goals.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo Insigne para niños
