Marco Materazzi facts for kids
Materazzi before a Legends Cup match in 2020
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Marco Materazzi | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 19 August 1973 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lecce, Italy | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre back | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Lazio | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Messina | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Tor di Quinto | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Marsala | 25 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Trapani | 13 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Perugia | 47 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | → Carpi (loan) | 18 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Everton | 25 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Perugia | 51 | (15) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2011 | Inter Milan | 184 | (18) | |||||||||||||
| 2014-2015 | Chennaiyin | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 383 | (55) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2008 | Italy | 41 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Chennaiyin (player-manager) | |||||||||||||||
| Syria (player-manager) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Marco Materazzi (born 19 August 1973) is a famous Italian former footballer and manager. He was known for being a strong and physical centre-back.
Materazzi played for several Italian teams, including Perugia, before joining Inter Milan in 2001. At Inter, he won many important trophies. These included five Serie A league titles in a row, one UEFA Champions League title, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He also won four Coppa Italia titles and the Supercoppa Italiana four times.
He played 41 games for the Italian national team between 2001 and 2008. He took part in two World Cups and two European Championships. Materazzi was a key player in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final against France. He scored Italy's equalizing goal and later scored in the penalty shoot-out, helping Italy win the World Cup.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Football Journey
Marco Materazzi began his football career in youth teams like Lazio and Messina Peloro. He spent his early years playing in the lower divisions of Italian football. He played for teams such as Tor di Quinto, Marsala, and Trapani.
In 1995, Perugia signed Materazzi for the first time. He also spent some time on loan at Carpi. In the 1998–99 season, he played for Everton in England. He scored two goals during his time there.
He returned to Perugia in 1999. In the 2000–01 season, he scored 12 goals. This was a record for a defender in one Serie A season at the time.
Time at Inter Milan
Joining the Team and Early Years
Materazzi joined Inter Milan in July 2001. He made his first appearance for the club on 26 August against Perugia. His first goal for Inter came in his second game, a 2–2 draw against Parma. He also played in the UEFA Cup that season.
He played 23 league matches in his first season. In the next season, Materazzi played 33 games in all competitions. This included 13 matches in the UEFA Champions League.
His 2003–04 season was affected by injuries. He was also involved in an incident with a Siena player, Bruno Cirillo, in early 2004. Materazzi was suspended for several matches after this event. He later apologized for his actions.
Winning Titles with Roberto Mancini
In July 2004, Roberto Mancini became Inter's manager. Materazzi initially played less, but in the next season, he played more often. He was the only Italian player to score a goal for Inter that season. In March 2006, he scored a late goal against Roma to earn a draw.
Materazzi signed a new contract in August 2006. The 2006–07 season was excellent for him, as he scored 10 goals. This made him the highest-scoring defender in Serie A. He scored in the Milan derby and helped Inter win their 15th league title. For his great performances, Materazzi was named the Serie A Defender of the Year.
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He missed the start of the 2007–08 season due to an injury. Later, he received a red card in a 2007–08 UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool. During a league game against Siena, Materazzi had an argument with teammate Julio Ricardo Cruz over who should take a penalty kick. Materazzi took it but missed. Inter still won the championship for the third time in a row. He played 33 games that season.
Final Years and More Trophies
In 2008, José Mourinho became the new manager. Materazzi played less often due to injuries and Mourinho's choices. He scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in November 2008 against Anorthosis. Materazzi won his fourth championship with Inter in May 2009. Even though he didn't play much, the club president and manager still praised him.
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In June 2009, Materazzi signed a new contract until 2012. He played 20 games in the 2009–10 season. In January 2010, he had knee surgery. Materazzi came on as a substitute in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich. Inter won 2–0, completing a historic "Treble" by also winning the Scudetto (league title) and Coppa Italia.
He started the 2010–11 season by winning the Supercoppa Italiana. In November, he played in the derby against Milan and was injured during the match. He recovered and played in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, which Inter won.
Materazzi left Inter Milan in July 2011 after his contract ended. He had played around 270 games and won 15 trophies with the club. He then announced his retirement from playing football.
Playing and Managing in India
On 22 September 2014, Materazzi became the player-manager for Chennaiyin in the new Indian Super League. He signed a two-season contract. He did not play in the first few matches.
Materazzi played his first game for Chennaiyin in a 5–1 win against Mumbai City. He even brought his former Italy teammate Alessandro Nesta to play for the team. Chennaiyin finished first in the league's regular season. In the play-offs, they were knocked out in the semi-finals.
At the end of the 2015 season, Materazzi led Chennaiyin to win the Indian Super League championship. His contract ended after this success. After the 2016 season, it was announced that he would not return to the club.
International Career
First Games for Italy
On 25 April 2001, Materazzi played his first game for the Italian national team. It was a friendly match against South Africa, which Italy won 1–0. He played in two qualifying matches for the World Cup.
In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Materazzi was a reserve player. He played only one game, coming on as a substitute against Croatia.
UEFA Euro 2004 Tournament
Materazzi was chosen by manager Giovanni Trapattoni for UEFA Euro 2004. He started in Italy's final group game against Bulgaria. Italy won 2–1, but they were still eliminated from the tournament early.
He captained Italy for the first time in a friendly match against Finland in November 2004.
Winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Materazzi was part of the Italian squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He started as a reserve. However, when Alessandro Nesta got injured, Materazzi came in as his replacement. He scored a goal against the Czech Republic and was named Man of the Match.
He received a red card in the game against Australia and was suspended for the quarter-final. In the final against France, Materazzi gave away a penalty, which Zinedine Zidane scored. But Materazzi quickly scored Italy's equalizing goal with a header.
Later in extra time, Materazzi and Zidane had a heated moment. Zidane headbutted Materazzi and was sent off. The game went to penalties. Materazzi scored Italy's second penalty, and Italy won the World Cup 5–3. After the final, there was a lot of talk about what was said between Materazzi and Zidane. Materazzi later explained his words. FIFA fined Materazzi and suspended him for two matches. Materazzi was one of Italy's top scorers in the tournament with two goals.
UEFA Euro 2008 and Beyond
Materazzi played regularly during the Euro 2008 qualifying games. In the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, he started in the 3–0 loss to the Netherlands. This was his last game for Italy. He was later replaced by Giorgio Chiellini in the tournament. Materazzi was not called up to the national team again after this. He played a total of 41 games for Italy and scored two goals.
Playing Style
Materazzi was known as a strong and tough centre-back. He was very physical and good at marking opponents closely. Many coaches, like Marcello Lippi and José Mourinho, thought highly of him.
He was also known for being a goal-scoring defender. He was very good in the air, which made him dangerous during corner kicks and free kicks. He even set a record for the most goals scored by a defender in a Serie A season. Materazzi could also take accurate free kicks and penalty kicks. He had good technical skills and could pass the ball well, often sending long passes to his teammates. During his time at Inter Milan, he was nicknamed Matrix.
Because of his strong and aggressive style, Materazzi often received yellow and red cards. He was involved in several arguments with other players during matches. He was known for his tough challenges.
Personal Life
Materazzi was born in Lecce, Italy. His father, Giuseppe, was also a professional footballer and coach. Marco's mother passed away when he was 15 years old.
His sister, Monia, married Maurizio Maestrelli, whose father was a famous football manager. Monia and Maurizio's son, Alessio Maestrelli, also became a footballer. Marco's brother, Matteo, works as a sports agent. Marco grew up supporting the Lazio football team.
In September 2007, Materazzi released his autobiography called "Una vita da guerriero" (The Life of a Warrior). On 23 June 1997, Materazzi married Daniela. They have three children named Anna, Davide, and Gianmarco.
Honours and Achievements
Player Awards
- Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
- Coppa Italia: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2005, 2006, 2010
- UEFA Champions League: 2009–10
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2010
- Italy National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 2006
Individual Recognitions
- Serie A Defender of the Year: 2007
- ESM Team of the Year: 2006–07
- Inter Milan Hall of Fame: 2021
Manager Awards
Chennaiyin
- Indian Super League: 2015
Images for kids
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Materazzi before a Legends Cup match in 2020
See also
In Spanish: Marco Materazzi para niños
