Massimiliano Allegri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Massimiliano Allegri

Allegri in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth	(1967-08-11) 11 August 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth	Livorno, Italy
Height	1.83 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1984–1985	Cuoiopelli [it]	7	(0)
1985–1988	Livorno	29	(0)
1988–1989	Pisa	2	(0)
1989–1990	Livorno	32	(8)
1990–1991	Pavia	29	(5)
1991–1993	Pescara	64	(16)
1993–1995	Cagliari	46	(4)
1995–1997	Perugia	41	(10)
1997–1998	Padova	21	(0)
1998	Napoli	7	(0)
1998–2000	Pescara	46	(4)
2000–2001	Pistoiese	18	(1)
2001–2003	Aglianese	32	(8)
Total		374	(56)
Teams managed
2003–2004	Aglianese
2004–2005	SPAL
2005	Grosseto
2006	Grosseto
2007–2008	Sassuolo
2008–2010	Cagliari
2010–2014	AC Milan
2014–2019	Juventus
2021–2024	Juventus
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Massimiliano "Max" Allegri, born on August 11, 1967, is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He recently managed the well-known club Juventus.

As a player, he was a midfielder for several Italian teams like Pisa and Cagliari. He even won a league title with Aglianese in 2002 before he stopped playing. When he played for Livorno, people called him "Acciughina," which means "Little Anchovy." This was because he was quick and lean.

Allegri started his coaching career in 2003. He helped a small team called Sassuolo get promoted to Serie B for the first time. He also won the Serie C1 championship and Super Cup with them. From 2008 to 2010, he coached Cagliari in Serie A. He led them to their best finish in nearly 15 years.

His great work at Cagliari led him to AC Milan in 2010. There, he won a Scudetto (Italian league title) in 2010–11. This was Milan's first league title since 2004. He also won a Supercoppa Italiana in 2011.

Between 2014 and 2019, Allegri managed Juventus. He won an amazing eleven trophies with them. This included five league titles in a row from 2015 to 2019. He also won four Coppa Italia titles in a row and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. He led Juventus to two UEFA Champions League finals in 2015 and 2017.

He returned to Juventus in 2021. In his second time there, he won another Coppa Italia in 2024. However, he was let go a few days later. This was mainly due to his behavior during and after the final match.

Allegri has won many personal awards. He won the Panchina d'Oro (Golden Bench) four times. He was also named Serie A Coach of the Year four times. He is the only coach in Italian football to win five league titles and four Coppa Italia titles in a row. He is also the only coach in Europe's top five leagues to win a domestic double for four seasons in a row.

Playing Career

Massimiliano Allegri started his football career in the lower leagues. He played for his hometown club Livorno. In 1991, he joined Pescara. He was a very skilled and creative midfielder.

His team, Pescara, was promoted to Serie A in 1992. Allegri played very well for Pescara in Serie A. Even though his team finished last, he scored 12 goals from midfield. After Pescara, he played for Cagliari, Perugia, and Napoli. He then returned to Pescara. He also had short times at Pistoiese and Aglianese. He stopped playing football in 2003.

Coaching Career

Early Coaching Days

Allegri began coaching in 2004. His first team was Aglianese in Serie C2. He had played his last two years there. After a good season, he moved to Grosseto in Serie C1. But this time, it was not as successful. He was let go early in the 2006–07 season.

In August 2007, Allegri became the head coach of Sassuolo. This was an ambitious team in Serie C1. Allegri quickly led them to the top of the league. On April 27, 2008, Sassuolo won the 2007–08 Serie C1/A league title. This was a historic moment, as it was their first time being promoted to Serie B.

Coaching Cagliari

On May 29, 2008, Allegri was announced as the new coach of Cagliari in Serie A. His start was tough, with five losses in the first five games. But the club chairman, Massimo Cellino, kept him. Allegri then led his team to a good mid-table spot by December.

He finished the 2008–09 season in an impressive ninth place. This was Cagliari's best Serie A result in almost 15 years. People praised this achievement because the team had limited money and not many top players. Cagliari also played an exciting, attacking style of football. Allegri won the Panchina d'Oro (Golden Bench) award for this success. This award is given to the best Serie A coach.

On April 13, 2010, Cagliari surprisingly removed Allegri from his job. This happened even though the team was in a solid 12th place.

Coaching AC Milan

Allegri with Mario Yepes and Robinho in 2012

Allegri left Cagliari and joined AC Milan on June 25, 2010. In his first season, he led Milan to their first league title since 2004. They beat their rivals Inter Milan in both league games. Milan reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia but lost. They also played in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. There, they were knocked out by Tottenham Hotspur.

His second season also started well. On August 6, 2011, he led Milan to their sixth Supercoppa Italiana title. They won 2–1 against Inter Milan in Beijing. However, Milan was later knocked out of the Coppa Italia and Champions League. They finished second in the league to Juventus.

On January 13, 2012, Allegri extended his contract with Milan until 2014. He said he planned to coach for only 10 more years. He hoped to coach the Italy national team before retiring. Milan struggled at the start of the 2012–13 season. They had only 8 points from their first 7 games. Despite this, Milan kept Allegri. He helped young players like Stephan El Shaarawy and Mario Balotelli play their best. Allegri led Milan from 16th place to a 3rd-place finish. This earned them a spot in the Champions League playoffs.

On June 1, 2013, club president Silvio Berlusconi confirmed Allegri would stay. But on December 31, 2013, Allegri said he would leave at the end of the season. Milan then announced on January 13, 2014, that Allegri was leaving immediately.

Coaching Juventus

Allegri (right) coaching Juventus in 2014

On July 16, 2014, Allegri became the new coach of Juventus. He replaced Antonio Conte. On May 2, 2015, he led Juventus to their fourth league title in a row. This was only the second time Juventus had won four league titles consecutively. It was also Allegri's second league title as a manager.

On May 13, 2015, Allegri guided Juventus to the Champions League final. They beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals. It had been twelve years since Juventus was in the final. A week later, on May 20, 2015, Allegri led Juventus to win their tenth Coppa Italia. They beat Lazio 2–1 in extra time. This ended their twenty-year wait for the trophy. On June 6, 2015, Juventus lost 3–1 to Barcelona in the Champions League final.

On July 6, 2015, Allegri signed a contract extension until 2017. On August 8, 2015, Juventus won the Supercoppa Italiana 2–0 against Lazio. Allegri was nominated for the 2015 FIFA World Coach of the Year Award. On December 14, 2015, he won the Serie A Coach of the Year award. On March 7, 2016, he won his second Panchina d'Oro.

On April 25, Juventus won the 2015–16 Serie A championship. They had a tough start but then went on a long unbeaten run. On May 6, Allegri extended his contract until 2018. On May 21, he led Juventus to win the domestic double again. They beat Milan 1–0 in the 2016 Coppa Italia Final. This made them the first team in Italy to win back-to-back doubles.

On May 17, 2017, Allegri led Juventus to their 12th Coppa Italia title. They beat Lazio 2–0. Four days later, on May 21, Juventus won their sixth league title in a row. This set a new record for consecutive wins. On June 3, 2017, Allegri reached his second Champions League Final in three years. But Juventus lost 4–1 to Real Madrid. On June 7, Allegri renewed his contract until 2020.

On May 9, 2018, Allegri won his fourth consecutive Coppa Italia title. They beat Milan 4–0. Four days later, on May 13, he secured his fourth consecutive league title. This made him the first manager in Europe's top five leagues to win four consecutive doubles. On May 17, 2019, Juventus announced Allegri would leave the club. He left Juventus with a very high win percentage of 70.48%.

Return to Juventus

Allegri as Juventus head coach in 2021

On May 28, 2021, Juventus announced Allegri's return as manager. He signed a four-year contract. Allegri's first match back was a 2–2 draw against Udinese. On November 23, Juventus lost 4–0 to Chelsea. This was their biggest loss since 2004. On March 16, Juventus was knocked out of the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League. They lost 3–0 to Villarreal. On May 11, Juventus lost 4–2 to Inter in the Coppa Italia final. The 2021–22 season ended without any trophies. This was the first time since 2010–11.

On November 2, he managed his 100th Champions League match. Juventus lost 2–1 to Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus had their worst Champions League season ever. They won only three points in the group stage. They finished third in their group. This meant they moved to the UEFA Europa League. In the same month, Allegri won the Serie A Coach of the Month award.

On January 13, 2023, Juventus lost 5–1 to Napoli. This ended their eight-game winning streak in Serie A. Allegri's second season back ended without a trophy again. They lost to Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals.

On May 15, 2024, Allegri was sent off during Juventus's 1–0 win over Atalanta in the 2024 Coppa Italia final. With this win, he became the first manager to win the title five times. After the game, he was reported to have acted angrily. He was let go just two days later on May 17. This was largely because of his behavior during and after the final.

Coaching Style

Allegri is known for his smart tactics. He built on Antonio Conte's successful methods at Juventus. He first used Conte's 3–5–2 formation. Later, he switched to a four-player defense, especially in the Champions League. Under Allegri, Juventus became a bit less aggressive. Their style focused more on keeping the ball and saving energy.

Allegri's teams were good at winning the ball in midfield. They also scored from quick counter-attacks. Their attacking play was slower, with short passes. Allegri is also praised for being flexible. He used different formations like the 4–3-1–2, 4–4–2, and 4–3–3. This helped him find the best system for his players.

In his second season at Juventus, Allegri was praised for rebuilding the team. Many key players had left. But he inspired Juventus to come back and win the league title. They had a 15-match winning streak after a bad start.

During the 2016–17 season, Allegri used a new 4–2–3–1 formation. This worked well for new players. For example, Gonzalo Higuaín played as the main striker. Paulo Dybala played in a more creative role. Mario Mandžukić played wider as a winger or attacking midfielder. This new role used his hard work and ability to hold up the ball.

Juventus could switch between the 3–5–2 and 4–2–3–1 formations during games. This was clear in their Champions League semi-final against Monaco. Juventus's strong defense meant they only let in three goals on their way to the 2017 Champions League final. They ended the season by winning their third straight domestic double. They also reached the Champions League final again.

In 2024, Juventus captain Danilo praised Allegri's intelligence. He also noted Allegri's ability to manage his players off the field. Allegri himself has said football is "simple." While he is good at managing players, some people criticize his strict, defensive style. Especially in his second time at Juventus, some felt his style held back talented young players.

Personal Life

Allegri was born in Livorno, Italy. His father worked at the port of Livorno, and his mother was a nurse. He grew up in Coteto. In 1992, when he was 24, he called off his wedding two days before the ceremony. In 1994, Allegri married model Gloria Patrizi. They had a child named Valentina a year later. He later had another child, Giorgio, in 2011, with another woman. From 2017, Allegri was in a relationship with actress Ambra Angiolini. They broke up in 2021.

Managerial Statistics

Honours

Player

Livorno

• Coppa Italia Serie C: 1986–87

Aglianese

• Serie D: 2001–02 (group D)

Manager

Sassuolo

• Serie C1: 2007–08

Milan

• Serie A: 2010–11
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2011

Juventus

• Serie A: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Coppa Italia: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2023–24
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2015, 2018
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2014–15, 2016–17

Individual

• Panchina d'Oro Prima Divisione: 2007–08
• Panchina d'Oro: 2008–09, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18
• Serie A Coach of the Year: 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018
• Enzo Bearzot Award: 2015
• IFFHS World's Best Club Coach: 2015 (third place), 2017 (second place)
• The Best FIFA Men's Coach: 2017 (third place)
• Gazzetta Sports Awards – Coach of the Year: 2018
• Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2018
• Serie A Coach of the Month: November 2022, November 2023

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See also

In Spanish: Massimiliano Allegri para niños