Roberto Di Matteo facts for kids
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Di Matteo managing Schalke in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Roberto Di Matteo | ||
| Date of birth | 29 May 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Schaffhausen, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1991 | Schaffhausen | 50 | (2) |
| 1991–1992 | Zürich | 34 | (6) |
| 1992–1993 | Aarau | 33 | (1) |
| 1993–1996 | Lazio | 87 | (7) |
| 1996–2002 | Chelsea | 119 | (15) |
| Total | 323 | (31) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–1998 | Italy | 34 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2008–2009 | Milton Keynes Dons | ||
| 2009–2011 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| 2012 | Chelsea | ||
| 2014–2015 | Schalke 04 | ||
| 2016 | Aston Villa | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Roberto Di Matteo (born 29 May 1970) is an Italian professional football manager and a famous former player. He is best known for his time playing for and managing the English club Chelsea.
As a midfielder, Di Matteo was known for his powerful long-range shots and smart passing. He started his career in Switzerland before moving to Italy to play for Lazio. In 1996, he joined Chelsea for a club-record fee at the time. A serious leg injury forced him to retire from playing in 2002 at the age of 31.
Even though he was born in Switzerland, Di Matteo played for the Italian national team. He played in UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
After his playing career, Di Matteo became a manager. His most famous achievement was in 2012 when he led Chelsea to win both the FA Cup and their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
Contents
Playing Career
Starting in Switzerland
Di Matteo was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, to Italian parents. He started his football journey with his local club, Schaffhausen. He later played for Aarau, where he helped the team win the Swiss league championship in 1993.
Move to Lazio
In 1993, Di Matteo moved to Italy to play for Lazio. He quickly became a key player in the midfield. His strong performances at Lazio earned him his first call-up to play for the Italian national team. He was known for being a "two-way" midfielder, meaning he was great at both defending and attacking.
Becoming a Chelsea Legend
In 1996, Di Matteo joined Chelsea and made an immediate impact. He scored the winning goal against Middlesbrough in his first home game. He became a star player, helping Chelsea become one of the top teams in England.
One of his most famous moments came in the 1997 FA Cup final. He scored an amazing goal from 30 yards away just 42 seconds into the match. It was the fastest goal ever scored in an FA Cup final at the old Wembley Stadium. Chelsea won the game 2–0.
The next season, he helped Chelsea win two more trophies: the Football League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup. He even scored in the League Cup final, again against Middlesbrough.
In the 2000 FA Cup final, Di Matteo scored the winning goal against Aston Villa. This gave Chelsea its fourth major trophy in just three years. He loved playing at Wembley, once saying, "It's a shame they're tearing the old place down it has been a very lucky ground for me."
Sadly, early in the 2000–01 season, Di Matteo suffered a triple leg fracture during a match. After 18 months of trying to recover, he had to retire from playing football at age 31.
International Career
Di Matteo chose to play for Italy, the country of his parents. He made his first appearance for Italy in 1994. He played in two major tournaments: UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
In total, he played 34 times for Italy and scored two goals. His first goal was a key one in a World Cup qualifying match against Poland in 1997.
Managerial Career
Early Management Jobs
Di Matteo began his coaching career in 2008 with Milton Keynes Dons. The next year, he became the manager of West Bromwich Albion. He successfully led the team to promotion into the Premier League. For his team's great start to the season, he was named Premier League Manager of the Month in September 2010.
Leading Chelsea to Glory
In 2011, Di Matteo returned to Chelsea as an assistant manager. In March 2012, he was made the temporary manager until the end of the season. What happened next was incredible.
He led the team to an amazing comeback against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. Then, he guided Chelsea to a victory over Liverpool in the 2012 FA Cup final.
The biggest moment came on 19 May 2012. Di Matteo's Chelsea faced Bayern Munich in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final in Munich's own stadium. After a tense match that ended 1–1, Chelsea won in a penalty shootout. It was the first time Chelsea had ever won the Champions League, making Di Matteo a club hero.
After this amazing success, Di Matteo was given the manager's job permanently. However, after a difficult start to the next season, he was let go in November 2012.
Later Career
After leaving Chelsea, Di Matteo managed the German club Schalke 04 and the English club Aston Villa. In 2023, he took on a new role as a technical advisor for the South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Honours
As a Player
Aarau
- Nationalliga A: 1992–93
Chelsea
- FA Cup: 1996–97, 1999–2000
- Football League Cup: 1997–98
- FA Charity Shield: 2000
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1997–98
- UEFA Super Cup: 1998
As a Manager
West Bromwich Albion
- Football League Championship runner-up (promotion): 2009–10
Chelsea
- FA Cup: 2011–12
- UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Di Matteo para niños
- List of Italy international footballers born outside Italy
- List of UEFA Champions League winning managers
- List of FA Cup winning managers
