Sergio Parisse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sergio Parisse

Parisse in 2014
Birth name	Sergio Francesco Parisse
Date of birth	(1983-09-12) 12 September 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	La Plata, Argentina
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	113 kg (17 st 11 lb; 249 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number Eight, Flanker Current team Toulon (lineout coach) Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2002–2003 Universitario de La Plata () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2003–2005 2005–2019 2019–2023 Benetton Treviso Stade Français Toulon Total 64 265 65 394 (55) (238) (40) (333) National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2002–2019 Italy 142 (83) Teams coached Years Team 2023– Toulon (Lineout)

Sergio Francesco Parisse (born 12 September 1983) is a famous Italian-Argentine former rugby union player. After retiring as a player, he became a lineout coach for the French club Toulon. He played for the Italy national team from 2002 to 2019.

Parisse holds the record for playing the most games for Italy. He is also one of the most-capped players in the history of international rugby. He was nominated twice for the International Player of the Year award, a huge honor for any rugby player. Many people consider him one of the best to ever play the Number Eight position and the greatest Italian rugby player of all time. He is also one of only a few players to have played in five Rugby World Cups.

Early Life and Background

Parisse was born in La Plata, Argentina, but his parents were Italian. His father, also named Sergio, was a rugby player in Italy and won a championship with his team, L'Aquila Rugby, in 1967. His family moved to Argentina for his father's job in 1970.

At home, Parisse's family spoke Italian. Every year, they would travel to Italy for vacation. This strong connection to his family's home country played a big part in his life and career.

Club Career

Sergio Parisse jumps to catch a high kick during a warm-up session.

Parisse first played rugby for a local club in his hometown of La Plata. In 2003, he moved to Italy to become a professional rugby player. He joined the team Benetton Treviso and played with them for four years.

In 2005, he moved to France to play for the famous club Stade Français in Paris. He had an amazing career there, playing for 14 seasons and helping the team win two French championships. In 2019, he joined another top French team, Toulon, where he finished his playing career.

International Career

Choosing to Play for Italy

Because he was born in Argentina to Italian parents, Parisse could have played for either country. When he was only 17, he played for Italy's under-20 team. Argentina's coaches saw how talented he was and tried to get him to play for them.

However, Parisse chose to stay with Italy. He said, "My parents are Italian, we were brought up speaking Italian... To play for Italy was a dream, to play for my culture and my family." For him, wearing the Italian jersey was about honor and loyalty.

Captain of the Azzurri

Parisse made his first appearance for the senior Italian national team (nicknamed the Azzurri) in 2002 when he was just 18. In 2008, at the age of 24, he became the captain of the team.

He led Italy in many big tournaments, including the Six Nations Championship and the Rugby World Cup. In the 2013 Six Nations Championship, he led Italy to famous victories over both France and Ireland. Beating Ireland was a first for Italy in the history of the championship.

Delayed Retirement

Parisse planned to retire from international rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup. However, Italy's final match against New Zealand was canceled because of a powerful storm called Typhoon Hagibis. He decided to play one last time in the 2020 Six Nations Championship in front of his home fans.

Unfortunately, that match was also canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant his retirement was delayed again. He finally retired from playing, leaving behind an incredible legacy with the national team.

Playing Style

Parisse was known for being a complete player. He was a powerful runner with the ball and had amazing handling skills, meaning he was great at catching and passing. He was also athletic, fast, and had great footwork, which is rare for a player of his size.

Other famous players have praised him. Irish legend Paul O'Connell said, "Sergio has everything... He does it all." An English player, Tom Palmer, described him as "a high-quality player, a very good and powerful athlete, who combines that with being very skilful."

Legacy and Records

Parisse is remembered as a world-class player who always gave his best, even when his team was not winning. Italy's national team struggled during his career, but Parisse's pride and leadership never faded. He once said, "I was not playing for New Zealand, so I knew there would be more defeats than victories, but as captain you have to set an example."

Here are some of his amazing records:

• Five Rugby World Cups: He is one of only a handful of players to compete in five World Cups (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019).
• Six Nations Record: With 69 appearances, he has played more games in the Six Nations tournament than any other player.
• Most-Capped Italian: He played 142 games for Italy, more than any other player in the country's history.
• World Rugby Hall of Fame: In 2024, he became the first Italian player to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a legend of the sport.

Personal Life

Parisse is a skilled skier. He speaks four languages: Italian, Spanish, French, and English.

In 2010, he married Alexandra Rosenfeld, who was Miss France in 2006. They have a daughter named Ava. He is now married to Silvia Bragazzi.

Honours

• Italian Championship
  • Champions Treviso: 2002–03, 2003–04
• Italian Cup
  • Champions Treviso: 2004–05
• French Top 14
  • Champions Stade Français: 2006–07, 2014–15
• European Challenge Cup
  • Champions Stade Français: 2016–17
  • Champions RC Toulon: 2022–23
• World Rugby Hall of Fame
  • Inductee 169: 2024

See also

In Spanish: Sergio Parisse para niños