kids encyclopedia robot

Vincenzo Montella facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Vincenzo Montella
Vincenzo Montella ICC 2016 (edited).jpg
Montella as manager of Milan in 2016
Personal information
Full name Vincenzo Montella
Date of birth (1974-06-18) 18 June 1974 (age 51)
Place of birth Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy
Height 1.72 m
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Turkey (head coach)
Youth career
1986–1990 Empoli
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1995 Empoli 51 (27)
1995–1996 Genoa 34 (21)
1996–1999 Sampdoria 83 (54)
1999–2009 Roma 192 (83)
2007 Fulham (loan) 10 (3)
2007–2008 Sampdoria (loan) 13 (4)
Total 383 (192)
National team
1999–2005 Italy 20 (3)
Teams managed
2009–2011 Roma U15
2011 Roma (interim)
2011–2012 Catania
2012–2015 Fiorentina
2015–2016 Sampdoria
2016–2017 Milan
2017–2018 Sevilla
2019 Fiorentina
2021–2023 Adana Demirspor
2023– Turkey
Honours
Representing  Italy
Association football
UEFA European Championship
Silver 2000
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Vincenzo Montella (born 18 June 1974) is an Italian football manager and former striker. He is currently the head coach of the Turkey national football team.

During his time as a player, Montella was known as "Aeroplanino" (meaning "Little Airplane"). This nickname came from his small size and his special way of celebrating goals. He would spread his arms out like airplane wings! He was a great goalscorer. Montella played for Italian clubs like Empoli, Genoa, Sampdoria, and Roma. He also played for a short time in England with Fulham.

He is best remembered for his time at Roma from 1999 to 2007. With Roma, he won the Serie A league title and the Supercoppa Italiana in the 2000–01 season. He also helped Roma reach the Coppa Italia final in 2003. In 2013, Montella was honored by being added to the AS Roma Hall of Fame.

Montella also played for the Italian national team. He played 20 games between 1999 and 2005, scoring three goals. He was part of the Italian team that reached the final of UEFA Euro 2000. He also played for Italy in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

After retiring as a player, Montella became a coach. He started as Roma's temporary manager in 2011. He then coached Catania and Fiorentina. At Fiorentina, he led the team to finish fourth in the league three times in a row. He also guided them to the 2014 Coppa Italia final and the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in 2015.

In 2016, he became the manager of Milan. That year, he won his first trophy as a coach, the Supercoppa Italiana. After Milan, he managed Sevilla in Spain. He led Sevilla to the Copa del Rey final and the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. He later returned to Fiorentina and then managed Adana Demirspor in Turkey. In September 2023, he became the head coach of the Turkish national team, helping them qualify for UEFA Euro 2024.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting at Empoli

Vincenzo Montella began his football journey in 1990. He started playing for Empoli in Italy's lower leagues. He spent five years there, showing his talent as a goalscorer.

Moving to Genoa and Sampdoria

In 1995, Montella moved to Genoa. He had a fantastic season, scoring 21 goals. He also helped Genoa win the Anglo-Italian Cup. After that, he joined Sampdoria, a bigger club in the top league, Serie A. He played there for three years, scoring many goals.

Becoming a Roma Legend

Montella joined Roma in 1999. The coach, Fabio Capello, preferred taller strikers. However, Montella still became Roma's top scorer in his first season with 18 goals.

The next year, Roma signed Gabriel Batistuta, another famous striker. Montella often started games on the bench. But he was a key player in Roma winning their third league title, the Scudetto, in the 2000–01 season. He scored important goals, including one in the title-winning match against Parma.

Montella was very popular with Roma fans. He was especially good in the Rome derby against Lazio. In 2002, he scored four goals in a single derby match, which is still a record! He played 215 games for Roma and scored 94 goals, making him one of the club's top scorers ever.

Loan Spell at Fulham

In 2007, Montella went on loan to Fulham in England. He quickly became a fan favorite. He scored two goals in his first home game in the FA Cup. He also scored his first Premier League goal with a penalty kick. Even though he was popular, he didn't start many games. He returned to Italy after six months.

Back to Sampdoria and Retirement

After Fulham, Montella was loaned to Sampdoria again for the 2007–08 season. He then returned to Roma for his final season in 2008–09. He mostly played as a substitute. On 2 July 2009, Vincenzo Montella announced he was retiring from playing professional football.

International Career

Montella first played for the Italian national team in 1999. He was part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2000, where Italy reached the final. Even though Italy lost to France in the final, Montella helped the team get there.

He also played for Italy in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In a group stage match against Mexico, he had a goal disallowed but then set up another goal that helped Italy move to the next round. In total, Montella played 20 games for Italy and scored three goals.

Playing Style

Vincenzo Montella was known as "The Little Airplane" because of his size and how he celebrated goals. He was a fast, smart, and hard-working striker. He was good at scoring goals with both feet. People called him a "goal-poacher" because he was so good at finding the net.

He was also a versatile player, meaning he could play in different attacking roles. He had good passing and dribbling skills. Sometimes, his coach at Roma, Fabio Capello, said he was a bit "selfish" on the field. Despite some injuries, Montella was a very effective and exciting player to watch.

Coaching Career

Starting at Roma

Vincenzo Montella
Montella as Roma coach, 2011

After retiring, Montella started coaching Roma's youth team. In February 2011, he became the temporary head coach for Roma's main team. He led them to a sixth-place finish in the league. However, new club owners decided to hire a different coach for the next season.

Managing Catania

In June 2011, Montella became the new coach for Catania. He signed a two-year contract. He led Catania to a good mid-table finish in the league. After one season, he left Catania by agreement in June 2012.

Success with Fiorentina

Vincenzo montella
Montella as Fiorentina head coach, 2012

Montella joined Fiorentina in June 2012. He made big changes to the team, bringing in many new players. In his first season, Fiorentina finished fourth in the league.

In his second season, Montella led Fiorentina to the 2014 Coppa Italia final, but they lost to Napoli. The team finished fourth in the league again. In his third season, Fiorentina reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. They finished fourth in the league for the third time in a row. He was let go by the club in June 2015.

Coaching Sampdoria and Milan

In November 2015, Montella became the new head coach for Sampdoria. He stayed there until June 2016.

Then, he moved to Milan in June 2016. On 23 December, Montella led Milan to win their first trophy since 2011, the Supercoppa Italiana. They beat Juventus in a penalty shootout. In his first season, Milan finished sixth in the league, which meant they qualified for European competition again. However, after a difficult start to the next season, Montella was sacked by Milan in November 2017.

Time in Spain with Sevilla

On 28 December 2017, Montella was appointed manager of Spanish club Sevilla. He guided Sevilla to their first-ever UEFA Champions League quarter-final. They beat Manchester United to get there. Sevilla also reached the Copa del Rey final, but they lost to Barcelona. Despite these achievements, Montella was sacked in April 2018 after a long period without a win in the league.

Return to Fiorentina and Turkey

Montella returned to Fiorentina in April 2019, but his second time there lasted only eight months. He then moved to Turkey to manage Adana Demirspor in September 2021. In his second season, he led Adana Demirspor to their best-ever league finish, qualifying them for European competition for the first time.

In September 2023, Montella became the new manager of the Turkey national football team. He quickly helped the team qualify for UEFA Euro 2024. At the tournament, Turkey reached the quarter-finals, beating Georgia and Czech Republic in the group stage, and Austria in the round of 16, before losing to the Netherlands.

Media Appearances

Vincenzo Montella was featured in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series. He even appeared on the cover for the Italian version of FIFA 2000.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Empoli 1990–91 Serie C1 1 0 1 0
1991–92 7 4 7 4
1992–93 13 6 13 6
1993–94 0 0 0 0
1994–95 30 17 30 17
Total 51 27 51 27
Genoa 1995–96 Serie B 34 21 1 2 5 5 40 28
Sampdoria 1996–97 Serie A 28 22 2 2 30 24
1997–98 33 20 4 1 2 0 39 21
1998–99 22 12 1 1 6 3 29 16
Total 83 54 7 4 8 3 98 61
Roma 1999–2000 Serie A 31 18 3 0 7 3 41 21
2000–01 28 13 2 2 8 3 38 18
2001–02 19 13 0 0 6 1 1 1 26 15
2002–03 29 9 5 2 11 0 45 11
2003–04 11 5 0 0 3 0 14 5
2004–05 37 21 6 1 3 1 46 23
2005–06 13 1 0 0 3 1 16 2
2006–07 12 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 17 6
2008–09 12 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 15 0
Total 192 83 19 8 46 9 1 1 258 101
Fulham (loan) 2006–07 Premier League 10 3 5 3 15 6
Sampdoria (loan) 2007–08 Serie A 13 4 0 0 5 1 18 5
Career Total 383 192 32 17 59 16 6 6 480 228

International

Italy
Year Apps Goals
1999 2 0
2000 5 0
2001 4 1
2002 7 2
2003
2004 1 0
2005 1 0
Total 20 3

International Goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 25 April 2001 Stadio Renato Curi, Perugia, Italy  South Africa 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2. 27 March 2002 Elland Road, Leeds, England  England 1–1 2–1 Friendly
3. 2–1

Managerial Statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Roma (interim) Italy 21 February 2011 1 June 2011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 +1 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.75000043.75
Catania Italy 9 June 2011 5 June 2012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 −5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030.00
Fiorentina Italy 11 June 2012 8 June 2015 &&&&&&&&&&&&0153.&&&&&0153 &&&&&&&&&&&&&081.&&&&&081 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040 &&&&&&&&&&&&0258.&&&&&0258 &&&&&&&&&&&&0167.&&&&&0167 +91 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.94000052.94
Sampdoria Italy 15 November 2015 28 June 2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046 −17 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.22000022.22
Milan Italy 28 June 2016 27 November 2017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 &&&&&&&&&&&&0107.&&&&&0107 &&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074 +33 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.56000051.56
Sevilla Spain 28 December 2017 28 April 2018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 −7 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.29000039.29
Fiorentina Italy 10 April 2019 21 December 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 −9 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.22000022.22
Adana Demirspor Turkey 1 September 2021 12 June 2023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&076.&&&&&076 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&0154.&&&&&0154 &&&&&&&&&&&&0103.&&&&&0103 +51 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Turkey Turkey 21 September 2023 Present &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 +2 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.37000047.37
Total &&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450 &&&&&&&&&&&&0203.&&&&&0203 &&&&&&&&&&&&0105.&&&&&0105 &&&&&&&&&&&&0142.&&&&&0142 &&&&&&&&&&&&0710.&&&&&0710 &&&&&&&&&&&&0572.&&&&&0572 +138 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.11000045.11

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Genoa

  • Anglo-Italian Cup: 1995–96

Roma

Italy National Team

As a Manager

Milan

Individual Awards

  • Enzo Bearzot Award: 2013
  • AS Roma Hall of Fame: 2013

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Vincenzo Montella para niños

kids search engine
Vincenzo Montella Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.