Roberto Di Matteo

Roberto Di Matteo
Di Matteo managing Schalke in 2015
Personal information
Full name Roberto Di Matteo[1]
Date of birth (1970-05-29) 29 May 1970 (age 54)[1]
Place of birth Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
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 (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto di matˈtɛːo]; born 29 May 1970) is an Italian professional football manager and former player.

During his playing career as a midfielder. He played for Swiss clubs Schaffhausen, Zürich and Aarau early in his career. After winning the Swiss league title with Aarau in 1992–1993, he joined Serie A team Lazio where he played under managers Dino Zoff and Zdeněk Zeman. After three seasons at Lazio, he joined Chelsea in 1996 for £4.9 million fee, a club record at the time.[3] He retired as a player in February 2002 at the age of 31 following injury problems.[4]

Born in Switzerland to Italian parents, he was capped 34 times for Italy, scoring two goals, and played in UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Di Matteo began his managerial career with Milton Keynes Dons, whom he took to the League One playoffs in 2008–09 before leaving to return West Bromwich Albion to the Premier League. As caretaker manager of Chelsea, he steered the club to double title success, winning both the FA Cup and the club's first UEFA Champions League title in 2012,[5] but was dismissed later that year. He coached Schalke 04 for seven months in 2014–2015 and Aston Villa for four months in 2016.

  1. ^ a b "Roberto Di Matteo". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Roberto Di Matteo Profile". Goal. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  3. ^ Lena, Sebastian. "Chelsea FC: 3 Reasons Roberto Di Matteo Should Remain Manager at Stamford Bridge". Bleacher Report.
  4. ^ "Blue day as Di Matteo retires". The Daily Telegraph. London. 19 February 2002. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Di Matteo coy over Chelsea future". ESPN FC. ESPN Internet Ventures. 20 May 2012. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013.