Roberto Donadoni

Roberto Donadoni
Donadoni with Napoli in 2009
Personal information
Full name Roberto Donadoni[1]
Date of birth (1963-09-09) 9 September 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Cisano Bergamasco, Italy
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1981–1982 Atalanta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1986 Atalanta 96 (5)
1986–1996 Milan 261 (18)
1996–1997 MetroStars 49 (6)
1997–1999 Milan 24 (0)
1999–2000 Al-Ittihad 15 (0)
Total 445 (29)
International career
1984–1986 Italy U21 13 (1)
1986–1996 Italy 63 (5)
Managerial career
2001 Lecco
2002 Lecco
2002–2003 Livorno
2003 Genoa
2005–2006 Livorno
2006–2008 Italy
2009 Napoli
2010–2011 Cagliari
2012–2015 Parma
2015–2018 Bologna
2019–2020 Shenzhen
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Italy
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up 1994
Third place 1990
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Roberto Donadoni Cavaliere OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto donaˈdoːni]; born 9 September 1963) is an Italian football manager and former midfielder.

A skilful and versatile winger, Donadoni was capable of playing on either flank, or in the centre.[2] He began his career with Atalanta, and later he became a pillar of the powerhouse AC Milan team of the late 1980s and early 1990s, achieving domestic and international success during his time with the club. In his later career, he was also one of the pioneers of Major League Soccer, where he played two seasons for the NY/NJ MetroStars, before ending his career with Saudi Premier League side Ittihad in 2000.

At international level, Donadoni was also an important member of the Italy national team throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. He represented his country at the 1988 and 1996 European Championships, and at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups. With Italy, he reached the semi-finals of Euro 1988, and won bronze and silver medals at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups respectively, earning 63 caps and scoring five goals over a decade.

Following his playing career, Donadoni began a career as a manager in 2001, which included spells with Italian clubs Lecco, Livorno and Genoa. He was later appointed head coach of the Italy national team, succeeding Marcello Lippi, who resigned after having won the 2006 World Cup. At Euro 2008, with Donadoni as coach, Italy reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, losing to eventual champions Spain on penalties. On 26 June 2008, Donadoni was dismissed despite having signed a contract extension prior to the beginning of Euro 2008, using a clause in the contract which allowed termination if Italy did not reach the semi-final. He was replaced by Lippi, who returned as national team manager. Following his position as Italy head coach, Donadoni managed Napoli, Cagliari and Parma, until the latter club's bankruptcy in 2015. He then joined Bologna the following season.

  1. ^ "Donadoni Sig. Roberto" [Donadoni Mr. Roberto]. Quirinale (in Italian). Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Sconcerti: "Donadoni era un giocatore completo, ora è un eccellente allenatore". milannews.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.