Andrea Barzagli

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Andrea Barzagli
Personal information
Full name	Andrea Barzagli
Date of birth	May 8, 1981 (1981-05-08) (age 27)
Place of birth	Fiesole, Italy
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current club	VfL Wolfsburg
Number	43
Youth clubs
	Rondinella
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1998–2000 2000 2001 2001–2003 2003–2004 2004–2008 2008-	Rondinella Pistoiese Rondinella Ascoli Chievo Palermo Wolfsburg	051 (3) 005 (0) 013 (1) 046 (3) 029 (3) 142 (3) 007 (0)
National team2
2002 2003–2004 2004–	Italy U-20 Italy U-21 Italy	008 (0) 015 (0) 025 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 18, 2008. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of September 6, 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Italy
Men's Football
Bronze	2004 Athens	Team Competition

Andrea Barzagli, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI^[1][2], (born May 8, 1981 in Fiesole) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer, who plays for VfL Wolfsburg and the Italian national football team. ^[3].

[edit] Club career

In the season 1998–1999 Barzagli had his first professional football appearance with semi-pros Rondinella Calcio^[4] before moving to Serie B side A.C. Pistoiese in 2000/2001^[4]. The journey was short because the year later he rejoined Rondinella Calcio in Serie C2. He then signed Ascoli Calcio 1898 in season 2001/2002^[4] and helped them to Serie B promotion. He remained in Ascoli for another year without further success. His first Serie A cap was won with Chievo Verona in the 1-1 draw at Brescia on August 2003.^[4] The year later the commanding defender was signed by Serie A outfit Palermo. Barzagli was bestowed with the captains armband after Eugenio Corini controversially left the Sicilian club in the summer of 2007/2008 ^[5].

In 2008 Barzagli was in contract negotiations with ACF Fiorentina and was widely expected to sign. To everyone's surprise the deal fell through as Barzagli, a native Florentian, had already stated his eagerness to join^[6]. Barzagli's agent spoke to media saying: “The difference between what we were asking and what they offered was minimal – it amounted to £100,000. Andrea was willing to give up a lot of money to play for Fiorentina, but they didn’t take our requests into consideration"^[7]. Instead Barzagli choose to join VfL Wolfsburg and the Bundesliga following fellow Italian and team-mate Cristian Zaccardo. It was later reported that the Italian international snubbed Fiorentina's five years £1.2mio contract over VfL Wolfsburg's 3 years £2.5mio offer.^[8] The transfer fee is still undisclosed.

[edit] International career

Barzagli won his first international cap on November 2004 against Finland under Italian coach Lippi. He was called up for 2006 FIFA World Cup and, while not expecting to play at all, was deployed as a substitute in a group match against Australia and again for a full 90 minutes in the quarter-final against Ukraine due to the suspension of Marco Materazzi^[9]. Barzagli was deployed six times under the UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying matches and appeared in the crucial 2-1 victory over Scotland.^[10] He was recalled to Italy's UEFA Euro 2008 squad and partnered Materazzi in the heavy 0-3 defeat against The Netherlands after Italian skipper Fabio Cannavaro on June 2 suffered an injury in training^[11].

[edit] Honours

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship:

Gold: 2004

• The Olympics:

Bronze: 2004

• FIFA World Cup:

Gold: 2006

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Barzagli's profile (from US Palermo official website)

v • d • e Italy squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners (4th Title) 1 Buffon • 2 Zaccardo • 3 Grosso • 4 De Rossi • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Barzagli • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Toni • 10 Totti • 11 Gilardino • 12 Peruzzi • 13 Nesta • 14 Amelia • 15 Iaquinta • 16 Camoranesi • 17 Barone • 18 Inzaghi • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Oddo • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Lippi

v • d • e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Buffon • 2 Panucci • 3 Grosso • 4 Chiellini • 5 Gamberini • 6 Barzagli • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Toni • 10 De Rossi • 11 Di Natale • 12 Borriello • 13 Ambrosini • 14 Amelia • 15 Quagliarella • 16 Camoranesi • 17 De Sanctis • 18 Cassano • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Aquilani • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Donadoni