Antonio di Natale biography
Leader with numbers
October 13, 1977Antonio Di Natale was born on 13 October 1977 in Naples. He grew up with football San Nicola di Castello di Cisterna, Neapolitan hinterland, arrives at Empoli in the early 1990s. After leaving the sign at Empoli, Iperzola 1998 season and Varese/1999 is sent to Viareggio, where in serie C2 dispute 25 matches and scored 12 goals: basically, an amazing average of a goal every two games. Redeemed from Empoli, with Tuscans play for five seasons: three Championship series B and series-two to allow him to get noticed, and to become one of irreplaceable pins of Tuscan team. In the season 2004/2004, Di Natale was traded to Udinese, where it forms with David Di Michele and Vincenzo Iaquinta a brilliant attacking trio, which brings the Friuli up to fourth in the League, which is to qualify for the Champions League.
The following season, instead, Totò is the only Italian to have scored at least one goal in the Champions League, Italy Cup, the League and the Uefa Cup. Udinese reaches the semi-finals of the domestic Cup, while in the Champions League against Werder Bremen Totò scored three goals. After scoring 17 goals in the 2007/2008 season, the striker campano renews contract with Juventus until 2013, refusing the blandishments of numerous Italian and foreign clubs. The 2008/2009 season continues with ups and downs, and ends with Udinese to seventh place, with twelve goals by Christmas.
The following year, however, two triplets (one against Catania and the other against Napoli) became the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the company. The hundredth goal for the friulani comes the 2 may, against Cagliari, while the following Sunday mass by virtue of scoring twice against Bari, Antonio comes in 28 League goals, making him the record-man of goals in a season for Udinese (records that previously belonged to Oliver Bierhoff): win the ranking Gunners at the end of the Championship. The 2010/2011 season starts a little subdued, but the player retrieves the enamel lost in November, with two triplets, made against Lecce and Napoli.
Captain of Udinese, a leader on and off the pitch, dragging his companions Christmas up to third place in the League, having received, on January 24, 2011, the Italian football Oscar for best player and best scorer of 2010. Christmas ends the season with another title of Chief gunner, thanks to twenty-eight markings made sign: in the last two Championships, in 71 appearances Totò scored even 57 goals. Christmas equals, so, Beppe Signori, the last to graduating most goals in the League for two years in a row. The 2011/2012 season brings other triumphs for Antonio, despite Udinese has given many of his gems (including Alexis Sanchez, finished none other than Barcelona). On 3 December is the date of the 300th presence in serie A, while on April 7 against Parma back the 150th goal. After conducting the Friulians once again in third place, Christmas is summoned by Prandelli for Europeans to Ukraine and Poland. The Neapolitan debut blue player was staged on November 20, 2002, when Italy-Turkey, with the national team led by Giovanni Trapattoni. A year and a half later, on 18 February 2004, had reached his first goal, on the occasion of the Italy-Czech Republic friendly. Though is with Roberto Donadoni, coach blue from 2006 to 2008, which Toto establishes a close relationship with the national team.
2008 European Championships in Austria and Switzerland, however, his mistake on penalties contributes to the Elimination of Italy against Spain in the quarter-finals. On 18 November 2009, during the friendly match Italy-Sweden, the striker of Udinese, to its thirtieth presence in blue, has the honour to wear the captain's armband; 2010 World Cup, however, the only honour will be to dress up the Jersey number 10, although Lippi will start only in the last round against Slovakia, during which he will also mark a network. The years with Prandelli, instead, are rich in satisfactions, despite Christmas 2012 Euro start often off the bench.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.