Angelo Peruzzi

Football player infobox


playername = Angelo Peruzzi
height = height|m=1.81
nickname = "Cinghialone" ("The Big Boar")
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|2|16
cityofbirth = Viterbo
countryofbirth = Italy
currentclub =
position = Goalkeeper
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1986-1989 1989-1990 1990-1991 1991-1999 1999-2000 2000-2007
clubs = Roma Hellas Verona Roma Juventus Internazionale Lazio
caps(goals) = 13 (0) 29 (0) 3 (0) 208 (0) 33 (0) 192 (0)
nationalyears = 1995-2006
nationalteam = Italy
nationalcaps(goals) = 31 (0) |
pcupdate =
ntupdate= |

Angelo Peruzzi, Cavaliere OMRI [ [http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/president/index/0,4095,129202,00.html?articleid=129202 FIFA.com] ] [ [http://www.ascotsportal.com/news/newsdtl.aspx?PID=89262e2c-3beb-4080-bd5e-949f498ecbcc&CID=4ca0fc99-f8bf-4260-b379-ee5bca3085eb&NID=e47baa4d-fe98-4feb-a0ff-a007b8e62e87 AscotSportal.com] ] , (born February 16, 1970 in Viterbo) is an Italian former World Cup-winning football goalkeeper, and a three-time winner of the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Club career

Peruzzi began his Serie A career with A.S. Roma in 1987. He was loaned to Hellas Verona in 1989, but was suspended for a year in October 1990 after failing a doping test because an appetite suppressant he was taking at the time contained a banned substance. His signing with Juventus in 1991 successfully revived his career, and he soon surpassed Stefano Tacconi as the Turin giants' starting goalie. Peruzzi won three "Scudetti", a UEFA Cup, and was part of Juventus' 1996 Champions League title squad that defeated AFC Ajax in the final on penalties. After one season with Internazionale, he transferred to Lazio for €17.9 million in 2000, and made over 200 appearances in Serie A and European competition with the club.

Although his contract with the "Biancocelesti" ran until 2008, Peruzzi announced that he would call it quits at the end of the '06-07 season after Lazio's 0-0 draw with Cagliari Calcio on October 15, 2006. "I will retire at the end of the campaign," he said. "I know the Lazio president and fans will not be happy but had I not made this decision, I would remain at the club for another six or eight years." He later backtracked on this decision, claiming that his comments were a joke and that it was premature to talk about retirement at this early stage of the season, emphasizing that his potential retirement was being considered "one season at a time."

After the 0-0 draw with Roma April 29, 2007, Peruzzi confirmed that he had indeed played his last match due to the frustration of nagging injuries, but he was put on for the final few minutes in Lazio's final home match of the season, a goalless draw against Parma F.C. on May 20, as a goodbye to the fans. He was named the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for the third time in his career on January 28, 2008; only he and compatriot Gianluigi Buffon have won the award more than once since its inception in 1997.

International career

Peruzzi was capped 31 times in 11 years with Italy. He was also a member of the national squad that competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and Euro 96. He was scheduled to be the starter at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but suffered a late injury and was replaced by Gianluca Pagliuca. He momentarily left the national team in 1999 after a match against Norway, but returned to the "Azzurri" the following year, with whom he hoped to start at Euro 2000, but a last-minute injury once again cost him the starting spot as Francesco Toldo led the team to the final.

Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni wanted to call up Peruzzi as the third goalkeeper in the squad for the 2002 World Cup, but Peruzzi refused, saying, "The mascots for the World Cup have already been chosen." Two years later, though, he was called up as the third keeper behind Buffon and Toldo at Euro 2004. He didn't start for Italy again until a friendly against Spain on April 28, 2004, then was the first choice for a pair of WC qualifiers against Scotland and Belarus in August 2005 while Buffon was shelved with a shoulder injury.

Peruzzi served as second keeper behind Buffon in the 2006 FIFA World Cup as Italy captured their fourth crown. He retired permanently from international play after the conclusion of the tournament.

Trivia

*Peruzzi served as a ballboy, at the age of fourteen, during the 1984 European Cup final between Liverpool FC and AS Roma.
*The transfer fee for his move to Lazio was the record high for a goalie until "Azzurri" teammate Buffon's €52.29 million transfer from Parma FC to Juventus the following year.

References

External links

* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/Players/Player=870/index.html 2005 profile] on UEFA.com
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20000924/ai_n13950570 Who ate all the pies?] - Sunday Herald, 9/24/2000; reprinted on findarticles.com
* [http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/serie-a/2006-2007/sport_sto986717.shtml Peruzzi to quit football] - Eurosport, 10/16/06
* [http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/apr29j.html Peruzzi hangs up his gloves] - Football Italia, 4/29/07
* [http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/apr30p.html Buffon: Peruzzi a true great] - Football Italia, 4/30/07
* [http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/apr30e.html Peruzzi decision surprises Rossi] - Football Italia, 4/30/07
* [http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/oct6g.html Milan look to Peruzzi and Pagliuca] - Football Italia, 10/6/07 Navboxes
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