Pierluigi Casiraghi
Encyclopedia
Pierluigi Casiraghi is an Italian
former footballer who played as a striker
. Since retirement he has become a football manager
.
, Lombardy
, and began his career with his home-town side, A.C. Monza
, in 1985. The side were relegated to Serie C
in his first season, but he helped them achieve promotion back to Serie B
in 1988. He moved to Serie A
giants Juventus in 1989, having scored 28 goals in 94 games for Monza.
His goalscoring record in Turin
was modest, achieving a best tally of 8 goals in 24 appearances in the 1990-1 season and a total of 20 in 98 games for the club. While at Juventus, he helped the side win two UEFA Cup
s (in 1990 and 1993) and one Italian Cup
, also in 1990. He scored in the first leg of the 1990 UEFA Cup Final
to help them beat Fiorentina. He earned his first international cap for Italy
during his spell with Juventus.
He signed for Lazio
in 1993 and scored 41 goals in a five-year spell. His most successful season was in 1996-7, when he scored 14 goals in 28 Serie A games. With Lazio, he won another Italian Cup, in 1998. He found his opportunities limited in his final season, with manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
preferring Alen Bokšić
and Roberto Mancini
in attack and sought a move away.
side Chelsea
in May 1998 for £5.4million. His time in west London
proved luckless, and ultimately only scored one competitive goal for the club, which came against Liverpool
in a 1-1 draw at Anfield
. His Chelsea career was cut short by a cruciate ligament
injury sustained during a collision with West Ham
goalkeeper Shaka Hislop
in November 1998. Despite going through ten operations, he was unable to make a comeback and his contract with the club was terminated in March 2002.
and Mexico
and the semi-final against Bulgaria
. He was also a member of the Italy side at Euro 96, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Russia
, but was guilty of missing a late chance against the Czech Republic
that could have proved vital to the group standings, and as such the side was knocked out in the first round. Despite sealing Italy's qualification for France 98 with the only goal in a play-off against Russia in November 1997, he failed to make the squad.
side A.C. Legnano
in May 2003. On July 24, 2006, he was appointed joint coach of the Italian Under-21 national team
alongside former Chelsea team mate Gianfranco Zola
, succeeding Claudio Gentile
.
In his coaching tenure, Casiraghi led the azzurrini into the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
, ending in fifth place after having eliminated Spain U-21
in the qualifying phase. He was successively confirmed for the 2008 Olympic Games campaign, which ended in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 loss to Belgium
. He guided the Italian under-21 team to the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
in Sweden
.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
former footballer who played as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. Since retirement he has become a football manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
In Italy
Casiraghi was born in MonzaMonza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
, Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, and began his career with his home-town side, A.C. Monza
A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
Associazione Calcio Monza Brianza 1912 is an Italian football club based in Monza, Lombardy.Founded in 1912, Monza currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione group A, having last been in Serie B in 2000. Monza spent the last few years in Serie C1 and Serie C2.-History:Monza was founded on 1...
, in 1985. The side were relegated to Serie C
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
in his first season, but he helped them achieve promotion back to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
in 1988. He moved to Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
giants Juventus in 1989, having scored 28 goals in 94 games for Monza.
His goalscoring record in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
was modest, achieving a best tally of 8 goals in 24 appearances in the 1990-1 season and a total of 20 in 98 games for the club. While at Juventus, he helped the side win two UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
s (in 1990 and 1993) and one Italian Cup
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
, also in 1990. He scored in the first leg of the 1990 UEFA Cup Final
1990 UEFA Cup Final
The 1990 UEFA Cup Final was a football tie played on 2 May 1990 and 16 May 1990 between Juventus F.C. and ACF Fiorentina of Italy. Juventus won 3–1 on aggregate...
to help them beat Fiorentina. He earned his first international cap for Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
during his spell with Juventus.
He signed for Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
in 1993 and scored 41 goals in a five-year spell. His most successful season was in 1996-7, when he scored 14 goals in 28 Serie A games. With Lazio, he won another Italian Cup, in 1998. He found his opportunities limited in his final season, with manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
preferring Alen Bokšić
Alen Bokšic
Alen Bokšić is a former football attacker from Croatia. He was a renowned forward known for his technique.-Career:Bokšić was born in Makarska and started his career in the club Zmaj from Makarska. As a young player he moved to Hajduk Split and was introduced into the first team . With Hajduk, he...
and Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
in attack and sought a move away.
In England
Casiraghi joined EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
side Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in May 1998 for £5.4million. His time in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
proved luckless, and ultimately only scored one competitive goal for the club, which came against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in a 1-1 draw at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. His Chelsea career was cut short by a cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury sustained during a collision with West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
goalkeeper Shaka Hislop
Shaka Hislop
Neil Shaka Hislop, CM is a former professional football goalkeeper. The majority of his career was spent in the top division in England where he was a part of the Newcastle United team which finished second in the Premier League for two successive seasons under Kevin Keegan's first tenure...
in November 1998. Despite going through ten operations, he was unable to make a comeback and his contract with the club was terminated in March 2002.
International
As an Italian international, Casiraghi won 44 caps and scored 13 goals, making his debut in February 1991 against Belgium. He was a member of the Italy squad that reached the final of USA 94, playing in the group games against NorwayNorway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
and the semi-final against Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
. He was also a member of the Italy side at Euro 96, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
, but was guilty of missing a late chance against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
that could have proved vital to the group standings, and as such the side was knocked out in the first round. Despite sealing Italy's qualification for France 98 with the only goal in a play-off against Russia in November 1997, he failed to make the squad.
Manager
He became manager of Italian Serie C2Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
side A.C. Legnano
A.C. Legnano
Associazione Calcio Legnano was an Italian football club, based in Legnano, Lombardy, that was founded in 1913. The team's colors were lilac and white. In the past Legnano have played three seasons in Italy's top league; Serie A, finishing bottom of the league each time.The club were perhaps best...
in May 2003. On July 24, 2006, he was appointed joint coach of the Italian Under-21 national team
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
alongside former Chelsea team mate Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...
, succeeding Claudio Gentile
Claudio Gentile
Claudio Gentile is an Italian football coach and former defender of the 1970s and 1980s. Gentile appeared for Italy in two World Cup tournaments, including playing in the winning Italian team in the 1982 final. His club career was notably spent with Juventus for whom he made almost 300 league...
.
In his coaching tenure, Casiraghi led the azzurrini into the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
, ending in fifth place after having eliminated Spain U-21
Spain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
in the qualifying phase. He was successively confirmed for the 2008 Olympic Games campaign, which ended in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 loss to Belgium
Belgium national under-21 football team
The Belgium national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belgium and is controlled by the Belgian Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
. He guided the Italian under-21 team to the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.