Fabio Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro, Italian orders of merit (born 13 September, 1973 in Naples, Italy) is an Italians FIFA World Cup-winning Association football who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus F.C.. Fabio Cannavaro won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year, making Fabio Cannavaro the first and so far only defender to win the award, as well as the oldest recipient.

Career

Before moving to Real Madrid C.F. in Spain, Cannavaro played most of Fabio Cannavaro club career in the Italian Serie A league. The clubs Fabio Cannavaro played for includes Fabio Cannavaro hometown side S.S.C. Napoli, Parma F.C., with whom Fabio Cannavaro achieved significant domestic cup and European success, Juventus F.C., where Fabio Cannavaro won two later revoked scudetto titles, and F.C. Internazionale Milano.

Biography

Cannavaro was born in Naples to Gelsomina and Pasquale Cannavaro. Fabio Cannavaro mother worked as a maid, while Fabio Cannavaro father was a bank clerk; Fabio Cannavaro father also played football for provincial side S.S.C. Giugliano. As a youngster Cannavaro played for a team from Bagnoli before being quickly spotted by the scouts of S.S.C. Napoli, Fabio Cannavaro childhood team. Fabio Cannavaro is well known for Fabio Cannavaro fierce defending and interception. During Fabio Cannavaro career Cannavaro has earned world wide prominence, winning many personal accolades. For example Fabio Cannavaro was the first ever defender to win FIFA World Player of the Year. Fabio Cannavaro was also selected in the FIFPro World XI squad twice, during 2005–06 and 2006–07.

Club career

Cannavaro initially served as the club's ball boy, and Fabio Cannavaro progress as a player was such that Fabio Cannavaro became a member of the first team alongside some of Fabio Cannavaro childhood idols. Cannavaro's debut in Serie A came on 7 March 1993 in Turin for a game against Juventus. The post-Maradona Napoli were in desperate need of funds and were soon forced to sell Cannavaro to Parma F.C., where Cannavaro won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia, and was named the Serie A Oscar del calcio.

In the summer of 2001, Cannavaro joined F.C. Internazionale Milano for a fee reported €23 million. During Fabio Cannavaro spell with the club Fabio Cannavaro reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League 2002-03 and also finished runners up in Serie A. Fabio Cannavaro second season was not as productive and Fabio Cannavaro missed a large chunk of it through injury.

After a two-year stint, Fabio Cannavaro signed for Juventus F.C. on summer transfer window deadline day. The deal also involved the exchange of Fabian Carini who left for F.C. Internazionale Milano. By coming to Turin, Fabio Cannavaro re-joined Fabio Cannavaro ex-Parma teammates Lilian Thuram and Gianluigi Buffon, and together the threesome formed one of the most feared defences in the Serie A. They went on won two consecutive Scudetti in 2005 and 2006, though both were later revoked due to the Calciopoli scandal. Juventus captain Cannavaro won l'Oscar del Calcio: Migliore difensore, the Football Oscar, for Fabio Cannavaro exceptional debut season at the Turin giants.

After the 2006 World Cup, the Calciopoli trial verdicts relegated Juventus to Serie B and stripped the club of its 2004-05 and 2005-06 Scudetti. Since Juventus was ineligible to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, Cannavaro decided to leave. "Even if I know this may be hard to believe, I would have stayed at Juventus had they remained in Serie A – even with a 30-point deduction.". Fabio Cannavaro followed coach Fabio Capello to Real Madrid C.F. and inherited the number 5 shirt of the legendary Zinedine Zidane. Read Madrid paid €7million for the player. Cannavaro spent three seasons at Madrid, winning the La Liga title in La Liga 2006-07 and La Liga 2007-08, and was named the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year during Fabio Cannavaro time there. On 19 May 2009, it was confirmed that Cannavaro would return to Juventus for the Serie A 2009-10 on the expiration of Fabio Cannavaro contact with Real Madrid

International career

Cannavaro's first taste of international success came over a decade ago under coach Cesare Maldini with Italy's U-21 side, winning consecutive European Under-21 Football Championship titles in 1994 and 1996. In 1996, Fabio Cannavaro participated in the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Fabio Cannavaro played for Fabio Cannavaro country in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup, as well as 2000 European Football Championship and Euro 2004. Cannavaro made Fabio Cannavaro international debut in January 1997 against Northern Ireland and has since earned 126 cap (sport).

Cannavaro's first international tournament came at 1998 FIFA World Cup under the mentorship of veteran defender Paolo Maldini, and the squad was coached by Maldini's father Cesare Maldini. Italy went out in the quarter-finals to hosts and eventual champions France; Cannavaro suffered a cut on Fabio Cannavaro forehead from an elbow by Stéphane Guivarc'h during the match. The match was decided by a penalty shoot-out after the teams were tied 0-0.

In 2000 UEFA European Championship, it was Les Bleus who once again shattered Italy's dreams. Cannavaro had a strong tournament, playing as right-back, and the Azzurri reached the final, where they led the then world champions 1-0 going into injury time. Near the end of regular time, Sylvain Wiltord found the equalizer, and an extra-time golden goal from David Trezeguet gave France the title.

At the 2002 FIFA World Cup Fabio Cannavaro was credited with holding the defence together, almost single-handedly after Alessandro Nesta was injured against Croatia. Italy however went out in the second round, losing to co-hosts and eventual semi-finalists South Korea, again to a golden goal.

Cannavaro had a hard act to follow when Fabio Cannavaro took over as captain from Maldini after the 2002 World Cup, but Fabio Cannavaro quickly won the team over with Fabio Cannavaro constant smile, laid-back Neapolitan approach and inspiring performances. After Maldini's international retirement Fabio Cannavaro first captained Italy in a match at Napoli and received a standing ovation on the pitch where Fabio Cannavaro sported the local side's colours between 1991 and 1995.

Cannavaro's first international goal was scored on 30 May 2004 against Tunisia, Italy won 4-0. 2004 UEFA European Championship, which was hosted by Portugal, turned out to be a disappointment. Cannavaro picked up yellow cards during the two draws with Denmark (0-0) and Sweden (1-1), forcing Fabio Cannavaro to sit out the final group game. Italy defeated Bulgaria 2-1, but failed to advance on goal difference.

2006 World Cup

Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their 2006 World Cup campaign. One of Fabio Cannavaro key performances came against Germany in the World Cup Semi-Finals Football World Cup 2006. Fabio Cannavaro crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on 9 July 2006, the night of Fabio Cannavaro 100th cap. Cannavaro did not receive a single Yellow card or Misconduct (football) during the 690 minutes Fabio Cannavaro played in the tournament.

Along with Buffon, Cannavaro played every minute of every match in the tournament for Italy. The Italian defence conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament, an own-goal against the United States men's national soccer team and a Zidane penalty in the final against France national football team.

With the injury of defensive partner Alessandro Nesta Cannavaro somehow managed to hold the defense together, earning Fabio Cannavaro a spot on the FIFA World Cup awards All-Star Team at the end of the competition - awarded by FIFA's Technical Study Group - alongside six other Italian teammates, Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni, Francesco Totti, and Gianluca Zambrotta. Fabio Cannavaro was runner-up in the race for the FIFA World Cup awards Golden Ball, finishing behind French counterpart Zinedine Zidane; it was a close contest with Zidane polling 2012 points to Cannavaro's 1977.

Euro 2008

On 2 June 2008, Cannavaro was injured during Italy's first training session for UEFA Euro 2008. Cannavaro sustained the knock following a tackle by fellow defender Giorgio Chiellini and was carried off the field on a stretcher. Italy doctor Paolo Zeppilli said: "We have to do tests but it does not look like a minor injury." Tests had shown that Fabio Cannavaro tore ligaments in Fabio Cannavaro left ankle. Right after the examinations, Italian journalists awaited Cannavaro, who told them: "I'm going home," with a melancholic smile on Fabio Cannavaro face. After the day was over, Roberto Donadoni called up ACF Fiorentina centre-back Alessandro Gamberini as Fabio Cannavaro official replacement. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon captained the team in Fabio Cannavaro place. Cannavaro added Fabio Cannavaro will stay with the squad to offer support. This would have been Cannavaro's third Euro tournament.

Cannavaro has also put Fabio Cannavaro plans to retire from the national team after UEFA Euro 2008 on hold and added that it has made Fabio Cannavaro more determined to captain Italy through the 2010 World Cup.

Record Breaking Caps

In a 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup match against Brazil national football team, Fabio Cannavaro equalled Paolo Maldini's record of being Italy national football team Most capped players.

International goals

Personal

Fabio is married to Daniela Cannavaro, and together they have 3 children, Christian, Martina, and Andrea.

Fabio Cannavaro younger brother Paolo Cannavaro is also a defender who currently plays for S.S.C. Napoli. The two brothers were first spotted by an English scout when Fabio was only twelve. Michael Hutchinson (who was working for Newcastle United at the time) decided to personally train them as central defenders, having sixteen years of experience as a professional central defender himself. The two brothers played alongside each other at Parma from 2000 until 2002, when Fabio left for Inter. Fabio Cannavaro mother, Gelsomina, worked as a maid and Fabio Cannavaro father, Pasquale, was a bank clerk. Although they are no longer playing together, Fabio has expressed interest in ending Fabio Cannavaro career with Paolo in a Napoli shirt.

With Fabio Cannavaro fellow Napoletano Ciro Ferrara, Cannavaro has helped establish a charity foundation, Fondazione Cannavaro Ferrara, specialising in the procurement of cancer research equipment and surgery for special cases of cancer for a hospital in their native Naples.

Fabio has also stated in a 2007 issue of League Magazine, when asked about women Fabio Cannavaro has said that Fabio Cannavaro has a fondness towards Asian women, especially those of Indian and Chinese descent, saying "the most beautiful of women lie in Asia, that in India and China, they are truly walking goddesses". Fabio Cannavaro is still fully committed to Daniela for many years.

Controversy

The night before the 1999 UEFA Cup Final, a video tape was released which showed Cannavaro being injected with a substance. The substance was found to be neoton, which is a drug and a creatine phosphate used in cardiac surgery, and is not on the banned substance list. No action was ever taken.