Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)

Fabio Cannavaro (born 13 September 1973 in Naples, Italy) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for the UAE Football League club Al-Ahli Dubai.
He is the former captain of the Italian national team and with 136 caps he is the most capped player of all time. He announced his retirement from international football on 25 June 2010 following Italy's failure to qualify for the knock-out stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.^[1]
He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006, making him the first, and so far, only defender to win the award, as well as the oldest recipient.
His younger brother Paolo is also a professional footballer.

Club career

Early career

Cannavaro was born in Naples to Gelsomina and Pasquale Cannavaro. His mother worked as a maid, while his father was a bank clerk; his father also played football for provincial side Giugliano.^[2] As a youngster Cannavaro played for a team from Bagnoli before being quickly spotted by the scouts of Napoli, his childhood team.

Napoli

Cannavaro initially served as the club's ball boy and would often watch his idols Diego Maradona and Ciro Ferrara play. His progress as a player was such that he became a member of the first team alongside some of his childhood idols. Cannavaro's debut in Serie A came on 7 March 1993 in Torino for a game against Juventus. The post-Maradona Napoli were in desperate need of funds and were soon forced to sell Cannavaro to Parma, where Cannavaro won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia, and was named the Serie A Defender of the Year. Cannavaro remained at Napoli until 1995, earning nearly 60 total appearances with one goal.

Parma

Cannavaro was sold to Parma, in the summer of 1995, and in his first season he was instantly a regular in the first team, scoring once in 29 appearances in the league. He would go on to not only win The UEFA Cup, and the Coppa Italia, with Parma, but he also had several personal accomplishments. He continued to earn national team call-ups and was consistently one of the best defenders in Serie A, which led to a mega €23 million transfer to Internazionale, in 2001, following over 250 total appearances for the club, with 5 goals.

Internazionale

In the summer of 2002, Cannavaro joined Internazionale for a fee reported €23 million. During his spell with the club he reached the semi-finals of the 2002–03 Champions League and also finished runners-up in Serie A. His second season was not as productive and he missed a large chunk of it through injury. After two years with the club, he was sold to Juventus in a part-exchange deal, after just over 50 appearances and two goals.

Juventus

After a two-year stint, he signed for Juventus on the summer transfer window deadline day. The deal also involved the exchange of reserve goalkeeper, Fabian Carini who left for Inter, both players priced €10 million.^[3] By coming to Torino, he re-joined his ex-Parma teammates Lilian Thuram and Gianluigi Buffon, and together the threesome formed one of the most feared defences in the Serie A, along with the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Nicola Legrottaglie, Alessandro Birindelli, Giorgio Chiellini, Jonathan Zebina, and Federico Balzaretti. They went on to win two consecutive Scudetti in 2005 and 2006. Cannavaro also won l'Oscar del Calcio: Migliore difensore, the Football Oscar, for his exceptional debut season at the Turin giants. After the 2006 World Cup, the Calciopoli trial verdicts relegated Juventus to Serie B. Since Juventus was ineligible to qualify for the 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.". He followed Fabio Capello to Real Madrid in the summer of 2006. In his two year Scudetto winning stint with Juventus, Cannavaro racked up over 100 total appearances in all competitions.

Real Madrid

For Real Madrid, Cannavaro was given the number 5 shirt of the legendary Zinedine Zidane. Madrid paid €7 million for the player.^[4] Cannavaro spent three seasons at Madrid, winning the La Liga title in 2006–07 and 2007–08, and was named the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year during his time with Juventus and Real Madrid combined. On 19 May 2009, it was confirmed that Cannavaro would return to Juventus for the 2009–10 season on the expiration of his contract with Real Madrid.^[5]

Return to Juventus

Three years after Cannavaro opted to leave the Italian giants, he decided to return to the club in the summer of 2009, following the expiration of his contract with Real Madrid. Cannavaro started the new season very well, forming defensive partnerships with Nicola Legrottaglie, Martin Caceres, Zdenek Grygera, Fabio Grosso, and most notably Giorgio Chiellini, in front of Gianluigi Buffon. Despite the good start to the season for Juve on all fronts, their season soon took a turn for the worse as the club finished with only a Europa League place. Juventus confirmed that Cannavaro won't renew.^[6]

Al-Ahli Dubai

On 2 June 2010, it was announced that Cannavaro would move to UAE Football League side Al-Ahli Dubai on a free transfer after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Cannavaro signed a two-year deal.^[7]

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, he participated in the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
He made his debut with the Italian national team on 22 January 1997, in a friendly game against Northern Ireland. He played for his country in the 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 World Cups, as well as Euro 2000 and Euro 2004.
Cannavaro's first international tournament came at 1998 World Cup under the mentorship of Paolo Maldini, and the squad was coached by Maldini's father Cesare. Italy went out in the quarter-finals to hosts and eventual champions France; Cannavaro suffered a cut on his forehead from an elbow by Stéphane Guivarc'h but played the remainder of the match after receiving treatment. The Azzurri managed to push the game to a 0–0 draw but the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out after the teams were tied 0–0.
In Euro 2000, it was Les Bleus who once again shattered Italy's dreams. Cannavaro had a strong tournament, playing as one of three centre-backs alongside Maldini and Mark Iuliano. 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 World Cup he 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.^[8]
Cannavaro had a hard act to follow when he took over as captain from Maldini after the 2002 World Cup, but he quickly won the team over with his constant smile, laid-back Neapolitan approach and inspiring performances. After Maldini's international retirement, he first captained Italy in a match at Napoli and received a standing ovation on the pitch where he sported the local side's colours between 1991 and 1995.^[9]
Cannavaro's first international goal was scored on 30 May 2004 against Tunisia, Italy won 4–0. Euro 2004, 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 him to sit out the final group game. Italy defeated Bulgaria 2–1, but failed to advance on goal difference.^[10]

2006 World Cup

Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their 2006 World Cup campaign. One of his key performances came against Germany in the World Cup Semi-Finals 2006. His crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on 9 July 2006, the night of his 100th cap. Cannavaro did not receive a single yellow or red card during the 690 minutes he played in the tournament.
Along with Buffon, Cannavaro played every minute of every match in the tournament for Italy. Even with usual defensive partner Nesta out due to injury Italian defence conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament, an own-goal against the United States and a Zidane penalty in the final against France.
With the injury of defensive partner Alessandro Nesta Cannavaro somehow managed to hold the defense together, earning him a spot on the All-Star Team at the end of the competition—awarded by FIFA's Technical Study Group—alongside five other Italian teammates, Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni, and Gianluca Zambrotta. He was runner-up in the race for the 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 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 he tore ligaments in his left ankle. Right after the examinations, Italian journalists awaited Cannavaro, who told them: "I'm going home," with a melancholic smile on his face. After the day was over, Roberto Donadoni called up Fiorentina centre-back Alessandro Gamberini as his official replacement. Del Piero captained the team in his place. Cannavaro added he will stay with the squad to offer support. This would have been Cannavaro's third Euro tournament.
Cannavaro has also put his plans to retire from the national team after Euro 2008 on hold and added that it has made him more determined to captain Italy through the 2010 World Cup.

Record breaking caps

In a 2009 Confederations Cup match against Brazil, Cannavaro equalled Paolo Maldini's record of being Italy's most capped player. On 12 August 2009, in a friendly match against Switzerland, Cannavaro became Italy's most capped player of all time. He won his 127th cap for his country, beating Maldini's former record of 126.

2010 World Cup

Cannavaro captained Italy at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was heavily criticised during the tournament for poor performances during all three group matches as the defending champions crashed out of the competition losing to Slovakia and drawing against New Zealand and Paraguay. Following Italy's failure to progress past the group stage, Cannavaro announced his retirement from international football.

Personal life

Fabio is married to Daniela Cannavaro, and together they have three children, Christian (born 17 July 1999), Martina(born November 15, 1996), and Andrea (born 20 October 2004).^[11]
His younger brother, Paolo is also a defender who currently plays for Napoli. The two brothers played alongside each other at Parma from 2000 until 2002, when Fabio left for Inter. Although they are no longer playing together, Fabio has expressed interest in ending his career with Paolo in a Napoli shirt.
With his 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.

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 (Phosphocreatine) which is used in cardiac surgery to protect the heart during periods of anoxia and stress. It is not on the banned substance list. This chemical is, in partnership with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) fundamental to the ability of the body to produce muscular energy. Phosphocreatine is formed naturally within the body, with over 95% of the compound stored within the muscle cells. Approximately 5 oz (120 g) of phosphocreatine is present in the body of a healthy adult; the levels of the compound do not fluctuate to a significant degree. When phosphocreatine stores become reduced, the body replenishes its supply from one of two sources. The first source is amino acids, the muscle- and tissue-building blocks present in all proteins. The liver produces phosphocreatine from amino acids. The body also receives dietary creatine primarily through the consumption of meat.^[12] No action was ever taken regarding this incident.^[13]
On 8 October 2009, Cannavaro failed a drug test. However, Juventus claimed that the drugs were medicine for a severe allergic reaction to a wasp sting, and not performance enhancing. Because of the urgent nature of the treatment, Cannavaro could not ask for permission to CONI in time, which was done immediately afterwards. Apparently while awaiting the conclusion of formalities involved for CONI with granting this permission, he was subjected to the drug test that eventually gave the positive result. CONI later dropped charges against him.^[14]

Career statistics

^[15]

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Europe		Total
1992–93	Napoli	Serie A	2	0	1	0			3	0
1993–94			27	0	2	0			29	0
1994–95			29	1	4	0	3	0	36	1
1995–96	Parma		29	1	1	0	6	0	36	1
1996–97			27	0	1	0	2	0	30	0
1997–98			31	0	6	0	7	0	44	0
1998–99			30	1	7	0	8	0	45	1
1999–2000			31	2	3	0	9	1	43	3
2000–01			33	0	7	0	6	0	46	0
2001–02			31	1	5	0	9	0	45	1
2002–03	Internazionale		28	0	0	0	12	1	40	1
2003–04	Internazionale		22	2	3	0	9	0	34	2
2004–05	Juventus		38	2	0	0	9	1	47	3
2005–06	Juventus		37	4	2	0	9	0	48	4
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Total
2006–07	Real Madrid	La Liga	32	0	1	0	6	0	39	0
2007–08			33	0	1	0	6	0	40	0
2008–09			29	0	1	0	7	0	37	0
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Europe		Total
2009–10	Juventus	Serie A	27	0	0	0	0	0	27	0
United Arab Emirates			League		UAE Emir Cup		Asia		Total
2010–11	Al Ahli Dubai	UAE League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	Italy		396	14	42	0	89	3	527	17
Total	Spain		94	0	3	0	19	0	116	0
Career Total			490	14	45	0	108	3	643	17