Christian Maggio

Christian Maggio

Maggio with Italy in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Christian Maggio[1]
Date of birth	(1982-02-11) 11 February 1982
Place of birth	Montecchio Maggiore, Italy
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[2]
Playing position	Right-back / Wing-back
Club information
Current team	Napoli
Number	11
Youth career
1997–2000	Vicenza
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	Vicenza	38	(1)
2003–2006	Fiorentina	56	(2)
2006	→ Treviso (loan)	11	(0)
2006–2008	Sampdoria	60	(11)
2008–	Napoli	213	(20)
National team‡
2000–2001	Italy U18	5	(1)
2000–2002	Italy U20	24	(3)
2002	Italy U21	2	(0)
2008–2014	Italy	34	(0)
Honours Representing  Italy Association football UEFA Euro Poland & Ukraine 2012 FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:19, 21 February 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 March 2014

Christian Maggio (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkristjan ˈmaddʒo]; born 11 February 1982) is an Italian footballer who plays as a right-back, as a wing-back, or as a right winger for Serie A club Napoli.

A dynamic and hard-working offensive full-back, prior to joining Napoli in 2008, Maggio played for Italian clubs Vicenza, Fiorentina, Treviso, and Sampdoria. With Napoli he has won two Coppa Italia titles and the Supercoppa Italiana. A former Italy international level, he represented the Italy national football team on 34 occasions between 2008 and 2014, and took part at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012 (winning a silver medal), and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup (winning a bronze medal).

Club career

Vicenza

Maggio began his career at Vicenza making his Serie A debut in the 2000–2001 season, finishing the campaign with six appearances.^[3] However, despite some success on a personal level, Vicenza were subsequently relegated to Serie B at the end of the season.^[4] Maggio stayed with Vicenza until 2003, making 38 appearances in total while managing to score just 1 goal. Half of the registration rights were also sold to Parma in June 2002^[5] for 4 billion lire (€2.066 million,^[6] for an undisclosed cash plus Paolo Guastalvino). In June 2003 the co-ownership deal was renewed.^[7]

Fiorentina

In 2003, Maggio signed for ACF Fiorentina from Parma. In June 2004 Fiorentina acquired another half from Vicenza.^[8] Maggio appeared regularly for Fiorentina until they were promoted from Serie B to Serie A during the 2003–04 season. During the 2004–05 season, he played 13 times, while in the 2005–06 Serie A season, he only appeared 3 times due to injury; in January 2006, he was loaned to Treviso in order to gain playing time, making 11 appearances, although the club was relegated at the end of the season. Overall, Maggio played 56 games for The Viola, scoring 2 goals over a 4-year period, including spending 1.5 seasons on loan. Maggio was loaned to Sampdoria for €150,000 in the 2006–07 season.^[9][10] At the end of loan Sampdoria signed him in another co-ownership deal for €1.5 million.^[10]

Sampdoria

However, it was not until Maggio signed for U.C. Sampdoria that he began to fulfil the potential he had shown when playing for Italy at youth level. Some very impressive performances during the 2007–08 season resulted in nine goals from twenty-nine appearances. At the end of season Sampdoria acquired another half for €1.95 million.^[11] He was immediately re-sold to Napoli for €8 million.^[12][13]

Napoli

During his time at Napoli he has continued to perform consistently. 18 October 2009 saw Maggio score a 90th-minute goal to help seal a 2–1 comeback victory over Bologna, as Fabio Quagliarella had scored a late equalizer for the hosts.^[14] Maggio continued his good form as he scored the only goal of the game on 25 October, helping Napoli defeat Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.^[15] On 24 January 2010 Maggio scored a wonderful volley against Livorno. He took up a position near the corner of the penalty area as a long cross-field pass descended towards him. As this raking pass came across his body from his left shoulder he volleyed it first time, with great power, swerving over the goalkeeper into the top corner.^[16]

On 6 December 2010, Maggio scored a last gasp goal which saw Napoli secure all three points in a 1–0 defeat of Palermo.^[17] During this period, Maggio usually functioned as a right midfielder/winger for Napoli in a 3–4–2–1 formation under manager Walter Mazzarri. He had initially played at right back for the majority of his career; however, since he started playing as a right winger, the quality of his performances improved, and he particularly excelled in this new position due to his attacking skills.

During the 2011–12 season, his performances and attacking abilities continued to improve, as he netted three goals and provided five assists in 33 league games for Napoli.^[18] Maggio provided assists for two of his side's goals in their enthralling 3–3 draw with Juventus on 29 November 2011.^[19] In the second leg of Napoli's Round of 16 tie with eventual winners Chelsea, Maggio limped off the field in the 37th minute with an injury.^[20] Napoli eventually lost 5–4 on aggregate after extra time,^[21] as Maggio missed the next seven games and his side only won once. He helped his team to win the 2011–12 Coppa Italia that season over Serie A champions Juventus; this was Napoli's first trophy since 1990, under Maradona. His performances led to him being named in 2011–12 Serie A Team of the Season, the first such honour of his career.^[22]

International career

After missing out on a potential call-up for UEFA Euro 2008 under manager Roberto Donadoni,^[23] Maggio was first called up to the national team by Marcello Lippi for the team's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in October 2008,^[24] but only made his debut with the Italy on 19 November 2008, at the age of 26, in a 1–1 friendly draw against Greece, coming on as a substitute for Mauro Camoranesi in the 61st minute.^[25] He made his first start with the national team on 18 November 2009, in a friendly match against Sweden held in Cesena.^[26] He took part at the 2010 World Cup;^[27] although he was initially called up as the back-up for Gianluca Zambrotta, he played in the nation's third group stage match on 24 June, a 3–2 loss to Slovakia, coming on for Domenico Criscito at half-time; due to the defeat, Italy were eliminated in the first round of the tournament.^[28]

Maggio battling England's Ashley Young for the ball during their quarterfinal match-up at Euro 2012

After being briefly being excluded from the national side, he was called up by new head coach Cesare Prandelli on 6 February 2011 for a friendly match against Germany held in Dortmund,^[29] and subsequently he became a regular for the team in the right back position under the manager; as a result, he was named to the 23-man Italy squad that took part at the UEFA Euro 2012.^[30] Maggio appeared in the first two group games for Italy at the Euros, a 1–1 draw with holders Spain^[31] and another 1–1 draw with Croatia, playing as a wing-back on the right in a 3–5–2 formation.^[32] Maggio also appeared as a substitute in Italy's 4–2 penalty shootout victory over England in the quarterfinals, following a 0–0 draw after extra-time, playing as a right-back in a 4–3–1–2 after coming on for Ignazio Abate in the 90th minute; during the match, however, he received his second booking of the tournament, which ruled him out of the semi-final fixture against Germany.^[33][34] Italy progressed to the final, where they lost 4–0 to group rivals Spain.^[35]

Maggio was also named to the 23-man Italy squad that participated in the 2013 Confederations Cup.^[36] He made his tournament debut in Italy's second group match of the tournament, a 4–3 win over Japan,^[37] and hit the cross-bar with a header in a 4–2 defeat to hosts and eventual champions Brazil in the final group match after coming on as a substitute.^[38] He also started in the semi-final match against Spain, helping the team to keep a cleansheet, although Spain would advance to the final with a 7–6 victory penalties, following a 0–0 deadlock after extra-time.^[39] He once again started in the third-place match against Uruguay, where he helped the Italians to capture the bronze medal, following a 5–4 victory in the resulting penalty shoot-out after a 2–2 draw following extra-time.^[40]

Maggio was named in Prandelli's provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but was one of seven players cut from the final squad, after missing much of the previous season due to injury.^[41] On 18 March 2015, he announced his retirement from the Italian national side at the age of 33; in total he made 34 appearances for Italy.^[42]

Style of play

A dynamic, hard-working and tenacious right-footed player, with an eye for goal, for the majority of his career Maggio has been deployed as an attacking-minded full-back or wing-back on the right flank, although his preferred role is that of right-sided wide midfielder or winger in a 3–5–2 formation, a position which allows him both to make attacking runs and track back.^[43][44][45] Nicknamed "Super-bike",^[46] due to his composure, pace, positioning, anticipation and stamina, he is capable of aiding his team both offensively and defensively.^[43][47][48] Maggio is a strong, modern full-back, and an athletic player, who is good in the air; he also possesses good technique, tackling, tactical intelligence, crossing ability, and distribution.^[43][44][49]

Club

As of 28 September 2016.^[50]

Honours

Club

Napoli^[51]

• Coppa Italia (2): 2011–12, 2013–14
• Supercoppa Italiana (1): 2014

International

Italy^[51]

• UEFA European Championship: Runner-up 2012
• FIFA Confederations Cup: Third Place 2013

Individual

• Oscar del Calcio - Serie A Team of the Year (3): 2010–11,^[52] 2011–12,^[53] 2012–13^[54]

References

External links

• Player profile on Napoli's official website
• FIFA Profile

Italy squads
Italy squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup 1 Buffon 2 Maggio 3 Criscito 4 Chiellini 5 Cannavaro (c) 6 De Rossi 7 Pepe 8 Gattuso 9 Iaquinta 10 Di Natale 11 Gilardino 12 Marchetti 13 Bocchetti 14 De Sanctis 15 Marchisio 16 Camoranesi 17 Palombo 18 Quagliarella 19 Zambrotta 20 Pazzini 21 Pirlo 22 Montolivo 23 Bonucci Coach: Lippi Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2012 Runners-up 1 Buffon (c) 2 Maggio 3 Chiellini 4 Ogbonna 5 Motta 6 Balzaretti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Balotelli 10 Cassano 11 Di Natale 12 Sirigu 13 Giaccherini 14 De Sanctis 15 Barzagli 16 De Rossi 17 Borini 18 Montolivo 19 Bonucci 20 Giovinco 21 Pirlo 22 Diamanti 23 Nocerino Coach: Prandelli Italy squad – 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Third Place 1 Buffon (c) 2 Maggio 3 Chiellini 4 Astori 5 De Sciglio 6 Candreva 7 Aquilani 8 Marchisio 9 Balotelli 10 Giovinco 11 Gilardino 12 Sirigu 13 Marchetti 14 El Shaarawy 15 Barzagli 16 De Rossi 17 Cerci 18 Montolivo 19 Bonucci 20 Abate 21 Pirlo 22 Giaccherini 23 Diamanti Coach: Prandelli