Nicola Amoruso (born 29 August 1974) is a former Italian footballer who played as a striker. An elegant, technically gifted, and agile forward, known for his delicate touch on the ball and use of feints, and diving like tom daly[1] he usually played in a central role; his nicknames were piede caldo (Hot Foot) and Dinamite (Dynamite), due to his eye for goal.[2] He is currently the sporting director of Palermo.[3]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicola Amoruso | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 29 August 1974 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cerignola, Italy | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Sampdoria | 8 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Fidelis Andria | 34 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Padova | 33 | (14) | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–2002 | Juventus | 53 | (9) | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | → Perugia (loan) | 25 | (11) | ||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | → Napoli (co-ownership) | 30 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Perugia | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Como | 14 | (6) | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Modena | 25 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Messina | 22 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Reggina | 96 | (40) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Torino | 20 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009 | → Siena (loan) | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Parma | 17 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Atalanta | 15 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 405 | (128) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Italy U-21 | 4 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 July 2011 | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
editAmoruso grew up in the Sampdoria youth system, and made his Serie A debut on 12 December 1993, in a 2–0 away defeat to Inter. During his first season with the club he won the Coppa Italia, scoring 3 goals in 8 appearances throughout the competition.[4][5] He has also later played with Fidelis Andria (1994–95), Padova (1995–96), Juventus (1996–2002), Perugia (1999–2002), Napoli (2000–2001), Como (2003), Modena (2003–04), Messina (2004–05), Reggina (2005–08), Torino (2008–09), Siena (2009), Parma (2009–10), and Atalanta (2010–11).
Juventus
editAmoruso joined Juventus in 1996; he scored 4 goals in Juventus's 1996–97 UEFA Champions League campaign, including one each in both of the semifinal legs against AFC Ajax. He only came on as a late substitute in the final that Juventus lost to Borussia Dortmund, although he was able to capture the 1996 UEFA Super Cup, the 1996 Intercontinental Cup, and the 1996–97 Serie A title with Juventus that season.[4][5] The following season, he won the 1997 Supercoppa Italiana, and the 1997–98 Serie A title with Juventus. He scored in the return leg of the 1997–98 UEFA Champions League semifinal against AS Monaco FC, but was an unused substitute in the final, as Juventus suffered yet another defeat, at the hands of Real Madrid on this occasion.[4][5] The 1998–99 season was less successful, as Juventus only managed to capture the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup.[4][5] Amoruso spent the 1999–2000 season on loan with Perugia, and the 2000–01 season on loan with Napoli, beforing returning to Juventus the following season.[4][5] Amoruso won the 2001–02 Serie A title with Juventus, only making 9 appearances in the league, but helping the club to reach the 2002 Coppa Italia Final, finishing the competition as the top-scorer, with 6 goals.[4][5] In 2002, he moved to Perugia once again for half a season,[4][5] and in January 2003, he subsequently played with Como, later moving to Modena for the 2003–04 Serie A season, and Messina for the 2004–05 Serie A season.[4][5]
Messina
editIn 2004, Amoruso signed with Messina on free transfer, after terminated his contract with Modena.[6]
Reggina
editIn 2005 Amoruso signed with Reggina. Along with Rolando Bianchi, they formed an effective striking partner for Reggina's survival battle. In 2007–08 season, Bianchi left the club and Amoruso became the team top-scorer, ahead Franco Brienza and midfielder Francesco Cozza. Reggina almost relegated that season, as ineffective of striker Christian Stuani, Joelson, Stephen Makinwa and Fabio Ceravolo.
Torino, Siena, Parma & Atalanta
editOn 8 July 2008, he agreed a move to Torino, signed a 2-year contract[7] and reunited with Rolando Bianchi, but during the January 2009 transfer window he transferred on loan with A.C. Siena.[8]
After played the opening match of 2009–10 Serie B season for Toro, Amoruso moved to Parma with Julio César de León and Manuel Coppola move to opposite direction on loan on 28 August.[9]
In January 2010, Amoruso signed a contract with Atalanta B.C. which last until June 2011. Robert Acquafresca, moved back to Genoa from Atalanta, while Hernán Crespo moved to Parma from Genoa. Atalanta also paid Parma €1 million for the service of Amoruso.[10]
He retired in September 2011.
International career
editAmoruso represented the Italy under-21 team on 4 occasions between 1994 and 1996, scoring once.[11] He was the unused member of the Italy Olympic team that won the 1997 Mediterranean Games. He also won the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with Italy.[12]
Honours
editClub
edit- Serie A: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1997
- UEFA Champions League: runner-up: 1996–97, 1997–98
- UEFA Super Cup: 1996
International
editIndividual
edit- Coppa Italia Top-scorer: 2001–02 (6 goals)[4][15]
References
edit- ^ "Dieci italiani più uno che avrebbero meritato la nazionale" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ^ Andrea Losapio (7 August 2013). "Nick Piede Caldo, anche ad andarsene" (in Italian). tuttomercatoweb.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
- ^ "Palermo name Ilicic price". Football Italia. 11 July 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Nicola AMORUSO" (in Italian). Il Pallone Racconta. 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Stefano Bedeschi (29 August 2014). "Gli eroi in bianconero: Nicola AMORUSO" (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ "Risolto il contratto con Amoruso" (in Italian). Modena FC. 27 August 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "Amoruso al Toro" (in Italian). Torino FC. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
- ^ "Mercato: Arriva Amoruso" (in Italian). A.C. Siena. 2 February 2009.
- ^ "Amoruso al Parma" (in Italian). Parma F.C. 28 August 2009.
- ^ Parma FC SpA financial report and accounts (bilancio) on 30 June 2010, Require purchase in Italian Chamber of Commerce Archived 21 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)
- ^ "Nazionale in cifre: Nicola Amoruso" (in Italian). FIGC. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
- ^ a b "1996: Totti trascina l'Italia" (in Italian). UEFA. 1 March 2006. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ a b c "N. Amoruso". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ "Nicola Amoruso". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ Roberto Di Maggio; Davide Rota (4 June 2015). "Italy - Coppa Italia Top Scorers". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
External links
edit- FIGC (in Italian) [dead link]
- Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian) [dead link]
- Nicola Amoruso at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
