Roberto Donadoni

Roberto Donadoni (born September 9, 1963 in Cisano Bergamasco, Province of Bergamo, Lombardy) is an Italian football (soccer) manager and former player. He was an attacking midfielder or winger known for pace and technique. He was a pillar of the powerhouse A.C. Milan teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of the pioneers of Major League Soccer, where he played two seasons for the NY/NJ MetroStars. He is currently the head coach of the Italian national football team, being announced by the Italian Football Federation on July 13, 2006, succeeding Marcello Lippi who resigned after having won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Career
Playing
Donadoni started his career with Atalanta B.C. in 1982. He transferred to Milan in 1986 and became a mainstay in the team. Usually playing a left midfield role, Donadoni was a vital cog in a team that won five Serie A titles, three European Cups, three European Super Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups. A member of the Italian national team, he played in the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups, helping Italy to third and second place finishes respectively. Although he missed one of the penalties in the penalty shoot-out in 1990, in the fateful semi-final against Argentina.

The MetroStars of MLS made him a centerpiece of their franchise when they signed him in 1996. While with the Metros, he was recalled to the Italian national team. He came back to MLS, but in the league's first two formative years. He proved a solid performer, being named to the league Best XI in 1996. Unfortunately, Donadoni's play could not bring the MetroStars any success as a club.

He went back to AC Milan after the 1997 MLS season, and promptly helped them to another Serie A title, his sixth. He ended his career by playing for a short time with Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.

Donadoni scored 21 goals for Milan and six for the MetroStars. He added five for Italy in 63 caps.

Managing

After retiring as a player, he coached Italian clubs Lecco (2001-02), Livorno (2002-03) and Genoa (2003-04). In 2005, he returned to head Livorno in mid-season. After leading them to a surprising ninth-place finish and having the club in sixth place midway through the 2005-06 season, Donadoni resigned over criticism from club chairman Aldo Spinelli.

On July 2006, following the resignations of Marcello Lippi immediately after the Italian national team won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Donadoni was named as new Italian head coach, his first task being to successfully lead the fresh World Champions through qualification for Euro 2008.

On August 16, 2006, Donadoni made his debut as head coach for the Italian national team in a friendly match against Croatia played at Stadio Armando Picchi, Livorno which did not feature any of the 23 World Champions, excepting third goalkeeper Marco Amelia, and ended in a humiliating 2:0 defeat.

Path to Euro 2008

Donadoni's "real" debut came in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers; Donadoni had solace in the fact that Marcello Lippi's first match in charge of The Azzurri resulted in defeat to Iceland in a friendly match. Despite this, the Italian media did not express this comfort after the following two matches were deemed as negative results: a home 1-1 draw with Lithuania, followed by a 3-1 defeat against France.

Italian newspaper La Nazione's front page featured "How to reduce Lippi's masterwork to pieces in just three weeks"[2] requesting the return of former coach, Marcello Lippi. However, despite all the critics, Donadoni led Italy to five wins in a row to Georgia (3:1), Ukraine (2:0) and Scotland (2:0), the former being controversial for his omission of star Alessandro Del Piero from the squad.[3] One of the main critics addressed by the media on Donadoni is however his alleged lack of pressure in persuading Francesco Totti to play again for the azzurri. Recently, following a question regarding a possible call-up for the AS Roma star in the June matches, Donadoni jokingly claimed not to know him.

Trophies won:
::5 x Italian title
::3x European Super Cup
::3 x European Cup
::2 x Intercontinental Cup