Melania Gabbiadini

Melania Gabbiadini
Gabbiadini with AGSM Verona in 2015
Personal information
Full name Melania Gabbiadini
Date of birth (1983-08-28) 28 August 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Calcinate, Italy
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Bolgare
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2004 Bergamo 146 (150)
2004–2017 AGSM Verona 150 (153)
International career‡
2003–2017 Italy 114 (45)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 July 2017
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 July 2017

Melania Gabbiadini (born 28 August 1983) is an Italian former football forward. After beginning her career with Bergamo in 2000, she later joined AGSM Verona in 2004 and went on to captain the team, until her retirement in 2017.[2] She won five Scudetti with the club.[3]

Gabbiadini was an experienced player at international level who made over 100 caps for the Italy women's national football team.[4] She is a veteran of Italy's 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017 UEFA Women's Championship campaigns, being voted to the Squad of the Tournament in the 2013 edition of the tournament.[5] She was voted the Serie A Female Footballer of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015,[6][7][8] and was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Club career

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Gabbiadini began her career with Bergamo in 2000, winning the Serie B title with the club in 2002.[9] After the club's bankruptcy in 2004, she moved to AGSM Verona, the club with which she remained until her retirement in 2017.[10] With Bardolino Verona, she won the Serie A title during the 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, and 2014–15 seasons, as well as the Coppa Italia during the 2005–06, and 2006–07 seasons, and the Supercoppa italiana in 2005, 2007, and 2008; she was also voted the Serie A Female Footballer of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.[11][12] With Verona, she also reached the semi-finals of the 2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup.[13]

International career

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After representing her country at under-21 level on 5 occasions, Gabbiadini made her senior debut for Italy on 16 April 2003, in a 5–0 away friendly win over the Netherlands.[14] Included in the squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2005 in North West England,[15] she scored twice in a 5–3 defeat to Norway as Italy made a group stage exit.

At UEFA Women's Euro 2009 in Finland, Gabbiadini played in all four games and scored in a 2–0 win over Russia as the Italians reached the quarter-finals.[16] Four years later, national coach Antonio Cabrini named Gabbiadini in his selection for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.[17] After scoring two goals in the group stage against Denmark[18] and hosts Sweden,[19] she played the entire match in the Italians' 1–0 quarter-final defeat to perennial champions Germany.[20] She was voted to the Squad of the Tournament for her performances.[5]

On 16 February 2016, ahead of the 2016 UEFA Women's Champions League Final media launch held in Reggio Emilia, she was awarded a commemorative cap and medal by UEFA for having obtained over 100 caps for the Italian national team.[21][22] In November 2016, she was included in Italy's squad for the 2016 International Women's Football Tournament of Manaus, which was held from 7 to 18 December.[23]

She retired after the UEFA Women's Euro 2017.[24] However, she finished her international career with 114 appearances and 45 goals.[25]

Goals scored in official competitions
Competition Stage Date Location Opponent Goals Result
England 2005 UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2004–09–25 Niš  Serbia and Montenegro 1–0 2–1
First Stage 2005–06–12 Preston  Norway 1–1 2–4 3–5
Finland 2009 UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2007–10–31 Parma  Romania 5–0 5–0
2008–02–16 Villacidro  Republic of Ireland 2–1 4–1
2008–05–24 Buftea  Romania 1–0 5–1 6–1
First Stage 2009–08–31 Helsinki  Russia 1–0 2–0
Germany 2011 World Cup Qualifiers 2009–09–19 Domžale  Slovenia 3–0 4–0 8–0
2009–11–25 Francavilla  Armenia 3–0 6–0 7–0
2010–03–31 Ascoli  Finland 1–1 1–1
2010–06–19 Montereale  Slovenia 1–0 6–0
2010–06–23 Vantaa  Finland 2–1 3–1
Sweden 2013 UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2011–10–22 Prilep  North Macedonia 7–0 9–0
2011–11–19 Pruszków  Poland 1–0 2–0 5–0 6–1
2011–11–23 Trani  Greece 1–0 2–0
First Stage 2013–07–13 Halmstad  Denmark 1–0 2–1
2013–07–16 Halmstad  Sweden 1–3 1–3
Canada 2015 World Cup Qualifiers 2013–09–20 Tallinn  Estonia 2–0 4–0 5–0
2014–02–13 Novara  Czech Republic 1–0 2–0 6–1
2014–04–10 Cluj  Romania 2–0 2–1
2014–05–08 Skopje  North Macedonia 5–0 7–0 11–0
2014–06–14 Prague  Czech Republic 3–0 4–0
2014–10–25 Rieti  Ukraine 2–1 2–1
2014–10–29 Lviv  Ukraine 1–2 2–2
2014–11–22 The Hague  Netherlands 1–0 1–1
Netherlands 2017 UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2016–09–16 Lurgan  Northern Ireland 2–0 3–0

Style of play

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A quick forward and a prolific goalscorer, Gabbiadini was known for her technical ability and her pace on the ball, and was often deployed as a winger or as a main striker. She also stood out for her leadership and work-rate throughout her career.[4][24]

Personal life

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As well as being a footballer, Gabbiadini is a tattoo designer.[26] Her younger brother Manolo plays as a forward for Sampdoria and has represented the Italy men's national team.[4][27]

Gabbiadini's participation at UEFA Women's Euro 2017 was widely noted by Dutch viewers due to her striking resemblance to former professional footballer Wim Kieft, who coincidentally played in the Italian Serie A around the time of her conception. Television show Voetbal Inside mentioned this and jokingly questioned whether he would be her actual father.[28]

Honours

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Club

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AGSM Verona[29]
Bergamo[29]
  • Serie B: 2001–02

Individual

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References

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  1. ^ "Forwards". Italian Football Federation. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. ^ [1] Soccerway
  3. ^ "Calcio Femminile Bardolino - Prima squadra". Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011. ASD Bardolino
  4. ^ a b c Enea Zampoleri (26 May 2012). "Il senso dei Gabbiadini per il gol – Manolo e Melania si raccontano a Sportweek" (in Italian). Tutto Atalanta. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Paul Saffer (28 July 2013). "UEFA Women's EURO 2013 roll of honour". UEFA.com. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Melania Gabbiadini migliore calciatrice italiana 2013". 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  7. ^ a b Teo Lerro (16 December 2014). "Galà Aic: Conte miglior tecnico, Pirlo re dei calciatori". Il Quotidiano Italiano. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Oscar del Calcio, dominio Juve. Buffon: "Donnarumma ha doti da grande"" [Serie A Oscars, Juve dominate. Buffon: "Donnarumma has the characteristics to be great"] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  9. ^ Noemi Diamantini. "MELANIA GABBIADINI" (in Italian). Calcio Donna. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  10. ^ Luca Cirillo (18 April 2013). "Gabbiadini, la sorella: "Mi ispiro a Pato ma anche ad un ex calciatore del Napoli"" (in Italian). Calcio Napoli 24. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Melania Gabbiadini" (in Italian). Verona Calcio Femminile. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  12. ^ Gloria Callarelli (11 January 2015). "Melania Gabbiadini: "Verona bellissima, spero in un progetto con l'Hellas"" (in Italian). Verona Sera. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  13. ^ "ASD CF Bardolino Verona". UEFA.com. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Italia Campionato Europeo Femminile Svezia 10 – 28 Luglio 2013" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. p. 12. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  15. ^ Turner, Georgina (26 May 2005). "Italy – An Azzurre masterclass". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Melania Gabbiadini". uefa.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  17. ^ "Cabrini finalises Italy's Women's EURO squad". uefa.com. UEFA. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  18. ^ "L'Italia stende la Danimarca e "vede" i quarti" (in Italian). UEFA.com. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  19. ^ "Europeo femminile: vince la Svezia, ma l'Italia è ai quarti" (in Italian). Sky Sport. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  20. ^ Sebastiano Vernazza (21 July 2013). "Europeo donne, Italia eliminata nei quarti. Vince 1–0 la Germania" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  21. ^ "Presentata a Reggio Emilia la finale della UEFA Women's Champions League" (in Italian). FIGC.it. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  22. ^ "First women receive 100-cap awards". UEFA.com. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Torneo in Brasile dal 7 dicembre. Bottaro: "Ringrazio le società per la collaborazione"" (in Italian). FIGC.it. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  24. ^ a b Piksel.com. "Figc – News – Melania Gabbiadini's farewell to football: "I wanted to do it in an Italy shirt"". FIGC – Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio.
  25. ^ "Presentata a Reggio Emilia la finale della UEFA Women's Champions League". figc.it (in Italian). 16 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016.
  26. ^ Vernazza, Sebastiano (1 July 2012). "Frasi, smile e corone: gli azzurri campioni di tatuaggi Tutti marchi garantiti" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  27. ^ "Europe's footballing brothers and sisters". UEFA. 9 February 2017.
  28. ^ Wim Kieft look-a-like: "Heeft ze ook een loopneus!?" - VOETBAL INSIDE, retrieved 14 July 2022
  29. ^ a b "Melania Gabbiadini: Soccerway Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  30. ^ "Italian football Hall of Fame to induct ten new stars". 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  31. ^ "Nazionale, a Buffon il 'Pallone azzurro'" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 1 January 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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