Francesco Antonioli

Francesco Antonioli
Personal information
Full name Francesco Stefano Antonioli[1]
Date of birth (1969-09-14) 14 September 1969
Place of birth Monza, Italy
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Youth career
Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1988 Monza 23 (0)
1988–1994 AC Milan 13 (0)
1990 → Cesena (loan) 0 (0)
1990–1991 → Modena (loan) 30 (0)
1993–1994 → Pisa (loan) 26 (0)
1994–1995 Reggiana 30 (0)
1995–1999 Bologna 103 (0)
1999–2003 Roma 102 (0)
2003–2006 Sampdoria 104 (0)
2006–2009 Bologna 119 (0)
2009–2012 Cesena 106 (0)
Total 656 (0)
International career
1989–1992 Italy U21 23 (0)
1992 Italy Olympic 6 (0)
Managerial career
2018–2019 Cesena (assistant)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Italy
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up2000 Belgium–Netherlands
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Francesco Stefano Antonioli Cavaliere OMRI (born 14 September 1969) is an Italian former footballer who played as goalkeeper. He was the oldest footballer in Serie A until his club Cesena was relegated to Serie B at the end of the 2011–12 season, after which he retired from professional football. Antonioli began his club career with Monza and played for several Italian clubs throughout his career, winning titles with AC Milan, Bologna and Roma. Despite never being capped at senior international level, he was an unused member of the Italy squad that took part in Euro 2000, reaching the final. At youth level, he represented Italy at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Club career

Born in Monza, Italy, Antonioli developed as a player in the youth ranks of AC Milan. He was later loaned out to Monza, making his professional debut with the club in 1986, at the age of 16, in a 1–0 defeat to Juventus in the Coppa Italia.[2] He also made his Milan debut in the Coppa Italia, in a 2–1 home win over Lazio, on 3 September 1988, and made his Serie A debut with the club on 18 April 1992, in a 1–0 win over cross-city rivals Inter.[3] Due to some promising performances, he was brought to the Milan starting lineup at the beginning of the 1992–93 season, featuring in Milan's 2–1 victory over Parma in the 1992 Supercoppa Italiana;[4] however, a string of mistakes, including a dreadful fumble in the Milan derby, which gifted Luigi de Agostini a soft goal, allowed Sebastiano Rossi to reclaim his starting spot in goal. Milan won the league title that season, also reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League. Antonioli made his final appearance for Milan on 29 November 1992, in 1–0 away win over Juventus, in Serie A, making 27 appearances for the club in total.[3]

After joining Bologna in 1995, he became the undisputed first-choice keeper for the club (apart from the 1997–98 season, during which he backed up Giorgio Sterchele); he immediately helped the club obtain Serie A promotion, winning the 1995–96 Serie B title, later helping Bologna to win the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and subsequently reach the semi-finals of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup and the Coppa Italia.[5] In 1999, he joined Roma for 10 billion Italian lire[6] and in 2001, he won a Scudetto and a Supercoppa Italiana with AS Roma, also reaching the final of the Coppa Italia in 2003.

In the summer of 2003, Antonioli joined Sampdoria on a free transfer.[7][8] In 2006–07, with Luca Castellazzi's emergence between the posts, Antonioli left for former club Bologna on another free transfer.

He led Bologna to win Serie A promotion once again in mid-2008.[5]

After the end of 2008–09 season, he was released and replaced by U21 internationals Emiliano Viviano. Antonioli then joined Serie B newcomer AC Cesena in July, and the club sent the former first choice Nicola Ravaglia to the lower division. He was the first choice ahead Michele Tardioli. Antonioli was also the protagonist of the club's second consecutive promotion in 2010, thus having another chance of top-flight football at the age of 41 in the 2010–11 Serie A season. The team survived from relegation battle by finishing 15th, and he was offered a new 1-year contract.[9]

International career

Antonioli never debuted for the senior side, but was selected in the Italy squad that finished second at Euro 2000, as third-choice goalkeeper, behind Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Toldo. When Gianluigi Buffon, injured himself in an international friendly warm-up a few days before the beginning of the tournament, Antonioli became second-choice ahead of Buffon's replacement in the squad Christian Abbiati.[3][10][11] He did not play, however, with Toldo starting in goal, as Italy reached the final, losing 2–1 to France on a golden goal.[12]

Antonioli was the first-choice goalkeeper of the Italy national under-21 football team that won the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Championship; with the Italian squad, he also took part in the 1992 Olympic Games.[3][10]

Style of play

An experienced and authoritative presence in goal, Antonioli was regarded as one of Italy's most talented and promising goalkeepers in his youth, although several pundits consider him to have failed to realise his potential due to several injuries as well as his character. Due to his elegant playing style, shot-stopping abilities, reflexes, and excellent goalkeeping technique, he was capable of producing spectacular, decisive, and stylish saves.[13][14][15][16] However, his style of goalkeeping was predominantly efficient, and was inspired by that of his role model Giovanni Galli.[17] Known for his penalty–saving abilities, with 14 stops in 416 appearances between 1992 and 2012, he has parried the joint–seventh–most penalties in Serie A history, alongside Stefano Sorrentino.[18]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[19]
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Monza 1986–87 Serie C1 2020——40
1987–88 Serie C1 21020——230
Total 23040——270
AC Milan 1988–89 Serie A 0010000010
1989–90 Serie A 0000000000
1991–92 Serie A 4070——110
1992–93 Serie A 90104010150
Total 130904010270
Cesena (loan) 1990–91 Serie A 0010——10
Modena (loan) 1990–91 Serie B 30020——320
Pisa (loan) 1993–94 Serie B 26000—10270
Reggiana 1994–95 Serie A 30040——340
Bologna 1995–96 Serie B 38060——440
1996–97 Serie A 33060——390
1998–99 Serie A 3208016020580
Total 1030200160201410
Roma 1999–2000 Serie A 3004080—420
2000–01 Serie A 2602060—340
2001–02 Serie A 3002010000420
2002–03 Serie A 1602090—270
Total 1020100330001450
Sampdoria 2003–04 Serie A 32000——320
2004–05 Serie A 37010——380
2005–06 Serie A 3500020—370
Total 11401020—1170
Bologna 2006–07 Serie B 42030——450
2007–08 Serie B 42020——440
2008–09 Serie A 35010——360
Total 119060——1250
Cesena 2009–10 Serie B 39020——410
2010–11 Serie A 37000——370
2011–12 Serie A 30010——310
Total 106030——1090
Career total 6560600550307740

Honours

Milan[3]
Bologna[5]
Roma[19]
Italy[19]

Orders

5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2000[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Antonioli Sig. Francesco Stefano" [Antonioli Mr. Francesco Stefano]. Quirinale (in Italian). Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Antonioli e quella gara con la Juve" (in Italian). Sport Mediaset. 10 March 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Francesco Antonioli" (in Italian). magliarossonera.it. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  4. ↑ Sorin Arotaritei; Roberto Di Maggio (5 November 2015). "Italy Super Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Tanti auguri a F. Della Rocca e Antonioli" (in Italian). Bologna FC. 14 September 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "BILANCIO D'ESERCIZIO E CONSOLIDATO DI GRUPPO AL 30 GIUGNO 2000" (PDF). AS Roma (in Italian). Borsa Italiana Archive. 28 June 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Antonioli signs for Sampdoria". UEFA. 15 July 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  8. ↑ "Il Mercato al 16 luglio 2003" (PDF) (in Italian). AS Roma. 16 July 2003. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Francesco Antonioli prolunga fino al 2012". AC Cesena (in Italian). 4 June 2011. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Nazionale in cifre: Antonioli, Francesco" (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  11. ↑ "BBC SPORT EURO2000 ITALY Injured Buffon out of Euro 2000". news.bbc.co.uk. 3 June 2000. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Trezeguet's golden goal sinks Italy as France make history and win EURO 2000 final UEFA". UEFA.com. 6 October 2003. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  13. ↑ LICIA GRANELLO (4 October 1994). "SETTIMO PORTIERE, E' IL CT DEI TORMENTI" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Roma - Squad profiles". ESPN. 13 February 2003. Archived from the original on 4 November 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  15. ↑ Alessio Da Ronch (17 July 1999). "Toldo piazza la barriera" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  16. ↑ De Silvestro, Alessio (4 April 2011). "31^ giornata, Top Ten TMW" (in Italian). www.tuttomercatoweb.com. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  17. ↑ Gandolfi, Giorgio (21 April 1992). "Antonioli-Peruzzi, titolare è bello". La Stampa (in Italian). p. 32.
  18. ↑ "Handanovic come Pagliuca, la classifica dei migliori pararigori della storia della Serie A" (in Italian). sport.sky.it. 12 January 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 "F. Antonioli". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  20. ↑ "ONORIFICENZE". quirinale.it (in Italian). 12 July 2000. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
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