Simone Del Nero
Encyclopedia
Simone Del Nero, is an Italian
footballer who plays as a left midfielder. He currently plays in Serie A
with Lazio
, after joining on a free five-year deal from Serie B
club Brescia
.
, Del Nero played just four senior games in two years for the Tuscans before moving to Brescia
. Upon joining the Rondinelle, Del Nero at first played with the youth team, developing as a player under the guidance of youth coach and former professional, Luciano De Paola.
Del Nero made fleeting appearances for the senior side, before a disappointing stint on loan with Scottish
outfit Livingston
. He returned to Brescia for the 2002–03
season, where he made three appearances before another loan spell, this time to Sicily
with Palermo
, at the time in Serie B
. However, Del Nero did not play a game with the rosanero and returned north at the season's end.
Del Nero had a breakout year in 2003–04
, the first in which he established himself as a regular and consistently played in the senior side. In 2004–05
, he remained a regular, but did not manage to save his team from relegation.
Del Nero was one of the most talented young players at Brescia with his former coach, Mario Somma
, a great admirer. He remained a regular under Rolando Maran and Zdeněk Zeman
in his last two years at the club, 2005–06
and 2006–07
, both of which were spent in Serie B
.
In the summer of 2007, Del Nero was available on a free transfer as he was out-of-contract at Brescia and was quickly signed to a five year deal by giants Lazio
, who were preparing for a return to the UEFA Champions League
, having just finished third in Serie A
.
Lazio were drawn to face Romania
n champions Dinamo Bucureşti in the Champions League qualifiers and, in the second leg, Del Nero proved decisive. Having only managed a disappointing 1–1 draw in Rome
, the biancocelesti travelled to Bucharest
needing a win and Del Nero won an early penalty for the first goal before setting up the second, with Lazio going on to win 3–1 and qualify for the group stage. Unfortunately for the Liguria
n, he did not take any part in the group phase, and only managed five Serie A
appearances due to injury. At the end of the 2007–08
season, Del Nero underwent an operation in Finland
for plantar fasciitis
.
That surgery had kept him out for much of the 2008–09
season as well, but he made a return to action on December 14, 2008, playing the first half of Lazio's draw against Udinese
. Del Nero went on to make a handful more appearances towards the end of the season, including a substitute appearance in the 2009 Coppa Italia Final
, which Lazio won on penalties. The Coppa was Del Nero's first title with the Roman club.
side which emerged victorious in the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
and also won a bronze medal with the Italian Olympic team at the 2004 Summer Olympics
.
Del Nero has never been called up to the senior Italian national team
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer who plays as a left midfielder. He currently plays in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
with Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
, after joining on a free five-year deal from Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
club Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
.
Club career
Having grown up in the youth system of EmpoliEmpoli F.C.
Empoli Football Club is an Italian association football club located in Empoli, Tuscany, founded in 1920 and played its first official match in 1921.In recent years, the club has all too often been bouncing between Italy's two top divisions...
, Del Nero played just four senior games in two years for the Tuscans before moving to Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
. Upon joining the Rondinelle, Del Nero at first played with the youth team, developing as a player under the guidance of youth coach and former professional, Luciano De Paola.
Del Nero made fleeting appearances for the senior side, before a disappointing stint on loan with Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
outfit Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
. He returned to Brescia for the 2002–03
Serie A 2002-03
In the 2002-03 season, the Serie A, the major football Italian professional league, was composed by 18 teams, for the 15th consecutive time from season 1988-89....
season, where he made three appearances before another loan spell, this time to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
with Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
, at the time in Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
. However, Del Nero did not play a game with the rosanero and returned north at the season's end.
Del Nero had a breakout year in 2003–04
Serie A 2003-04
The 2003-2004 season in Italian Serie A football contained 18 teams for the 16th and last time from the 1988-89 season. With the bottom three being relegated, the 15th placed side would face the 6th highest team from Serie B, with the winner playing in the Serie A in 2004-2005.As usual, the top two...
, the first in which he established himself as a regular and consistently played in the senior side. In 2004–05
Serie A 2004-05
In the 2004–05 season, the Serie A, the highest professional football league in Italy, was composed of 20 teams for the first time in several years....
, he remained a regular, but did not manage to save his team from relegation.
Del Nero was one of the most talented young players at Brescia with his former coach, Mario Somma
Mario Somma
Mario Somma is an Italian football manager.-Player:Somma started his career with Genoa and then spent his later years mostly at the Serie C1 and Serie C2 level, playing for several Campanian teams...
, a great admirer. He remained a regular under Rolando Maran and Zdeněk Zeman
Zdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
in his last two years at the club, 2005–06
Serie B 2005-06
This article contains information on the 2005-2006 season of Serie B, the second highest football league in Italy.-Final classification:-Results:...
and 2006–07
Serie B 2006-07
The 2006-07 Serie B season started on September 9, 2006 and ended on June 10, 2007. The 22 clubs in Serie B each played 42 matches during the regular season....
, both of which were spent in Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
.
In the summer of 2007, Del Nero was available on a free transfer as he was out-of-contract at Brescia and was quickly signed to a five year deal by giants Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
, who were preparing for a return to the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, having just finished third in Serie A
Serie A 2006-07
The Serie A 2006–2007 season began September 10, 2006. It was scheduled to begin on August 26 and 27, but was then postponed due to the Serie A scandal of 2006. It is the 104th Italian championship ever held, the first without the presence of Juventus, and the 75th Serie A league, the first...
.
Lazio were drawn to face Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n champions Dinamo Bucureşti in the Champions League qualifiers and, in the second leg, Del Nero proved decisive. Having only managed a disappointing 1–1 draw in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the biancocelesti travelled to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
needing a win and Del Nero won an early penalty for the first goal before setting up the second, with Lazio going on to win 3–1 and qualify for the group stage. Unfortunately for the Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
n, he did not take any part in the group phase, and only managed five Serie A
Serie A 2007-08
The 2007-08 Serie A football season was the seventy-sixth since its establishment, and started on August 26, 2007 and ended on May 18, 2008. Internazionale successfully defended the championship on the final day of the season, finishing first with 85 points, three ahead of Roma.-Plusvalenze...
appearances due to injury. At the end of the 2007–08
Serie A 2007-08
The 2007-08 Serie A football season was the seventy-sixth since its establishment, and started on August 26, 2007 and ended on May 18, 2008. Internazionale successfully defended the championship on the final day of the season, finishing first with 85 points, three ahead of Roma.-Plusvalenze...
season, Del Nero underwent an operation in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
for plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole of the foot.Longstanding cases of plantar fasciitis often demonstrate more degenerative changes than inflammatory changes, in which case they are termed plantar fasciosis. The suffix...
.
That surgery had kept him out for much of the 2008–09
Serie A 2008-09
The 2008–09 Serie A was the seventy-seventh season since its establishment. It began on 30 August 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009, with the announcement of the list of fixtures made on 25 July 2008...
season as well, but he made a return to action on December 14, 2008, playing the first half of Lazio's draw against Udinese
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
. Del Nero went on to make a handful more appearances towards the end of the season, including a substitute appearance in the 2009 Coppa Italia Final
2009 Coppa Italia Final
-Post-match:After the match, some Lazio players wore a T-shirt to joke A.S. Roma rivals with written on it Io campione, tu zero titoli , quoting a sentence said by José Mourinho who had, earlier in the season, correctly predicted that Milan, Juve and Roma would have completed the season with no...
, which Lazio won on penalties. The Coppa was Del Nero's first title with the Roman club.
International career
Del Nero was apart of the Italy U-21Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
side which emerged victorious in the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time...
and also won a bronze medal with the Italian Olympic team at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Del Nero has never been called up to the senior Italian national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
Lazio
-
Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
: 1 (2008–09Coppa Italia 2008-09The 2008–09 Coppa Italia was the sixty-first season of the tournament. The competition started on 9 August 2008 and ended on 13 May 2009. The radically different format used in the 2007–08 Coppa was abandoned, with the new format more closely resembling earlier editions of the tournament.The final...
) - Supercoppa ItalianaSupercoppa ItalianaThe Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
: 1 (20092009 Supercoppa ItalianaThe 2009 Supercoppa Italiana was a match played by the 2008–09 Serie A winners Internazionale and 2008–09 Coppa Italia winners Lazio. It took place on 8 August 2009 at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China. Lazio won the match 2–1 to earn their third Supercoppa...
)
Italy
- UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
: 1 (20042004 UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipUEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time...
)
-
Olympic Bronze: 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
National honours
-
5th Class/Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica ItalianaItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
– September 27, 2004. An initiative of the President of the Italian RepublicPresident of the Italian RepublicThe President of the Italian Republic is the head of state of Italy and, as such, is intended to represent national unity and guarantee that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years....
.