Pele considers him one of the 100 living football greats! Maradona prefers his feeling for the game over Frenchman Zidane. Millions who glimpsed him across television screens, captivated by his effortless game, would vouch for that. Italian legend Alessandro del Pierro presently shines with Delhi Dynamos FC in the ongoing Indian Super League. If scoring goals is what football is really all about, the passionate footballer nicknamed The Real Phenomenon is the 10th all-time highest scorer in the Champions League. Playing an attractive, attacking game was ever del Pierro’s football philosophy. He might as well say that after playing more than two decades of the game. He is now 40, ripe for a football genius.
It may be necessary to know the man to understand the footballer! Sonia Amoruso is the lucky wife, together since 1990 and they have three children. He bore the Olympic Flame for the 2006 Winter Olympics and has a taste for music too. Alessandro del Pierro contributed his bit for charity for victims of AIDS and abandoned children. Known for his sense of humor, he appears in advertising broadcasts for Adidas and Pepsi, among others. Truly a multi-faceted diamond if ever there was one.
Highlights Of A Stupendous Career
A creative guy hard at work would quite sum up the mighty wonder as he shines in international circuits. The highest achievement does seem to be the stupendous goals at every stage of his career; he was instrumental in winning tournaments wherever he played. Play to Win would be his mighty weapon.
Alessandro received the coveted Italian Footballer of the Year Award in 1998 and 2008. His 345 goals in Italian football put him only in second place behind Silvio Piola, with 390 goals.
On the national level, his career reads like a fairy tale indeed. He played for Italy in three FIFA World Cups and four UEFA European Football Championships. Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup and reached the final of UEFA Euro 2000. At present, del Pierro along with Roberto Baggio is the fourth all time highest goal scorer with 27 goals in 91 matches. He scored 2 goals for Italy in 12 World Cup matches and 1 goal in 13 European Championship appearances.
It was playing for Juventus for 19 dramatic years from 1993 to 2012 that spanned 705 matches and 289 goals. Early in his stunning career, del Pierro was part of the trident formation of 4-3-3 under Lippi as the coach. As a striker on the outside, he had pace and technique and constantly strove for the goal. The injury came in 1998, resulting in muscle strengthening exercise. Later came the Juventus captaincy for del Pierro when Lippi returned. All along the way, the image of the great goal scorer remained to enthrall and excite eager fans.
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