Biography
Who is Abel Balbo?
Early life and career
Abel Balbo was born on June 1, 1966, in Empalme Villa Constitución, Argentina. He started his playing career as a striker in South America before moving to European clubs. During his club career, he played for Newell's Old Boys and River Plate in his home country. His early performances helped establish his reputation as a reliable goalscorer.
After his time in Argentina, he moved to Italy to play in Serie A. He represented Udinese Calcio, AS Roma, Parma Calcio 1913, and ACF Fiorentina. He also played four games for Boca Juniors before ending his playing career. He scored 138 goals in Serie A with his highest scoring seasons coming for Udinese and Roma.
International career and honors
Abel Balbo represented the Argentina national team as an international player. He scored eleven goals in 37 caps for his country. He played in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 1989 and 1995 Copa América tournaments. In the 1995 tournament held in Uruguay, he partnered Gabriel Batistuta in the attack and scored a goal against Brazil.
During his playing career, he won several team honors. He won the Argentine Primera División with Newell's Old Boys in the 1987-88 season. Later in Italy, he won the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup with Parma in the 1998-99 season. With Roma, he won the Serie A title in the 2000-01 season and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2001. He was also a Serie B top-scorer with Udinese.
Coaching and other activities
After finishing his playing days, Abel Balbo pursued other interests, including music. He performed songs in both Italian and Spanish. He obtained his UEFA Pro coaching badges in 2007 and began working in football management. His first head coaching job came in February 2009 when he managed Serie B club Treviso.
He later coached other teams including Atletico Arezzo and Central Córdoba in Argentina. He also worked as a football commentator for RAI Radio1 and Italian public broadcasting groups. His managerial career included short stints with several different clubs in both Italy and Argentina over the following years.
Personal life
Abel Balbo is married to Lucila de Balbo. He is a practising Roman Catholic. Throughout his career, he was known for a physical style of play combined with composure in front of goal and fair play on the pitch.
Birthday and age
Abel Balbo was born on June 1, 1966, which makes Abel 60 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Abel shares the date with 61 other famous people.
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