Biography
Who is Alberto Gilardino?
Early life and career beginnings
Alberto Gilardino was born in Biella, Italy, and spent his early years playing youth football for local clubs such as Cossatese and ASD Junior Biellese Libertas. His natural goalscoring ability quickly became apparent as he progressed through the youth ranks and caught the attention of scouts.
Manager Luigi Simoni handed Alberto Gilardino his debut in Serie A for Piacenza at age seventeen on January 6, 2000, in a match against AC Milan. Despite the team facing relegation to Serie B that season, the young striker still managed to make an impact by scoring three goals in seventeen matches.
Rise to prominence and Parma success
Following his early spell at Piacenza, Alberto Gilardino moved to Hellas Verona in September 2000, where he spent two seasons making thirty-nine league appearances and scoring five goals. During his time at Verona, he overcame a serious car accident and a sternum fracture that temporarily halted his progress.
Alberto Gilardino truly launched his career on the international stage after joining Parma, where he was strongly requested by coach Cesare Prandelli. During the 2003 and 2004 seasons, he scored twenty-three goals in Serie A, finishing just behind Andriy Shevchenko as the second-best scorer in the league. His consistent goalscoring earned him the prestigious Serie A Young Footballer of the Year Award in 2004, followed by the overall Serie A Footballer of the Year and Italian Footballer of the Year awards in 2005.
AC Milan and international achievements
In July 2005, Alberto Gilardino completed a major transfer to AC Milan, where he acquired the number eleven shirt and continued to play at the highest level of European football. With Milan, he achieved tremendous success, winning the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
On the international stage, Alberto Gilardino represented Italy across various youth levels and won the UEFA Under-21 Championship in 2004 while finishing as the tournament's leading goalscorer. Later that same year, he won a bronze medal with Italy at the Summer Olympics. As a key member of the senior squad, he lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy with Italy in 2006 and later participated in multiple international tournaments.
Later club career and management
After his successful tenure at AC Milan, Alberto Gilardino transferred to Fiorentina in May 2008 on a five-year deal, reuniting with former Parma teammates and manager Cesare Prandelli. He continued to score important goals for the club in both Serie A and European competitions, cementing his status among the top all-time scorers in Serie A history with 188 goals.
Throughout his extensive playing career, Alberto Gilardino also featured for clubs such as Genoa, Piacenza, and Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, winning the Chinese Super League in 2014. Having scored 432 career goals, he transitioned into coaching and currently manages Parma.
Personal life and height
Alberto Gilardino stands at a height of 185 centimeters and played primarily as a striker throughout his professional career on the pitch. Known for his distinctive trademark goal celebration where he dropped to his knees to play an imaginary violin, he established a lasting legacy in Italian football.
His contributions to Italian sports were officially recognized when he was honored with state distinctions, including being named both a Knight and an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
Birthday and age
Alberto Gilardino was born on July 5, 1982, which makes Alberto 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Alberto shares the date with 35 other famous people.
Explore more
