Biography
Who is Gianluca Pagliuca?
Early life and birthplace
Gianluca Pagliuca was born in Bologna, Italy. He grew up in this city, which later became the home for one of his professional football clubs.
His connection to his hometown remained strong throughout his life. He eventually returned to play for Bologna F.C. 1909 during his professional career.
Club career highlights
Gianluca began his professional path with Sampdoria, where he played from 1987 until 1994. During his time with the club, he won the Cup Winners' Cup and the Scudetto. He also reached the UEFA Champions League final in 1992 at Wembley.
In 1994, he moved to Inter Milan for a record fee of 7 million pounds. While playing for the Nerazzurri, he won the UEFA Cup in 1998 after captaining the team to a 3-0 victory over Lazio. He also appeared in the 1996 and 1997 UEFA Cup finals.
After leaving Inter in 1999, he returned to Bologna. He played there until 2006. He finished his professional club career at Ascoli, playing there for one season in 2006.
International career and achievements
The Italian national team called upon Gianluca Pagliuca for three different FIFA World Cups. He participated in the tournaments in 1990, 1994, and 1998. During the 1994 tournament, he was the starting goalkeeper and helped the team reach the final against Brazil.
He is noted for being the first goalkeeper to save a penalty during a World Cup final shootout. However, he was also the first goalkeeper to receive a red card during a World Cup match while playing against Norway.
In total, he earned 39 caps for the senior Italy squad. He also represented the Italy under-21 team during the 1996 Olympics as an overage player.
Coaching and personal life
After retiring from professional play, Gianluca Pagliuca moved into coaching. He joined the youth coaching staff at Bologna in 2014. By 2016, he took on the role of goalkeeping coach for the club's under-19 primavera team.
He has one son named Mattia Pagliuca, who is also a professional footballer. Mattia made his Serie A debut as a winger for Bologna in December 2020.
In terms of recognition, he was named a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1991. He stands 190 cm tall and is known for his athletic style of play.
Birthday and age
Gianluca Pagliuca was born on December 18, 1966, which makes Gianluca 59 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Gianluca shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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