Serena Arts: Filippo Inzaghi

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Filippo Inzaghi

Filippo "Pippo" Inzaghi, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI (born 9 August 1973 in Piacenza) is an Italian World Cup and UEFA Champions League-winning footballer who plays for Serie A club Milan. Inzaghi became the first striker to score in all international club competitions open to European teams after his double against Boca Juniors during the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2007. Filippo Inzaghi is currently the second all time most prolific goal scorer in European club competitions with 70 goals (only beaten by Raúl's 72 goals). He is also Milan's top international goal scorer in the club's history with 43 goals. He also holds the record for most hat tricks in Serie A (10), and the UEFA Champions League (3 - tied with Michael Owen). The brother of fellow footballer Simone Inzaghi, Inzaghi got his start playing for hometown club Piacenza Calcio as a teenager in 1991, but made only two league appearances before being loaned to Serie C1 side Leffe, with whom he scored an impressive 13 goals in 21 matches. In 1993, Inzaghi moved to Serie B club Verona and scored 13 goals in 36 league appearances. Upon his return to Piacenza, he scored 15 times in 37 games helping his team win Serie B and proving himself to be an exciting young prospect. Inzaghi made his Serie A debut when he transferred to Parma A.C. in 1995, but scored only twice in 15 Serie A matches. One of these two goals came against Piacenza Calcio, making him cry. He added another two goals in European competition. The following season he moved on to Atalanta B.C., finishing as the Capocannoniere (Serie A's top scorer) with 24 goals, and scored against every team in the league. He was awarded Serie A Young Footballer of the Year, and was the team captain in last game of the season.

But, he was soon on the move once again to his sixth team in seven seasons, this time to Juventus F.C. for a reported 23 billion Italian lire. He formed a formidable attacking partnership along with Alessandro Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane, a tandem which would last for four seasons, marking Inzaghi's longest stint with one team at the time. During his time at Juventus F.C. he scored two Champions League hat tricks (against Dinamo Kiev and Hamburger SV), and he was first player to do so. Juventus won the Scudetto in the 1997–98 season in which Inzaghi scored a decisive, Scudetto winning hat trick against Bologna, but lost 1–0 in the Champions League final to Real Madrid.Despite a very good tally of 89 goals in 165 games for the Bianconeri, Inzaghi was soon benched in favour of David Trézéguet, and later signed for A.C. Milan for reported 70 billion Italian Lire, or 45 million Euro cash plus Cristian Zenoni. (Sky Sports reported a smaller total figure, £17M) for the 2001–02 campaign by coach Fatih Terim. Juventus announced that the sale of Inzaghi produced a net profit of €31M to the club. However, Inzaghi suffered a knee injury and missed the first half of the season. Upon his return, he was able to forge a strong goalscoring partnership with Andriy Shevchenko, and he soon racked up an impressive trophy count with the Rossoneri, among them the 2002–03 Champions League (in which Milan defeated his previous team, Juventus, in the final on penalties), along with the 2003 Coppa Italia and the 2003–04 Scudetto. In 2002–03 Champions League campaign he scored his record third Champions League hat trick against Deportivo La Coruna in the Group stage and decisive goal in quarterfinals against Ajax, totalling 12 European goals in that season. In November 2004 he signed a contract extensionWith 70 goals Inzaghi is the second highest scorer in European club competitions behind Raúl. He became the first player to score two Champions League hat tricks (both with Juventus) when he netted a treble during a 4–4 group stage draw with Hamburg on 13 September 2000; his first was in a 4–1 victory over Dynamo Kyiv during the 1997–98 quarterfinals. Inzaghi scored a record third Champions League hat-trick in a 4–0 win against Deportivo in the 2002–03 season, while playing for Milan. This record would later be tied by Michael Owen, who has scored two hat-tricks for Liverpool and a third for Manchester United.Inzaghi earned his first cap for Italy against Brazil on June 8, 1997, and has since scored 25 goals in 57 appearances. He was called up for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Inzaghi was Italy's top goalscorer during the qualifying rounds of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, but missed the latter due to injury.