Alberigo Evani
Alberigo Evani (Italian pronunciation: [albeˈriːɡo eˈvaːni]; born 1 January 1963) is an Italian football manager and former player, who was deployed as a midfielder. He started his club career with Milan, where he spent the majority of his playing career, winning several trophies during his 13 seasons at the club, including, three Serie A titles and two European Cups; he later also played for Sampdoria, Reggiana, and Carrarese. At international level, he represented Italy at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the final. He is the current head coach of the Italy Under-18 team.
Evani in 1992 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alberigo Evani | ||
Date of birth | 1 January 1963 | ||
Place of birth | Massa, Italy | ||
Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Milan | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1980–1993 | Milan | 296 | (14) |
1993–1997 | Sampdoria | 94 | (2) |
1997–1998 | Reggiana | 7 | (0) |
1998–1999 | Carrarese | 12 | (1) |
Total | 409 | (17) | |
National team | |||
1982–1984 | Italy U21 | 6 | (1) |
1991–1994 | Italy | 15 | (1) |
Teams managed | |||
2009–2010 | San Marino Calcio | ||
2010–2013 | Italy U18 | ||
2011–2013 | Italy U19 | ||
2013–2017 | Italy U20 | ||
2018 | Italy U21 (caretaker) | ||
Honours
| |||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Club career
Born in Massa, Tuscany, Evani played in Serie A 353 times with 16 goals. After starting out in the A.C. Milan youth academy, he was promoted to the A.C. Milan senior team, where he developed into a quick left-sided midfielder, with good technique. Although he was not as fast or as skilful as some of Milan's more notable players at the time, Evani's consistency, work-rate, and versatility along the left wing proved vital to the Milan senior team, especially during Arrigo Sacchi's reign, and subsequently under Fabio Capello.[1][2]
Evani was handed his debut at the age of 18 in 1981, going on to wear the Rossoneri shirt for the next 13 years. His honours while at Milan included two promotions from Serie B, three Serie A titles, two European Cups, two Italian Super Cups, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups, scoring the winner against Atlético Nacional in their 1989 triumph, winning the "Man of the Match Award". He left Milan in 1993 to join Sampdoria, the club with which he won the Coppa Italia in 1994, staying there for four years until moving to Serie B side Reggiana in 1997, and ending his career at Carrarese in 1998, in Serie C1.[1][2]
International career
Evani had represented the Italy under-21 side, and the Italy under-23 side at the 1988 Olympics, where they reached the semi-finals, finishing in fourth place. When Sacchi was appointed as Italy coach, Evani became regular member of the Italian national side; in total he made 15 appearances for Italy. He made his debut for Italy on 21 December 1991 in a 2–0 win over Cyprus. He subsequently represented his country at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, appearing in Italy's opening defeat to Ireland, and scoring a penalty kick in the shootout loss to Brazil in the final.[1][3]
Style of play
Although Evani was not gifted with outstanding pace for a winger, or the ability to wizard his way past defenders with elaborate feints, he developed into a dynamic and skilful left-sided midfielder, whose speed, discipline and dependable qualities proved vital to the success of the Milan senior team during the late 80s and early 90s; his technique, distribution, crossing ability, and in particular his tendency to make attacking runs along the left flank enabled him to excel in this position. Due to his tactical intelligence, versatility, positional sense, stamina, and work-rate, he was also capable of playing as a full-back, a position which he frequently occupied earlier on in his career, or even as a central midfielder. Evani was also an accurate set-piece taker, and possessed a powerful shot from outside the area.[1][2]
Managerial career
After his retirement, Evani returned A.C. Milan, serving as youth team coach for the Allievi Nazionali (16- to 17-year-old players), being crowned as national champions in 2007, then starting undertaking coaching qualifications.[1] In June 2009 he was announced as new head coach of Lega Pro Seconda Divisione club San Marino Calcio.[4] He was removed from his coaching post in April 2010 despite being in second place with his team, citing internal problems within the team and difficult relationships with the board as the main reasons for his dismissal.[5]
In August 2010 he was appointed head coach of the Italy U18.[1]
On 6 August 2013, he was appointed the coach of Italy U20.[6]
On 6 February 2018, he was appointed the caretaker manager of Italy U21 for March friendlies against Norway and Serbia, while Luigi Di Biagio was appointed caretaker manager of the senior Italy national team until Di Biagio returned on 15 May.[7][8]
Honours
Player
Club
Milan[1]
- Serie A: 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93
- Serie B: 1980–81, 1982–83
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1988, 1992, 1993
- European Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
- European Super Cup: 1989, 1990
- Intercontinental Cup: 1989, 1990
Sampdoria[1]
Individual
- Intercontinental Cup Man of the Match: 1989[9]
- A.C. Milan Hall of Fame[1]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alberigo Evani. |
- "A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Alberigo Evani". acmilan.com. A.C. Milan. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
- "Alberico Evani". magliarossonera.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- "Nazionale in cifre – FIGC – Alberigo Evani". figc.it (in Italian). FIGC. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- "UFFICIALE: San Marino, Evani allenatore" (in Italian). TuttoMercatoWeb. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
- "San Marino – Il San Marino caccia Evani" (in Italian). RomagnaNoi. 27 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
- "Riparte la stagione: Evani promosso all'U.20, Pane sulla panchina dell'U.19" (in Italian). 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- "Official: Evani Azzurrini caretaker". Football Italia. 6 February 2018.
- "Di Biagio returns to Under-21s". Football Italia. 15 May 2018.
- Leme de Arruda, Marcelo (2 January 2009). "Toyota Cup – Most Valuable Player of the Match Award". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2009.