Alberto Fontana (footballer, born 1967)

Alberto Fontana (born 23 January 1967) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

For the footballer born in 1974, see Alberto Fontana (footballer, born 1974).

Alberto Fontana
Alberto Fontana
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-01-23) 23 January 1967
Place of birth Cesena, Italy
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1985–1986 Cesena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1993 Cesena 103 (0)
1986–1987 → Vis Pesaro (loan) 2 (0)
1988–1989 → SPAL (loan) 29 (0)
1993–1997 Bari 133 (0)
1997–2000 Atalanta 100 (0)
2001 Napoli 14 (0)
2001–2005 Inter Milan 10 (0)
2005–2006 Chievo 29 (0)
2006–2009 Palermo 66 (0)
Total 486 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During his career, in which he represented nine different clubs, he played until the age of 42. He played in 241 Serie A games during 15 seasons, representing in the competition Cesena, Bari, Atalanta, Napoli, Inter Milan, Chievo and Palermo.[1]

Football career
Fontana during a game with Palermo, in 2008

Born in Cesena, Fontana started his career with his hometown club, A.C. Cesena, but made his professional debut with Vis Pesaro of Serie C2, where he was loaned during the 1986–87 season. Before the decade was over, he played on loan for Serie C1 club S.P.A.L.

In 1989 Fontana returned to Cesena, and made his Serie A debut with the Romagna side on 9 September 1990. After they suffered relegation at the end of the campaign he stayed for two further years, signing in the 1993 summer with A.S. Bari where he was first choice during his spell (two seasons apiece in each major division).

Aged 30, Fontana moved in 1997 to Atalanta BC, winning top-flight promotion in 2000. In January of the following year he was signed by S.S.C. Napoli, playing for the club for the following six months. During the summer he accepted an offer from F.C. Internazionale Milano, which were looking for a backup for Francesco Toldo; he eventually stayed four seasons and played in 24 official matches – ten in the league, two in the UEFA Champions League, four in the UEFA Cup and eight in the Coppa Italia.

In 2005 Fontana signed a one-year deal with A.C. Chievo Verona, playing regularly and being instrumental in the team's successful league campaign, which ended with qualification for the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. The club was ultimately admitted to the Champions League qualifying rounds following the 2006 Italian football scandal.

Subsequently, Fontana moved to U.S. Città di Palermo,[2] with the initial aim being of serving as an experienced backup alongside young promise Federico Agliardi. However, an injury occurred to Agliardi, who additionally did not play impressively during the early matches of 2006–07, so Fontana was promoted to the starting lineup by Francesco Guidolin.[3]

At the age of 40, Fontana was confirmed by Palermo for their 2007–08 season, starting for the Rosanero with impressively good results despite being the second-oldest player in the whole Serie A, only behind 44-year-old Marco Ballotta of S.S. Lazio, also a goalkeeper.

In 2008–09, he returned to the bench following the signing of Italian international Marco Amelia, only making his debut on 26 October 2008 as a half-time replacement to injured Amelia in a 1–3 home loss to ACF Fiorentina, a game that saw him being welcomed with a standing ovation from the whole stadium, a moment he later defined "the biggest emotion in my football career".[4] He also played in the following match, against U.S. Lecce.

In December 2008 Fontana was put out of the first-team squad, after disagreements with the club regarding his position in the squad – he was demoted to as low as third choice, behind Albanian youngster Samir Ujkani. Palermo chairman Maurizio Zamparini then confirmed to have formally authorized him to start searching a new club where he could play regularly,[5][6] but the player eventually stayed until the end of the campaign, retiring shortly after.

Personal life

Fontana is not related to another football goalkeeper, also named Alberto Fontana, who also had an extensive professional career, also appearing for a host of clubs. As his footballing namesake, he was nicknamed Jimmy after singer Jimmy Fontana.[7]

Honours
Inter[8]
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References
  1. "Fontana ha parato anche Sheva e Kakà" [Fontana has even saved from Sheva and Kakà] (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 25 October 2004. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  2. "Presi Guana e Fontana" [Guana and Fontana acquired] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 24 May 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  3. "Una porta per due: Agliardi e Fontana si contendono la maglia da titolare" [A goal for two: Agliardi and Fontana battle for starting jersey] (in Italian). Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  4. "Fontana: "Tributo Barbera gioia immensa"" [Fontana: "Barbera tribute an immense joy"] (in Italian). Stadio News. 31 October 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
  5. "A Palermo scoppia il caso-Fontana" [Fontana-affair explodes at Palermo] (in Italian). Il Portiere. 12 December 2008. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  6. "Calcio, Palermo; Zamparini: Fontana e' libero di andarsene" [Football, Palermo; Zamparini: Fontana is free to leave] (in Italian). La Repubblica. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  7. "Cosa fanno in pensione i calciatori" [What do footballers do after retiring] (in Italian). Panorama. 2011. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  8. "Gli auguri di Inter Forever ad Alberto Fontana" [Inter Forever's happy birthday to Alberto Fontana] (in Italian). Inter Milan. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
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