Vincenzo Iaquinta

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Vincenzo Iaquinta
Personal information
Date of birth	November 21, 1979 (1979-11-21) (age 28)
Place of birth	Cutro, Italy
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Juventus
Number	9
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1996–1997 1998 1998–2000 2000–2007 2007–	Reggiolo Padova Castel di Sangro Udinese Juventus	30 (8) 13 (3) 52 (8) 176 (58) 24 (8)
National team2
2001–2002 2005–	Italy U-21 Italy	10 (1) 23 (1)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 13, 2008. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of March 26, 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

Vincenzo Iaquinta, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI^[1][2], (born November 21, 1979 in Cutro, Crotone) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer. He is a tall, strong striker who possesses a good and powerful shot and is great in the air. He can also play on the wing.

Like many Calabrians in the 1980s, his parents immigrated to Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy, because of better job opportunities. Prior to joining Udinese in 2000, Iaquinta played with his brother in the lower divisions for Reggiolo (1996-97), Padova (1998), and Castel di Sangro (1998-2000). In 2005, for the first time he was called up for the Italian National Team. In his, and Udinese's first ever Champions League game, he scored 3 goals, which was quite a start to his European season. Iaquinta also clashed with Udinese management over his salary and him moving to another club. However, he remained in Udinese for 2006-2007 season.

Owner of Udinese Calcio Giampaolo Pozzo recently revealed that FC Barcelona had sought the player in January 2006, but Juventus F.C. signed Iaquinta on a five-year contract in the summer of 2007^[3] for a fee reported to be €11.3 million.^[4]

He was a member of the Italian squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He scored Italy's second goal in their opening match against Ghana. He played in 5 out of 7 of Italy's matches including the semi-final and final.

He and his wife Arianna have two children.

During the 2007-2008 season he didn't appear for Juventus as much as he nor the fans would have liked, playing second fiddle to that of experienced strikers Del Piero and Trezeguet. It appears as if he may be surplus to requirements next season due to the recent signing of Brazilian striker Amauri and the potential of the uprising star Raffaele Palladino. This has lead to rumours that Juventus may attempt to cash in on him this summer with suitors such Newcastle United, whom are stated to be looking for an established striker, and even a return to Udinese being rumoured. It is well established that Iaquinta would be hesitant to leave Juventus after just one season but the ability to play first team football may prove to be too alluring to resist after being unable to be part of the Italian Euro 2008 squad due to a lack of match fitness from an injury.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Vincenzo Iaquinta FIFA competition record
• FootballDatabase.com provides Iaquinta's profile and stats

v • d • e Italy squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners (4th Title) 1 Buffon • 2 Zaccardo • 3 Grosso • 4 De Rossi • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Barzagli • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Toni • 10 Totti • 11 Gilardino • 12 Peruzzi • 13 Nesta • 14 Amelia • 15 Iaquinta • 16 Camoranesi • 17 Barone • 18 Inzaghi • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Oddo • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Lippi