Simone Perrotta
Personal information
Full name	Simone Pasquale Perrotta
Date of birth	17 September 1977 (1977-09-17) (age 32)
Place of birth	Ashton-under-Lyne, England
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Roma
Number	20
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1995–1998 1998–1999 1999–2001 2001–2004 2004–	Reggina Juventus Bari Chievo Roma	077 0(1) 005 0(0) 056 0(1) 095 0(6) 163 (28)
National team2
2002–	Italy	048 0(2)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of February 8, 2009. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of February 10, 2009. * Appearances (Goals)

Simone Perrotta, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI^[1][2], (born September 17, 1977 in Ashton-under-Lyne, England) is an English-born Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Roma. He was member of the Italian national football team that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

[edit] Club career

He can operate as a box to box midfielder, on either wing, as a central attacking midfielder and as midfield enforcer. Although he may lack some of the sublime skills of his Italian peers, Perrotta makes up for it with his unlimited energy, tackling ability, teamwork and will to win. He is often used in an attacking role and surges up field and even goes for goal.

Perrotta lived in England until the age of 6, attending school at St. Ann's R.C primary school in Ashton. His parents, Francesco and Anna Maria ran a pub in Ashton and lived on Fitzroy Street and briefly at the Chiltern Chapel before moving back to Italy in 1982. Perrotta is of Calabrian origin though born in England.

Perrotta grew up in the youth system of Reggina and debuted in Serie B in 1995, becoming an important fixture in their line-up. In 1998 Juventus decided to pick him up, but with great midfielders like Antonio Conte, Didier Deschamps, and Zinédine Zidane ahead of him he only collected 5 appearances for the Turin club. In 1999 he was loaned to Bari, where he was a protagonist for 2 seasons. In 2001/2002 he was shipped to Chievo. There, he was a mainstay in the midfield of the surprising Chievo squad that was 1st place at the winter break. He even gave the winning assist in their famous victory over Inter that season.

In 2004, Roma signed him from the Veneto club.^[3] Despite a disappointing first season marred by the problems at the club at the time, he has been one of their best players for the past two seasons. In merit of his fine performances for the capital club, he earned a call-up to Marcello Lippi's World Cup squad, starting all 7 games for the ultimate champions. He recently signed a contract extension with the capital club, keeping him in Rome until 2010.

Under Roma coach Luciano Spalletti's revolutionary 4-2-3-1 formation, he plays behind the first striker in between the left and right winger as an attacking central midfielder.

Perrotta signed a new one-year extension to his contract with Roma in October, 2009, that will keep him at the club until 2011.^[4]

[edit] International career

Perrotta has played at the U-21 level for Italy. At senior level, he debuted in 2002. He played for Italy at the Euro 2004, scoring a goal against Bulgaria, and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, winning on penalties against France.

Despite his age, Perrotta states he can improve as a player. He is famous for comparing himself to wine: the older he becomes, the better he gets.

Unlike at Roma, Perrotta is often used as a left winger with the Italian national team.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Honours

[edit] Roma

• Serie A:
  • Runner-up: 2006, 2007, 2008
• Coppa Italia:
  • Winner: 2007, 2008
  • Runner-up: 2005, 2006
• Supercoppa Italiana:
  • Winner: 2007
  • Runner-up: 2006, 2008

[edit] National Team

• FIFA World Cup:
  • Winner: 2006
• UEFA Under-21 European Championship:
  • Winner: 2000

[edit] External links

• Profile on AS Roma's official website
• FootballDatabase.com provides Perrotta's profile and stats

[edit] References

Italy squad v • d • e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Buffon • 2 Panucci • 3 Oddo • 4 Zanetti • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Ferrari • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Vieri • 10 Totti • 11 Corradi • 12 Toldo • 13 Nesta • 14 Fiore • 15 Favalli • 16 Camoranesi • 17 Di Vaio • 18 Cassano • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Peruzzi • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Trapattoni 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 v • d • e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Buffon • 2 Panucci • 3 Grosso • 4 Chiellini • 5 Gamberini • 6 Barzagli • 7 Del Piero • 8 Gattuso • 9 Toni • 10 De Rossi • 11 Di Natale • 12 Borriello • 13 Ambrosini • 14 Amelia • 15 Quagliarella • 16 Camoranesi • 17 De Sanctis • 18 Cassano • 19 Zambrotta • 20 Perrotta • 21 Pirlo • 22 Aquilani • 23 Materazzi • Coach: Donadoni