37 Facts About Antonio Cassano

Antonio Cassano is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Antonio Cassano won an Italian and Spanish league title each throughout his career as major honours.

Antonio Cassano began his senior club career with hometown club Bari in 1999; his performances earned him a transfer to Roma two years later, where he won the Supercoppa Italiana and was twice named Serie A Young Footballer of the Year in 2001 and 2003.

Antonio Cassano then spent single seasons with Milan and cross-city rivals Internazionale, winning a Serie A title and his Supercoppa Italiana with the former, before signing for Parma in 2013.

Antonio Cassano failed to make an appearance for the club and subsequently retired.

At international level, Antonio Cassano represented the Italy national football team on 39 occasions between 2003 and 2014, scoring 10 goals; he took part at three UEFA European Championships, and one FIFA World Cup, winning a runners-up medal at UEFA Euro 2012.

Antonio Cassano was born in Bari and his father left the family shortly thereafter.

Antonio Cassano was raised in poverty by his mother in the San Nicola district of the Bari Vecchia neighbourhood, and began playing football on the streets at an early age.

Antonio Cassano was spotted by a Bari scout and brought up through the team's youth system, and he made his Serie A debut for Bari against local rivals Lecce on 11 December 1999.

In 2001, at the age of 19, Antonio Cassano signed with reigning Serie A champions Roma for a transfer fee of 60 billion Italian lire ; at the time, this was the most expensive teenage signing ever.

Antonio Cassano became the second ever Italian player to sign for Real Madrid after former Roma teammate Christian Panucci.

Antonio Cassano's debut came on 18 January 2006 in a Spanish Cup match against Real Betis, and scored his first goal just three minutes after entering the match in the second half.

Antonio Cassano remained with Madrid after the January 2007 transfer window had closed, and the rest of his season was cut short by an ankle injury.

Antonio Cassano was presented to approximately 2,500 fans five days later.

Sampdoria ended the season with an UEFA Cup berth, while Antonio Cassano was acquired on a permanent basis by the club on free transfer from Madrid.

Antonio Cassano scored 12 goals in Serie A and helped Sampdoria to reach the Coppa Italia final that season, scoring a goal in the semi-final against the Serie A Champions, Inter.

Antonio Cassano soon came back into the starting line-up, and eventually helped Sampdoria to a fourth-place finish UEFA Champions League qualifying spot in Serie A Sampdoria were defeated by Werder Bremen in the play-off round and were to enter into the Europa League that season.

In October 2010, Antonio Cassano was excluded from the first team squad with immediate effect after he had a heated row with chairman Riccardo Garrone following the player's refusal to attend an award ceremony.

Antonio Cassano then signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Milan, which was later confirmed by Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi, replacing the gap left by Ronaldinho's departure.

On 29 October 2011, following Milan's match against Roma in Rome, Antonio Cassano was hospitalised after suffering a stroke upon arriving in Milan, and was operated on 4 November.

On 26 January 2015, Parma allowed Antonio Cassano to terminate his contract with the club in advance, which made him a free agent; due to the club's financial struggles, he had reportedly not been paid his wages since June 2014.

Antonio Cassano agreed a two-year deal with the club, lasting until 30 June 2017.

Antonio Cassano rejected offers from several clubs and obtained permission to train with the Sampdoria youth side, in particular with the Primavera team's goalkeeper.

On 25 January 2017, Antonio Cassano terminated his contract with Sampdoria by mutual consent.

Antonio Cassano made 39 appearances for the Italy national team, scoring ten goals.

Antonio Cassano was included in Italy's UEFA Euro 2004 squad by manager Giovanni Trapattoni.

In September 2006, Antonio Cassano was called up by new manager Roberto Donadoni for Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuania and France.

Antonio Cassano went scoreless in the tournament as Italy were eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Spain after a penalty shootout.

Antonio Cassano wore the number 10 shirt for Italy throughout the tournament.

Antonio Cassano was criticised by the press for his poor performances and lack of fitness, as he failed to improve his team's results and did not provide pace and creativity to the team's attacking plays.

Antonio Cassano has been described as a player who was "skillful and intelligent on the ball" who possessed "excellent vision and impresses with his eye for goal".

In December 2019, Antonio Cassano successfully completed a director of football course at Coverciano.

Antonio Cassano successively joined fellow friends and former Serie A footballers Christian Vieri, Daniele Adani and Nicola Ventola in a regular Twitch show named Bobo TV, which started in 2020 during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.

Antonio Cassano got engaged to water polo player Carolina Marcialis in 2008, then married on 19 June 2010 at a church, Chiesa di San Martino, in Portofino.

On 30 October 2011, it was reported that Antonio Cassano complained of finding it difficult to speak or move on the team plane when the team returned to Milan.

On 1 February 2013, Antonio Cassano had a locker room brawl with his then coach at Inter, Andrea Stramaccioni.

Antonio Cassano was a brand ambassador for Diadora, and wore their Evoluzione K Pro GX 14 football boots in black and fluorescent yellow throughout his career.