30 Facts About Davide Astori

Davide Astori was an Italian professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Davide Astori later spent loan spells at Roma and Fiorentina, before signing with the latter club permanently in 2016; he was named the team's captain in 2017.

Davide Astori made his international debut for Italy in 2011 and represented his country on 14 occasions, scoring one goal, which came in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup third place play off, where he won a bronze medal.

On 4 March 2018, Davide Astori was found dead in his hotel room prior to a league match.

Davide Astori's autopsy revealed cardiac arrest as his cause of death.

Davide Astori spent five years in the club's youth system.

Davide Astori then helped the club keep three consecutive clean sheets between 28 October 2009 and 8 November 2009.

Davide Astori started in every match until missing one match for picking up five yellow cards and served a suspension against Catania on 12 December 2010.

Davide Astori's injury resulted in his being out for 3 months.

Davide Astori explained turning down a move to Spartak Moscow because he wanted to stay at Cagliari and achieve his goals with the club.

Davide Astori then helped the club keep three clean sheets between 7 October 2012 and 28 October 2012.

On 24 July 2014, Cagliari announced Davide Astori's move to Roma on a season-long loan deal.

However, after the match, Davide Astori suffered a knee injury that kept him out for three weeks.

Davide Astori then followed up by keeping two clean sheets in the next two matches against Sampdoria and Cesena.

On 4 August 2015, Davide Astori signed on loan for Fiorentina until the end of the season with an obligation to buy.

Davide Astori played all eight matches in the UEFA Europa League for Fiorentina and helped the side qualify for the knockout stage.

Davide Astori then helped the club keep four consecutive clean sheets between 3 March 2017 and 2 April 2017.

Davide Astori then played an important role in the UEFA Europa League, setting up two goals for Fiorentina that saw the club progress to the knockout stage.

Davide Astori then helped the club's defence keep four league consecutive clean sheets between 3 December 2017 and 22 December 2017.

Davide Astori played 4 games for Italy's under-18 team, beginning in 2004.

Davide Astori did not receive any further call-up at higher levels of youth international football.

Davide Astori received his first call-up for the senior team under newly appointed coach Cesare Prandelli who named him in the squad for a friendly against Ivory Coast, to be played on 10 August 2010; however, he was left on the bench as an unused substitute.

Davide Astori came on as a 17th-minute substitute for the injured Giorgio Chiellini but was sent off with 15 minutes remaining in the second half after receiving two yellow cards.

In total, Davide Astori made 14 senior appearances for Italy between 2011 and 2017.

Davide Astori was a tall, consistent, tenacious, attentive, and physically strong left-footed central defender, with good aerial ability and heading accuracy, which made him a goal threat on offensive set pieces; although he was not the quickest defender, he possessed good leadership qualities, positional sense, organisational skills, distribution, and technique, which enabled him to play the ball out or start attacking plays from the back.

On 4 March 2018, Davide Astori died in his sleep while staying in a hotel in Udine prior to Fiorentina's match against Udinese, proven to be caused by cardiac arrest determined from an autopsy conducted two days later.

Davide Astori's death had caused shock across the footballing world, and many coaches and players paid their respects.

Davide Astori was buried at San Pellegrino Terme cemetery on 8 March 2018.

Later that year, Davide Astori was inducted into the Fiorentina Hall of Fame.

In May 2019, during the 2018 ceremony for new members being inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame, a Fair Play Award in memory of Davide Astori was awarded for the first time ever; the recipient of the award was Igor Trocchia.