Antonio Di Natale
Antonio Di Natale is a retired Italian forward, renowned for his loyalty to Udinese and his prolific goalscoring in Serie A. A creative second striker with superb finishing, movement, and flair, he became one of Italy’s most consistent strikers of the 2000s and early 2010s.
📌 Club Career
| Years | Club | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–2004 | Empoli | 158 | 49 |
| 1997–1998 | → Iperzola (loan) | 33 | 6 |
| 1998–1999 | → Varese (loan) | 25 | 12 |
| 1999–2000 | → Viareggio (loan) | 33 | 12 |
| 2004–2016 | Udinese | 385 | 191 |
| Total | 634 | 270 | |
🌍 International Career
| Years | Team | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2012 | Italy | 42 | 11 |
🏆 Honours
Empoli
- Serie B runner-up: 2001–02 (promotion to Serie A)
Udinese
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2014–15
Italy
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2012
⭐ Individual Awards
- Serie A Top Scorer: 2009–10, 2010–11
- Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year: 2010
- Serie A Goal of the Year: 2011
- Serie A Team of the Year: multiple seasons
- Golden Foot: 2010
- Udinese all-time top scorer
🎨 Style of Play
Di Natale was a versatile forward, capable of playing as a striker or second striker. He was known for his pace, dribbling, vision, and exceptional finishing ability with both feet. Despite his smaller frame, he was clinical, creative, and a leader on and off the pitch, admired for his loyalty to Udinese throughout his career.
👔 Managerial Career
After retirement, Antonio Di Natale briefly worked as a coach, serving as a technical consultant for Spezia Calcio in 2019. He has also been involved in youth development and football academies, sharing his experience with the next generation of Italian players.