Vincenzo Montella (born June 18, 1974 in Pomigliano d'Arco,
Italy) is an Italian football (soccer) player who currently
plays for A.S. Roma of the Italian Serie A (his contract will
end in 2010).
Montella began his club career at Empoli in 1990 (then in Serie
C1) before moving to Genoa in 1996 (then in Serie B), where he
scored 21 goals in his only season with the club before moving
to U.C. Sampdoria and the Serie A. When Sampdoria was relegated
in 1999, Montella moved in a £15.3m transfer to Roma, where he
scored prodigiously, but often from the bench, leading to some
friction between himself and then-coach Fabio Capello in the
media. However, he heavily contributed to A.S. Roma's 2001
league victory.
Montella received his first international cap against Wales on 5
June 1999, and was part of the Italian national team at Euro
2000, at 2002 World Cup, and Euro 2004.
Montella has also performed well against Lazio, scoring a brace
against S.S. Lazio in his first Rome derby and 4 goals in a 5-1
win in March 2002.
Montella's nickname is L'Aeroplanino, or "Little Aeroplane", in
reference to his trademark goal celebration. |
