A product of theJuventus youth system, he spent a large portion of his career at his hometown club, with the exception of a season-long loan spell atEmpoli, winning seven consecutiveSerie A titles between 2012 and 2018, and four consecutiveCoppa Italia titles between 2015 and 2018. He was the club's second vice-captain, behindGiorgio Chiellini, before his contract was terminated in 2018 and then signed with Russian clubZenit Saint Petersburg, where he stayed for one season, before retiring from professional football in 2019.
At the international level, Marchisio has represented Italy at the2008 Summer Olympics, and at the2010 and2014FIFA World Cups; he also took part atUEFA Euro 2012, winning a runners-up medal, and at the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he won a third-place medal. In total, he made 55 appearances for Italy at senior level between 2009 and 2017, scoring five goals.
After making his breakthrough in the2008–09 season, Marchisio was often compared to former Juventus and Italian midfielderMarco Tardelli by the Italian press, due to his energy, tenacious style of play, and good reading of the game, as well as his ability to seamlessly switch between offence and defence.[5][6][7] His preferred position was in central midfield but his versatility led to him playing in a variety of positions in midfield throughout his career to suit various formations.[8][9]
Born inTurin, to a father fromPiedmont and a mother fromSicily, Marchisio is the youngest of three children and was raised in thecomuni ofChieri andAndezeno, where his parents run a family business and continue to reside.[10][11][12][13][14] His family were Juventus fans and season ticket holders and he used to be a ball boy at theStadio delle Alpi. As a child, he was interested in various sports and joined the youth football team atFiat's satellite sports clubSisport, where he was later scouted by Juventus youth coaches at the age of seven.[12][15][16] A talented middle-distance runner and skier, he began vocational training as asurveyor after the mandatory schooling age of 16, in case his football career did not work out, but eventually dropped out to concentrate on football.[9]
While in theyouth system, Marchisio played as aforward and as atrequartista (offensive midfielder), modeling himself after his childhood heroAlessandro Del Piero,[17] until he was switched to a deeper midfield role at the age of 16, due to his slender physique.[18][19] During the2004–05 and2005–06 seasons, he was called up to train with the first team numerous times byFabio Capello and given a squad number. He made the bench for the game away atCagliari but remained an unused substitute.[20] Later that season, he captained thePrimavera side to their firstCampionato Nazionale Primavera title in 12 years and a runner-up finish at theViareggio Tournament in his last full season with thePrimavera squad.
After being included in the preseason friendlies, Marchisio was promoted to the first team permanently following Juventus' relegation toSerie B due to theCalciopoli scandal and given the number 15 shirt. On 19 August 2006, he made his first team debut in theCoppa Italia third round, coming on as a late substitute forMatteo Paro in a 3–0 win overMartina. In September, he captained thePrimavera team for the last time in theSupercoppa Primavera, thrashing old rivalsInternazionale 5–1.[21] He then made his league debut on 28 October againstFrosinone as a late substitute forDavid Trezeguet and made his first start in the following match againstBrescia. As the season progressed, he established himself inDidier Deschamps' side and ended the season as first-choice central midfielder.[13] He capped a fine season with an assist for Del Piero's match opener in the 5–1 thrashing ofArezzo,[22] a result which secured immediate promotion to Serie A mathematically.
On 25 July 2007, Marchisio wasloaned out toEmpoli for the2007–08 season with good friend and fellow youth productSebastian Giovinco to gain first-team experience.[23][24] He made hisSerie A debut on 26 August againstFiorentina and European debut the following month in theUEFA Cup againstFC Zürich. Although he did not score any goals, he tallied two vital assists and was a regular starter when available for theTuscan club under bothLuigi Cagni andAlberto Malesani. Unfortunately, Empoli were unable to avoid relegation and he was recalled to Turin by the recently appointed managerClaudio Ranieri.
Marchisio playing forJuventus in 2009, in a match againstBari
After his impressive performances for Empoli, Marchisio returned to Juventus for the2008–09 campaign and made an impressive Champions League debut, playing the full 90 minutes againstArtmedia Petržalka in theChampions League third qualifying round, second leg. In November, formerMilan and Fiorentina strikerStefano Borgonovo wrote about him onLa Gazzetta dello Sport: "Marchisio has everything needed to play at the highest level...[He] has personality, reminds me of the greatMarco Tardelli."[5] Under Ranieri, he eventually established himself as first-choice due to injuries and lackluster performances from other midfielders. He further established himself in the starting eleven after a man-of-the-match game against Milan in pouring rain that earned him rave reviews from the media.[25] He quickly became a firm favourite amongst theBianconeri fans and they voted him as their Player of the Month for December on the club website.[26] Five days after his 23rd birthday, he scored his first Serie A goal, the match-winner against Fiorentina.[11][27][28] Less than a week later, he was rewarded with an improved five-year contract extension.[15][29] His season was interrupted by a series of minor injuries in April, which resulted in him being sidelined for almost a month, and he returned to the starting eleven for the penultimate matchday away atSiena, marking it with a goal and an assist for captain Alessandro Del Piero's second goal of the match in a 0–3 win[30] and then setting upVincenzo Iaquinta's opener in a 2–0 home win againstLazio, a result that ensured a second-place finish for theBianconieri. When the season ended, he was continuously linked with various clubs, but Director of SportAlessio Secco ended all speculation by listing him as one of the "untouchable" players.[31] His good performances did not go unnoticed by the Italy national team coachMarcello Lippi, who later handed him his senior international debut.
Marchisio continued to be first choice underCiro Ferrara and laterAlberto Zaccheroni mainly due to his versatility and consistency in midfield. During the beginning of the2009–10 season, he had a good run of form, winning Man of the Match awards in four consecutive matches and being voted Player of the Month for September by registered members on the club website[32][33] but picked up a knee injury in the loss toPalermo at the beginning of October.[34] After surgery, he was sidelined for one month and a half and made his comeback as a last-minute substitute in theChampions League group stage tie away atBordeaux on 25 November. On 5 December 2009, he scored the winner in a 2–1 home win overInternazionale in theDerby d'Italia, where he showed incredible composure to drag the ball with both feet before dinking it over the strandedJúlio César.[35] Three days later, he set up David Trezeguet to score the opening goal of the game in the decisiveChampions League 1–4 home loss againstBayern Munich. At the end of the year, he was voted Juventus Player of the Year for 2009 by fans on the club website.[36] In theEuropa League round of 16 tie againstFulham on 11 March 2010, he captained the team for the first time when David Trezeguet handed him the captain's armband after being substituted at the 62nd minute, as vice-captainsGianluigi Buffon andGiorgio Chiellini missed the match through injury and Del Piero remained an unused substitute.[37] He scored an equalizer againstCatania on the second-last away matchday to keep Juventus in a Europa League spot and, despite Juventus' dismal season, was one of the few players to escape the mass criticism from the press.[38]
Despite a disappointing2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, Marchisio began the season as first-choice under new managerLuigi Delneri. After a slow start to theseason, he began to thrive in his role as a wide midfielder. In September, he marked his 100th appearance in a Juventus shirt with a goal againstUdinese in a 4–0 win.[39] He started his first match as captain againstRoma in April. On 17 May 2011, Juventus announced that Marchisio had signed an improved, five-year contract with the club.[40] His semi-bicycle kick goal against Udinese in January was voted Goal of the Season by fans on fansite vecchiasignora.com.[41]
Marchisio started the2011–12 season well by scoring Juve's final goal in the opening match of the campaign at the club's new stadium, a 4–1 home win overParma on 11 September 2011.[42][43] Under former Juventus legendAntonio Conte, he was played alongside new signingsArturo Vidal andAndrea Pirlo to great effect and were dubbed the "M-V-P" midfield by the press and fans.[44][45] He scored a late double to break the deadlock in the 2–0 win at home againstMilan, the first time he has ever scored more than one goal in a match.[46][47] On 20 November, he scored in his second consecutive league game and surpassed his personal season record of four goals by scoring the last goal in a 3–0 win overPalermo. He scored his firstCoppa Italia goal, the match winning goal againstBologna in extra time to send Juve to thequarter-finals.[48] His good form during the first half of the season earned him a nomination for theSerie A Italian Footballer of the Year award and a place in theSerie A Team of the Year.[49] On 18 March, he ended a three-month goal drought with a header in the 5–0 thrashing atFiorentina and dedicated it his second son, who was born earlier that week. He scored his ninth goal of the season againstLecce in his 200th career match to take his goal tally for the season into the double figures.[50] The following match, he won his firstScudetto after Juve won 2–0 againstCagliari and runners-up Milan lost 4–2 in theMilan Derby against Inter,[51] although Juventus were defeated in theCoppa Italia Final byNapoli.[52] He ended the season with ten goals in league and cup matches.
With the departure of captain and club legendAlessandro Del Piero in June 2012, it was speculated that Marchisio would "inherit" thenumber 10 jersey but he declined, stating that he was a midfielder, not a striker, and had grown accustomed to his number 8.[53] He captained the team on the opening match of the season againstParma in the absence of captainGianluigi Buffon and first vice-captainGiorgio Chiellini. In November, he scored his first-ever goal in a UEFA club competition in theChampions Leaguegroup stage home fixture againstNordsjælland. He also assistedFabio Quagliarella's equaliser againstChelsea. He was one of four Juventus players nominated for the 2012UEFA Team of the Year and was voted into theSerie A Team of the Year at the Oscar del Calcio awards.[54] Although he played fewer matches compared to last season due to suspension and a minor injury, he contributed crucial goals to his side, including the match winner againstSiena and a brace against intercity rivalsTorino as Juve won a second consecutive league title. Marchisio also scored in the first leg againstCeltic in the Champions League round of 16, which Juventus eventually won 5–0 on aggregate to progress on to thequarter-final stage, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Bayern Munich.
During the2013–14 season, Marchisio was mostly competing with French youngsterPaul Pogba for a spot in the midfield three. He struggled with an injury sustained during the club's2013 Supercoppa Italiana victory, and was mainly used as a substitute during the first half of the season during league games, starting inChampions League/Europa League matches instead. Partly due to Arturo Vidal's absence due to knee surgery, Marchisio started more matches in the last few months of the season – his four goals all came during the latter half of the season. In April againstBologna he made his career 200thSerie A appearance.[55] He scored Juve's last goal of the season on the last matchday of the season, a 3–0 win over Cagliari. Juventus were able to win their third consecutive title that season, and their 30th overall, with an Italian record of 102 points. Juventus were eliminated in the group stage of the Champion's League, however, although they managed to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, where they were defeated byBenfica.
The 2014–15 season was a watershed season for the midfielder as he reached several milestones: his 200th (Serie A) and 300th (all competitions) appearances for Juve and firstCoppa Italia title and Champions League final appearance. Marchisio scored his first goal of the2014–15 season, under new managerMassimiliano Allegri, on 13 September, a 2–0 home win over Udinese.[56] On 15 February 2015, he made his 200th appearance in Serie A with Juventus, scoring a goal in a 2–2 draw againstCesena.[57] On 7 April 2015, Marchisio returned from a short injury lay-off for the second leg of the semi-finals of theCoppa Italia againstFiorentina and made an immediate impact, sending in the cross which led toAlessandro Matri's opening goal and setting upLeonardo Bonucci's goal from a corner in a 3–0 win, which allowed Juventus to progress tothe final of the competition.[58][59] However, his yellow card in the game meant that he would be suspended for the final, a 2–1extra time victory overLazio.[60][61] Marchisio made his 300th appearance in all competitions for Juventus in a 3–2 home win against Fiorentina on 29 April.[62][63] In the absence ofAndrea Pirlo due to injury, Marchisio occasionally deputised as designatedcorner and indirectfree kick taker. On 2 May, he took part in Juventus's 1–0 win overSampdoria, which allowed the club to capture the Serie A title for a fourth consecutive time.[64] On 16 May, he scored the winner against Inter in theDerby d'Italia, the first time he has scored from the penalty spot during a match.[65] In theChampions League Final loss toBarcelona, he started the counterattack with a backheel pass that led toÁlvaro Morata's equalizer, but the eventual winners scored two more goals to win 3–1.[66] With 52 appearances, Marchisio was one of three players, the other two being Bonucci and Argentine midfielderRoberto Pereyra, to make the most appearances for Juventus across all competitions that season. Although he did not score as many goals as in previous three seasons, he tallied the second mostassists, only one less than top scorerCarlos Tevez. He was named in theUEFA Champions Leaguesquad of the season[67] and voted Player of the Season for 2014–15 by registered users of vecchiasignora.com, the largest Italian-language Juventus fansite.[68]
At the end of the season, Marchisio was the subject of transfer rumours as his present contract was due to expire next summer. On 6 July 2015, however, he signed a five-year extension, keeping him at his hometown club until the 2019–20 season.[69][70] Marchisio was ruled out for a month after sustaining an injury to an adductor muscle in his right leg in his first league appearance of the season on 12 September 2015, as Juventus drew 1–1 at home toChievo.[71] On 24 November, Marchisio was nominated for the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year.[72] On 15 March 2016 it was announced Marchisio would miss the second round of 16 leg of theChampions League againstBayern Munich on 16 March due to a muscular problem in his left calf.[73] He returned to action on 2 April, in a 1–0 home victory over Empoli.[74] Two weeks later on 17 April, Marchisio suffered ananterior cruciate ligament injury during Juventus' 4–0 home victory overPalermo after an awkward fall with a challenge onFranco Vázquez, which ruled him out for the rest of the season as well as the upcomingUEFA Euro 2016 tournament.[75] After a successful surgery to his left knee on 19 April, it was confirmed he would be sidelined for six months.[76] After Juventus clinched their record fifth consecutiveSerie A title on 25 April, the club's captain and goalkeeper Buffon dedicated the victory to Marchisio.[77]
On 26 October 2016, Marchisio returned to the pitch after six months on the sidelines in a 4–1 home win over Sampdoria.[78] He scored his first goal since his injury in the 3–1 win away atSevilla during theChampions League group stage.[79][80] The season saw Marchisio reach two milestones. On 15 April 2017, he made his 250th Serie A appearance for Juventus in a 2–0 away win overPescara.[81] On 21 May 2017, he started in the last home fixture of the season againstCrotone, which Juventus won 3–0 to seal a historic sixth consecutiveScudetto,[82] which made Marchisio one of only six players to have been in the squad for all six successful seasons.[83][84] On 3 June, Marchisio came on as a substitute in hissecond Champions League Final in three years, but Juventus were defeated 4–1 by defending champions Real Madrid.[85]
Marchisio sustained another knee injury during the first match of the 2017–18 season on 19 August against Cagliari.[86] He did not make it to the starting line up until 5 November, in a 2–1 home win overBenevento.[87] Just before the start of the 2018–19 season, on 17 August 2018, it was announced that Marchisio had left Juventus following "the agreed termination" of his contract, which ended the 25 years Marchisio spent in the Juventus system.[88] In total, he made 389 appearances for the club, scoring 37 goals, providing 43 assists, and picking up only one red card.[89]
On 3 September 2018, he signed a two-year contract with theRussian Premier League clubZenit Saint Petersburg.[90] On 16 September 2018, Marchisio made his debut for Zenit in a 2–1 away win overOrenburg, coming on as a substitute in the 71st minute.[91] On 1 July 2019, Zenit announced that Marchisio had left the club after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.[92]
On 3 October 2019, Marchisio held a press conference atJuventus Stadium, where he announced his retirement from football.[93][94]
Marchisio was initially called up in early May to theItaly under-21 squad for the2007 European Championships but eventually withdrew due to injury.[95][96] He made his under-21 debut in June 2007, the group opening game of the2009 European Championship qualifying, but his debut ended rather unfortunately as he was injured in a collision barely ten minutes into the match while attempting an effort on goal, although the shot would lead toRobert Acquafresca's opener seconds later. Eventually, he became first-choice during the latter stages of the campaign. He scored a 12-yard volley at the2008 Toulon Tournament against Turkey in a 2–1 win, as Italy went on to win the tournament, and was subsequently called up to theOlympics that summer but was forced to return home due to an injury.[97][98] In May 2009,Pierluigi Casiraghi named him in the final squad for the2009 Under-21 European Championship. At the tournament, he started every game and, despite missing the semi-final loss to Germany through suspension, was one of severalAzzurrini stars tipped to make the senior squad,[99][100] also being named to the Team of the Tournament.[101]
On 12 August 2009, Marchisio made his senior debut, starting in the friendly againstSwitzerland that ended goalless[102][103] and was praised byMarcello Lippi during the post-match interview.[104] Lippi later revealed that he had intended to call Marchisio up earlier but agreed to leave the youngster to Casiraghi's U-21 squad until the end of the European Championships. Marchisio played his first competitive match for theAzzurri in theWorld Cup qualifier againstBulgaria in hishome stadium and became a first-choice pick for Lippi's squad.[105] He was forced to withdraw, however, from the remaining qualifying matches against theRepublic of Ireland andCyprus after being diagnosed with a knee meniscus injury that required surgery.[106] He was named in the 23-man squad for the2010 World Cup,[107] but had a relatively uneventful tournament due to Lippi's preference for playing him in an unfamiliar playmaker role in a 4–2–3–1 formation that he had not used in the lead-up to the tournament.[108] The defending champions drew 1–1 with bothParaguay andNew Zealand before losing 3–2 toSlovakia, finishing bottom of their group, and were eliminated in the first round.[109][110]
Marchisio scored his first ever international goal in theEuro 2012 qualifier againstSerbia on 7 October 2011, barely a minute after kick-off. It was the 250th goal scored by a Juventus player for the Italy national team.[111]
After a good 2011–12 season with Juventus, and a successfulqualifying campaign with Italy, Marchisio was named in the final squad forUEFA Euro 2012 byCesare Prandelli, and he started every match alongside Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi in midfield, in Italy's surprise run to thefinal, where they were defeated 4–0 by reigning European and world championsSpain.[112]
Under Prandelli, Marchisio became an established member of the Italy national team, and he was named in the final squad for the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, in which Italy finished third.[113] Marchisio came on as a substitute and assistedSebastian Giovinco's match winning goal in Italy's second group match againstJapan, which allowed Italy to advance to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup for the first time in their history.[114] Italy managed to finish the tournament in third place, following a 3–2 penalty shootout win overUruguay in the bronze medal match.[115]
After becoming a regular during Italy qualifying matches, Marchisio was later also selected to be a member of the Italy squad that would take part at the2014 FIFA World Cup. On 30 May 2014, hecaptained the senior team for the first time during the pre-World Cup friendly against theRepublic of Ireland afterRiccardo Montolivo, captain for the match, was carried off the pitch due to a fractured leg.[116]
At the2014 FIFA World Cup, Marchisio scored his first international goal at a majorUEFA/FIFA tournament and Italy's first goal of the World Cup, a 25-yard shot againstEngland during theGroup D second opening match in an eventual 2–1 win.[117] He appeared in Italy's next two group matches, which both ended in 1–0 defeats, to group winnersCosta Rica,[118] and runner's upUruguay respectively. In the final group match against Uruguay, he was controversially given a straight red card in the 59th minute, his first red card as an international.[119][120][121] The referee's failure to sendLuis Suárez off for bitingGiorgio Chiellini, and the fact that Uruguay went on to win 1–0 after scoring from a corner immediately following the later incident, further added to the controversy. Italy finished third in their group and were eliminated from the World Cup in the group stage for the second time in a row.[122]
On 27 March 2015, Marchisio suffered an injury during a training session with theItaly national team, prior to theEuro 2016qualifying match againstBulgaria.[123] Although it was initially feared that he had torn hisanterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which would have ruled him out for six months, it was later confirmed that the injury was a sprain, and that he would only be out for several weeks.[124] However, his former Juventus coachAntonio Conte, now the national team coach, reportedly received death threats from irate Juventus fans and was publicly criticised byJohn Elkann, the president of the holding company which controls FIAT and Juventus and cousin of club presidentAndrea Agnelli.[125][126] After rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in April 2016, Marchisio was ruled out ofUEFA Euro 2016.[76]
Under Conte's successor, managerGian Piero Ventura, Marchisio appeared as a starter in a 3–0 friendly victory over Uruguay at theAllianz Riviera stadium in Nice, held on 7 June 2017, but was replaced by Riccardo Montolivo in the first half after sustaining an injury; this was his final international appearance.[127]
In total, Marchisio made 55 appearances for Italy between 2009 and 2017, scoring five goals.[89]
Claudio Marchisio posing for a picture with a fan inToronto in 2011
Marchisio is known for his versatility and ability to play anywhere inmidfield, as seen in various formations and positions he has been played in by his coaches. He has been used outwide in both a three- or four-man midfield, or as adefensive midfielder, but his preferred and most effective position is that of acentral midfielder, where he is given the license to freely switch between defensive and attacking positions, instead of being limited to a single role.[8][128][129][130][131][132] He is sometimes classified as an attacking central midfielder (known as amezz'ala in Italian football),[129] due to his penchant for scoring goals, rather than as a traditionaldeep-lying "creative" central midfielder (known as aregista in Italian football) in the mold ofAndrea Pirlo.[133] In the English language media he has been described as a "box-to-box midfielder" as he is neither a pure defensive nor an attacking midfielder, although he is able to play in both positions when necessary.[134][133][135][136][137] A former forward, with an eye for goal,[138] he has also been fielded in more advanced roles, as adeep-lying forward orattacking midfielder in a 3–5–1–1 formation.[139][140] Regarded as a precocious talent in his youth since his emergence in Juventus's starting line-up,[141][142] Marchisio's physical strength, pace, energy, positional sense and tactical awareness in his prime allowed him to excel in the centre in a box-to-box midfield role,[133][143][144] and enabled him to establish himself as one of the top midfielders of his generation.[145][146][147][148] However, he has been injury prone and his injury struggles eventually necessitated his switch from a box-to-box role which required more running into a deeper role.[149][150][151]
Known for his adaptability,[152] Marchisio's role has evolved over the years as managerial styles and tactics have changed. During the early years of his career, he was paired in the centre alongside a defensive midfielder such asFelipe Melo in a four-man midfield and was left to play more of an offensive and creative role. During the 2011–12 season at club level, he was deployed effectively alongside Pirlo and Chilean internationalArturo Vidal in Juventus's three-man midfield in their 3–5–2 formation underConte. A large part of Juventus's success in Italy that season was due to the fact that Marchisio and Vidal were able to interchange quickly between defensive and attacking positions on both ends of the pitch and compensate for Pirlo's defensive weaknesses by leaving playmaking duties to the latter; this formation allowed all three midfielders to contribute with 19 league goals, almost a third of all goals scored by the team that season, as they went on to win the league.[153][154] Under Prandelli's tenure with the Italy national team, Marchisio has played a similar role in supporting Pirlo alongside Roma midfielderDaniele De Rossi,[155] and has also played as afalse-attacking midfielder on occasion.[156][157] Between 2014 and 2015, withMassimiliano Allegri's switch in tactics and Pirlo's subsequent departure, Marchisio shifted into a deeper role, usually in front of the defenders to provide a link between defence and offence and utilize his passing ability without the need to constantly spread himself across both ends of the pitch.[143][144][149][152][154][158][159][160]
There are few flashy moments, few showpiece 30-yarders or slaloming runs past four challenges. Instead, he’s consistent, a sort of ItalianDenis Irwin: lots of matches where the good work goes unnoticed, plenty of seven/eight out of 10 showings.
One of Marchisio's key strengths is his ability to switch from defence to offence seamlessly after winning back the ball, while remaining tactically disciplined in either role;[161][162][163] his athleticism, tackling, vision, range of passing, and good reading of the game enables him to break down the opposition's play,[8][144][164][165] and quickly transition the ball forward to create chances for his more attack-minded teammates.[17][164][166] Marchisio is also gifted with flair, agility, and excellent technique, as well as gooddribbling skills and close control in tight spaces.[128][144][166][167][168][169][170] These attributes, as well as his ability to pass and shoot with both feet, despite being naturally right-footed, make him a threat in the opponent's half, especially in or outside thepenalty area; if given the chance, he has been known to attempt a shot on goal, either from distance, or by finishing off a teammate's pass after making late runs from behind into the area,[9][128][134][157][171][172][173][174] – as exhibited by his goals against Cagliari in January 2014,[175] Luxembourg in a June 2014 friendly,[176] and England at the2014 FIFA World Cup.[117] Following Pirlo's departure, he has also developed into an effectivecorner andindirect free kick taker.[177]
Due to his composed yethard-working and tenacious style of play, Marchisio has garnered comparisons to Juventus legend and1982 World Cup winnerMarco Tardelli by the Italian press,[13][166][178][179] who was arguably one of Italy's greatest "two-way" midfielders.[5][6][7][145] Marchisio has also citedSteven Gerrard as one of his major influences.[180] In addition to his qualities as a footballer, Marchisio was known for his composure and leadership;[19][181] indeed, since breaking into the first team, he developed a reputation as a big game player for the club, due to his penchant for scoring or setting up "clutch" goals during important games. During his first Serie A season with Juventus, all three of his goals were decisive – being either match-winners or the opening goal of the match.[182][183][184] He has also scored crucial goals against Juventus'sderby rivals, Internazionale[185] and Torino.[186]
Following his retirement as a footballer, Marchisio published an autobiography titledNero su bianco (Black on white) on 2016; a follow-up book, titledIl mio terzo tempo (My third half), was published on 2020.[187] In 2021, Marchisio began writing as a columnist for the Turin edition of theCorriere della Sera.[188] Through his social media, he also became a strong voice on a number of social issues, including immigration and environment.[188]
In 2021, his name was hinted as a possibleDemocratic Party candidate for Mayor of Turin, a rumour he soon thereafter refuted.[189]
In 2016, Marchisio and his wife started a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant called "Legami" in their native Turin. It grew into a chain with several locations in the Turin metropolitan area and also in Rome, Sardinia and Bergamo.[190][191]
Marchisio is the co-founder of a management agency, later merged with two other similar agencies,[192] which specializes in managing image rights and official communication platforms for professional athletes and providing them with legal advice on contracts.[193] The idea was born out of his own experience and the realisation about professional athletes' lack of knowledge or guidance on their legal rights, leaving them vulnerable to unscrupulous agents or business representatives. His long-time teammateGiorgio Chiellini joined as an investing partner in 2020.[194]
Marchisio holds up the FARE T-shirt and show his support for the FARE Action Weeks 2011.
Marchisio married Roberta Sinopoli fromCalabria in June 2008 and they have two sons, Davide (born in August 2009)[12][195][14] and Leonardo (born in March 2012).[196] His wife, a former nationally ranked junior tennis player, supported Juve's crosstown rivalsTorino as her father used to play for the Torino youth teams as well as various clubs in theSerie C2 andSerie D.[197] Marchisio has his wife's birthday tattooed on the inside of his arm and occasionally kissed it whencelebrating a goal.[11] His former Empoli teammateNicola Ascoli is married to his sister-in-law.[198]
Marchisio is affectionately known asIl Principino ("The Little Prince"), a nickname he acquired from Juventus teammates early in his career due to the way he dressed[199] and for his composed behaviour on the pitch; the nickname was later popularised by the Juventus-supportingPremium Calcio football commentator Claudio Zuliani.[200] Some fans and observers have also dubbed him the "De Rossi of Turin," in reference to his national teammateDaniele De Rossi ofRoma, due to their similar playing style, as well as the fact that both are local born and bred youth products, and had been tipped to be future captains of their respective clubs.[201]
On 29 October 2019, Marchisio and his wife were robbed by several gunmen at their home in Turin; they were uninjured.[204][205]
On 3 May 2021, it was revealed that Marchisio's family had tested positive forCOVID-19 in April amid itspandemic in Italy by his wife on Instagram.[206]
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