.JPG) Abate withItaly in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ignazio Abate[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1986-11-12)12 November 1986 (age 39) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sant'Agata de' Goti, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Right back | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Juve Stabia (head coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rescaldina | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2004 | AC Milan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | AC Milan | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | →Napoli (loan) | 29 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | →Piacenza (loan) | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | →Modena (loan) | 38 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Empoli | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Torino | 25 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2019 | AC Milan | 243 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 372 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Italy U18 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Italy U19 | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Italy U20 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Italy U21 | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Olympic Italy | 8 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2015 | Italy | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Ternana | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Ternana | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Juve Stabia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ignazio Abate (Italian pronunciation:[iɲˈɲattsjoaˈbaːte]; born 12 November 1986) is an Italian professionalfootball coach and a formerfull-back, currently in charge as the head coach ofSerie B clubJuve Stabia.
Although naturally awinger, he could also play as awide midfielder,wing-back,[2] and on rare occasions, as acentre-back.[3] As a player, Abate was renowned for his stamina, quick sprints, and ability to make attacking runs down the right flank.[4] In his prime, he was considered one of the fastest players in the top leagues of European football.[5][6]
Abate started playing football withamateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999 and making his professional debut for the club in December 2003. From 2004 to 2009, he spent five years on various loan spells with several Italian clubs, before going back to Milan. During the2010–11 Serie A season, Abate contributed to Milan winning their 18thScudetto as a first-choice in the right full-back position. After ten consecutive seasons with Milan and 306 competitive appearances for the team, Abate became afree agent in July 2019 and announced his retirement as a player in 2020. In 2021, he returned to the club as a youth coach.
Abate has represented theItaly national team and theItaly U21 national team, and also played for theItalian U19 national team and theItalian U20 national team. Prior to starring for the senior team, he represented his country in the2008 Summer Olympics and2009 European U-21 Championship. He made his senior international debut in November 2011, in afriendly match againstPoland, and has since then represented the country inUEFA Euro 2012, winning a runners-up medal, at the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning a bronze medal, and at the2014 FIFA World Cup. Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal againstGermany in November 2013.
Abate was born inSant'Agata de' Goti, the son of former ItaliangoalkeeperBeniamino Abate, now a coach with the Milan youth academy.[7]
Abate started playing football withamateur club Rescaldina, before joiningAC Milan'syouth system in 1999.[8] During the2003–04 season, he made his professional debut, playing in aCoppa Italia game againstSampdoria on 3 December. He made his debut, inEuropean competitions, in aChampions League group-stage game versusCelta Vigo on 9 December.[9] In that match, he set the record as the youngest Milan player to ever play in theUEFA Champions League, at 17 years and 27 days.[10]
For the2004–05 season, he wasloaned out toNapoli inSerie C1, where he made 29 appearances and scored 2 goals.[9] Initially set to spend the 2005–06 season on loan at Serie A side Sampdoria,[11] his proposed loan to theBlucerchiati was terminated by his parent club, who then loaned him toSerie B sidePiacenza, where he made 13 appearances.The following campaign was more successful for the young winger, who made 38 appearances during his loan spell atModena.[9]
In the2007–08 season, Abate eventually made hisSerie A debut, after being acquired byEmpoli in aco-ownership deal, for€900,000.[12][13] That year, he also scored his first goal in Serie A, in a match againstGenoa, on 27 April 2008.[14] Following Empoli's relegation, Milan fully purchased him for €2 million as well asLuca Antonini for €2.75M (and soldNicola Pozzi andLino Marzoratti for €4.75M total fee)[15][16] only to send him toTorino in another co-ownership deal, for€2 million.[17][18] Despite an earlyinjury, he had a goodseason, featuring in 25 games and scoring 1goal.[9]
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On 24 June 2009, Milan reclaimed Abate for€2.55 million[19] and this time he was included in the team squad for the upcoming2009–10 season.[20] After serving mainly as a reservemidfielder in the first few games, he later started to be employed as the regularright back by Milan head coach,Leonardo. He made 36 appearances in his first season back at Milan.[7] Due to his good performances, on 11 February 2010 he was offered and signed an extension to hiscontract until 2014.[21][22]
New coachAllegri kept him in the same position for the2010–11 season. Hisdribbling skills and speed in theright wing allowed him to outrun opponentdefenders, while hiscrossing into the centre also resulted in goals regularly. His solid defensive play also lent a hand in winning Milan their 18th Scudetto and theSupercoppa Italiana. He made 37 appearances in total in his second season back at Milan.The following season, Abate was again the starting right back at Milan, making 40 appearances in all competitions. On 25 September 2013, Abate scored his first Milan goal after nearly a decade since his debut, a 92-minute equalizer in a 3–3 away draw againstBologna.
In the2014–15 season, Abatecaptained Milan for the first time in his career, the first time in a 2–0 loss toPalermo on 2 November 2014. Abate made his 200th Milan appearance on 9 May 2015 in a 2–1 win overRoma. On 11 June 2015, Milan announced Abate had signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2019.[23]
Abate played as a regularly starting right-back in the2015–16 season. One notable moment for him occurred on 22 February 2016, when he made an excellent sliding tackle onLorenzo Insigne on the right wing, preventing him from scoring a second goal in a 1–1 away draw against Napoli.
In late March 2017, after initially being sidelined for Milan's following fixtures againstChievo,Juventus, andGenoa, Abate was ruled out for the remainder of the2016–17 season, due to requiring surgery after suffering "blunt force trauma" to his left eye, after being hit by a ball in the face during a match againstSassuolo on 26 February.[24]
In late 2018, Abate temporarily assumed the role of a centre-back in the wake of an unexpected severe injury crisis that struck the team's defence. In this role, he was praised for his performances by the club's coach,Gennaro Gattuso, and various Italian media outlets alike.[4]
On 19 May 2019, Abate made his final home appearance for Milan in a 2–0 win overFrosinone at theSan Siro stadium. During the match, theMilan Ultras of theCurva Sud saluted him by holding up a banner with the message "10 years of commitment and humility. You've gained the respect of the Ultras. Thank you Ignazio." Abate cried after seeing the message.[25] His final appearance for the club came a week later, in a 3–2 away win overSPAL on 26 May.[26]
After playing at various levels of youth international football for Italy, atunder-19 andunder-20 level, Abate made his debut with theItalian under-21 side in afriendly againstLuxembourg, coming off thebench during the second half, on 12 December 2006.[27]
With theOlympic national team coached byCasiraghi, he won the2008 Toulon Tournament, in which he played four games and scored a goal against theUnited States.[28] He also took part in the2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.[29] He then participated in the2009 European U-21 Championship held in Sweden, making two appearances as Italy reached the semi-finals.[30]
Abate made his senior international debut forItaly in November 2011, in a friendly match againstPoland.[31] Abate was a member of the Italian squad that reached theUEFA Euro 2012 final.[32][33]
Abate also took part in the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup for Italy,[34] making three appearances in the group stage before suffering an injury which kept him out of the semi-finals,[35] as Italy went on to win a bronze medal. Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal in a friendly match againstGermany in November 2013, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[36] He was part ofCesare Prandelli's 23-man Italy squad for the2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, making one appearance throughout the tournament, in Italy's 1–0 defeat againstCosta Rica in their second group match,[37] as Italy were eliminated in the group stage.[38]
On 2 July 2021, Abate was appointed as AC Milan'sunder-16 side coach.[39] In the 2021–22 season, he led Milan U16 to reach the league final, then lost to Roma. On 5 July 2022, Milan announced Abate's promotion as coach of the under-19 side.[40] On 21 June 2024, Abate took on his first head coaching role, becoming the new manager ofSerie C clubTernana.[41] On 6 February 2025 Ternana sacked Abate,[42] only to rehire him the following day.[43] He was sacked once again on 1 April 2025, following a 1–4 loss againstLucchese, despite the team being in second place in the league only behindVirtus Entella.[44][45]
On 18 June 2025, Abate was announced as the new head coach ofSerie B clubJuve Stabia.[46]
Abate and his wife Valentina[47] have three sons, Matteo (born 19 November 2011), Andrea (born 14 May 2013) and Benjamin (born 23 February 2018). The couple got married on 18 June 2015.[48]
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AC Milan | 2003–04 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Napoli (loan) | 2004–05 | Serie C1 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Piacenza (loan) | 2005–06 | Serie B | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| Modena (loan) | 2006–07 | Serie B | 38 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 1 | ||
| Empoli | 2007–08 | Serie A | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | |
| Torino | 2008–09 | Serie A | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| AC Milan | 2009–10 | Serie A | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8[a] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Serie A | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8[a] | 0 | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17 | Serie A | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8[c] | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| Milan total | 243 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 306 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 372 | 8 | 25 | 1 | 45 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 448 | 9 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 November 2013 | San Siro,Milan, Italy |  Germany | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
AC Milan[50]
Italy U-21
Italy[50]
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