 Ravanelli in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1968-12-11)11 December 1968 (age 56) | ||
| Place of birth | Perugia, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1989 | Perugia | 90 | (41) |
| 1989 | Avellino | 7 | (0) |
| 1989–1990 | Casertana | 27 | (12) |
| 1990–1992 | Reggiana | 66 | (24) |
| 1992–1996 | Juventus | 111 | (41) |
| 1996–1997 | Middlesbrough | 35 | (17) |
| 1997–1999 | Marseille | 64 | (28) |
| 1999–2001 | Lazio | 27 | (4) |
| 2001–2003 | Derby County | 50 | (14) |
| 2003–2004 | Dundee | 5 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Perugia | 39 | (9) |
| Total | 521 | (190) | |
| International career | |||
| 1995–1998 | Italy | 22 | (8) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2013 | Juventus youth | ||
| 2013 | Ajaccio | ||
| 2018 | Arsenal Kyiv | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Fabrizio Ravanelli (Italian pronunciation:[faˈbrittsjoravaˈnɛlli];[1][2] born 11 December 1968) is an Italianfootball manager and former international player.
A formerstriker, Ravanelli started and ended his playing career at hometown clubPerugia, and also played forMiddlesbrough,Juventus andMarseille. He won trophies with Juventus including aSerie A championship in 1995 and aChampions League in 1996 where he scored inthe final. In all, during his career he played with twelve clubs from four countries; his native Italy, England, France and Scotland. Nicknamed 'The White Feather', he earned 22 caps for theItaly national team, scoring 8 goals, and was a member of the Italian squad that took part atUEFA Euro 1996.[3]
Ravanelli began his club career with his hometown clubPerugia in 1986, where he remained until 1989. He had a spell withAvellino later that year, and subsequently played withCasertana for a season. In 1990, he moved toReggiana, where he remained for two seasons.[3]
After joiningJuventus in 1992, he formed a formidable offensive line alongside players such asRoberto Baggio,Gianluca Vialli,Paolo Di Canio,Pierluigi Casiraghi,Andreas Möller andAlessandro Del Piero.[3] Affectionately known as the "White Feather" (in Italian:Penna Bianca) in recognition of his prematurely white hair (a nickname which had also previously belonged to former Juventus legendRoberto Bettega),[4][5][6] he was one of Europe's top goalscorers in the mid-1990s. After initially struggling to obtain a starting spot underGiovanni Trapattoni, due to competition from several other strikers, he eventually managed to break into the starting line-up. During the 1994–95 season, underMarcello Lippi, he played a key role as the club claimed a domestic double, playing in an attacking trident, alongside Vialli, and either Baggio or Del Piero. With the Turin club, Ravanelli won oneSerie A title (1994–95), oneCoppa Italia (1994–95), oneSupercoppa Italiana (1995), oneChampions League (1995–96), where he scored in the final againstAjax, and oneUEFA Cup (1992–93).[3] On 27 September 1994, he memorably scored all five goals for Juventus againstCSKA Sofia in a 5–1 win.[7] In the1996 UEFA Champions League Final, he put Juventus 1–0 up at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.[8] Ajax subsequently equalised, but Juventus still won the game through a penalty shootout.[3][8]
Ravanelli made an immediate positive impact on moving to thePremier League withBryan Robson'sMiddlesbrough on a £7 million transfer in 1996,[9] where his success was sustained. He scored a hat-trick on his league debut againstLiverpool on the opening day of the1996–97 season.[10] Despite being one of the league's top scorers, Middlesbrough were relegated in the year that he joined.[11] He did, however, help them to the final of both domestic cup competitions that season. He started both finals, as Middlesbrough lost 2–0 againstChelsea in the FA Cup Final,[12] andLeicester City 1–0 in the replay of the League Cup Final. Against Leicester, he scored the first goal in the final of the first meeting,[13] only forEmile Heskey to equalise and send the game to a replay, which Leicester subsequently won.[13] He alienated himself from teammates and fans, with his constant complaints and criticisms of the club's training regime and facilities, as well as the town itself, despite being the highest paid footballer in the Premiership at the time.[14] Whilst at the club, he resided in the local small North Yorkshire village ofHutton Rudby,[15] where Middlesbrough football associates, such asPaul Merson,Gordon McQueen and several other notable individuals have had residences.
After Middlesbrough's relegation, Ravanelli moved toMarseille.[16] In the1998–99 season, Marseille finished in second place in theFrench Division 1, one point behindBordeaux. The following season l'OM competed in the1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, with Ravanelli scoring once againstSturm Graz at theStade Vélodrome.
In December 1999, Ravanelli returned to Italy to sign forLazio.[17] Ravanelli won his secondScudetto as Lazio ended the1999–2000 season as champions, also winning theCoppa Italia, and theSupercoppa Italiana.[16]
In July 2001, Ravanelli joinedDerby County on a free transfer,[18] signing a two-year deal,[19] but could not save the club from relegation in 2002.[20] Due to Derby's financial problems, they had to defer his wage payments which they paid for several years.[18]
He then joinedDundee,[21] following the end of his Derby contract, but was sacked after the club released all of their top earners.[22] The only game in which Ravanelli scored for Dundee was againstClyde in a League Cup match, when he scored a hat-trick.[23]
After the experience in Scotland, he returned to Italy to finish his career with his hometown club Perugia, with whom he had also started his professional career,[24] with the aim of trying to save the club from relegation.
Ravanelli earned 22 caps for theItaly national team between 1995 and 1999, under managersArrigo Sacchi,Cesare Maldini, andDino Zoff, scoring eight goals.[25] He made his international debut under Sacchi on 25 March 1995, in a 4–1 home victory overEstonia, in anUEFA Euro 1996 qualifying fixture in Salerno, also scoring his first international goal during the match.[16][25][26] He was a member of the Italian squad that took part atUEFA Euro 1996,[27] and made two appearances throughout the tournament, which came in Italy's opening two group matches, a 2–1 win overRussia,[28] and a 2–1 loss against theCzech Republic,[29] as Italy were eliminated in the first round.[30] He missed out on a spot at the1998 FIFA World Cup, however, as strikerEnrico Chiesa was selected by Maldini in his place.[31]
Ravanelli was a quick, dynamic, physically strong, and hardworking left-footedstriker, with notable temperament, who was known for his eye for goal, as well as his energy and defensive contribution off the ball, which often saw him drop back into deeper positions in order to help his team win back possession. Although he was initially not the most naturally talented or skilful player, he was able to improve his technique and movement significantly during his time with Juventus, where he established himself as a top striker.
A prolific goalscorer, who was good in the air, and who possessed a powerful and accurate shot, in addition to his ability to score goals, Ravanelli was also capable of playing off his teammates, due to his link-up play, which, combined with his other skills, made him a complete forward. This also enabled him to play in a supporting role, as asecond striker or even as awinger, positions in which he often utilised his ability in the air to get on the end of high balls and create chances for other strikers by providing them with headed assists from knockdowns.[3][16][32][33]
Ravanelli'ssignature goal celebration involved him pulling his shirt over his head and running around the field.[34] He was therefore a strong opposer of the newFIFA regulation, which impeded players from removing their shirts during post goal-celebrations, and which punished any violators with a yellow card.[35]
Ravanelli started his coaching career with theJuventus youth team. He joined the club's coaching staff in July 2011 and remained there until 2013.[36][37]
On 8 June 2013, Ravanelli signed a two-year contract as the new head coach ofLigue 1 clubAjaccio.
On 2 November 2013, he was sacked from his post after his club had suffered its fifth consecutive Ligue 1 defeat (this time losing 3–1 at home againstValenciennes) on the same day that left them in 19th (second from bottom) position (one win, four draws and seven defeats in 12 Ligue 1 matches) in the Ligue 1 standings. "It is not an easy decision (to sack Ravanelli) for a number of reasons. I really appreciated Fabrizio Ravanelli, I really wanted it to work. I do not remember seeing a staff work that much, from morning till night without stopping. You know what football is like. If things are not going well, the only solution is to change the staff," said Alain Orsoni, the president of Ajaccio.[38][39]
On 22 June 2018, Ravanelli signed contract withUkrainian Premier League clubArsenal Kyiv.[40] On 22 September 2018, Ravanelli resigned after the string of unsuccessful results.[41]
Following his retirement, Ravanelli also worked as a football pundit forSky Italia,Fox Sports andMediaset.[42]
It has been mistakenly reported in some sources thatLuca Ravanelli, a defender, is Fabrizio's son. According to Luca, he is not.[43]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Perugia | 1986–87 | Serie C2 | 26 | 5 | – | – | – | 26 | 5 | |||||
| 1987–88 | Serie C2 | 32 | 23 | – | – | – | 32 | 23 | ||||||
| 1988–89 | Serie B | 32 | 13 | – | – | – | 32 | 13 | ||||||
| Total | 90 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 41 | ||||
| Avellino | 1989–90 | Serie B | 7 | 0 | – | – | – | 7 | 0 | |||||
| Casertana | 1989–90 | Serie C1 | 27 | 12 | – | – | – | 27 | 12 | |||||
| Reggiana | 1990–91 | Serie B | 34 | 16 | – | – | – | 34 | 16 | |||||
| 1991–92 | Serie B | 32 | 8 | – | – | – | 32 | 8 | ||||||
| Total | 66 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 24 | ||||
| Juventus | 1992–93 | Serie A | 22 | 5 | 3 | 1 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 33 | 9 | ||
| 1993–94 | Serie A | 30 | 9 | 2 | 0 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 38 | 12 | |||
| 1994–95 | Serie A | 33 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9 | – | 53 | 30 | ||
| 1995–96 | Serie A | 26 | 12 | 2 | 1 | – | 7 | 5 | – | 36 | 18 | |||
| Total | 111 | 41 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 159 | 69 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 1996–97 | Premier League | 33 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | – | – | 48 | 31 | ||
| 1997–98 | First Division | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 1 | |||
| Total | 35 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 32 | ||
| Marseille | 1997–98 | Ligue 1 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 9 | ||
| 1998–99 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | – | 38 | 15 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Ligue 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | 18 | 7 | ||
| Total | 64 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 31 | ||
| Lazio | 1999–2000 | Serie A | 16 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 | 4 | |
| 2000–01 | Serie A | 11 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | – | 21 | 6 | ||
| Total | 27 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 | ||
| Derby County | 2001–02 | Premier League | 31 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 34 | 11 | ||
| 2002–03 | First Division | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 5 | |||
| Total | 50 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 16 | ||
| Dundee | 2003–04 | Scottish Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 6 | 3 | ||
| Perugia | 2003–04 | Serie A | 15 | 6 | 2 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 18 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | Serie B | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | 27 | 3 | ||
| Total | 39 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 9 | ||
| Career total | 521 | 190 | 37 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 50 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 626 | 247 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1995 | 6 | 4 |
| 1996 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 8 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 March 1995 | Stadio Arechi,Salerno, Italy |  Estonia | 4–1 | 4–1 | Euro 1996 qualifier |
| 2 | 6 September 1995 | Stadio Friuli,Udine, Italy |  Slovenia | 1–0 | 1–0 | Euro 1996 qualifier |
| 3 | 11 November 1995 | Stadio San Nicola,Bari, Italy |  Ukraine | 1–1 | 3–1 | Euro 1996 qualifier |
| 4 | 2–1 | |||||
| 5 | 24 January 1996 | Stadio Libero Liberati,Terni, Italy |  Wales | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 5 October 1996 | Stadionul Republican,Chişinău, Moldova |  Moldova | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1998 World Cup qualifier |
| 7 | 3–1 | |||||
| 8 | 9 October 1996 | Stadio Renato Curi,Perugia, Italy |  Georgia | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1998 World Cup qualifier |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Ajaccio |  | 8 June 2013 | 2 November 2013 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 19 | −11 | 007.69 |
| Arsenal Kyiv | | 22 June 2018 | 22 September 2018 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 19 | −14 | 011.11 |
| Total | 22 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 38 | −25 | 009.09 | |||
Juventus[3]
Middlesbrough
Marseille
Individual
