Sebastian Giovinco (Italian pronunciation:[seˈbastjandʒoˈviŋko]; born 26 January 1987) is an Italian former professionalfootballer who played as aforward. A quick and creative player on the ball, Giovinco was a versatile attacker capable of playing in multiple offensive positions but mainly operating behind a lone striker as atrequartista.
At international level, Giovinco made his debut with theItaly senior side in 2011, and collected over 20 caps; he also took part atUEFA Euro 2012, where his side finished as runners-up, and at the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he won a bronze medal and scored his only international goal.
Giovinco was promoted to the first team during the2006–07 season and also played his last season in thePrimavera squad. His professional debut came on 12 May 2007, in theSerie B match againstBologna; he came on as a substitute in place ofRaffaele Palladino, and marked his first appearance with an assist forDavid Trezeguet's tap-in.[9] Since then, he had been tipped to beAlessandro Del Piero's heir in the creative number 10 role behind the main striker, known as thetrequartista,rifinitore, orfantasista, in Italian.[10][11] Juventus won the Serie B title that season, earning promotion to Serie A the following season.[12]
On 4 July 2007, Giovinco was loaned out toEmpoli.[13] He made his Serie A debut on 26 August, coming on as a substitute againstFiorentina.[14] Giovinco scored his first Serie A goal on 30 September againstPalermo in a 3–1 win.[15] He made his European debut in theUEFA Cup on 4 October againstZürich.[16] Giovinco finished hisfirst season in Serie A with 6 goals in 35 appearances, and was given theLeone d’Argento award, by the club. Despite Giovinco's promising performances, Empoli were unable to avoid relegation, and he returned to Juventus at the end of the season.[7]
On 26 June 2008, Giovinco officially returned to Juventus.[17] Giovinco played his firstSerie A match for Juventus on 24 September, againstCatania, before assisting both goals forVincenzo Iaquinta in the 2–2 draw withBATE Borisov in theChampions League on 30 September, his first start for the club.[18] On 7 December, he scored his first goal for Juventus, a free kick againstLecce in a 2–1 win.[19] In October 2008, he signed a contract extension, tying him to Juventus until the summer of 2013.[5] Despite a promising start, Giovinco did not play regularly and made sporadic appearances throughout the season, both in the starting eleven and off the bench, as he struggled to fit intoClaudio Ranieri's preferred 4–4–2 formation, and was often used out of position on the left wing. However, he did earn praise in the media for theMan of the match performance that he produced when he was started in Juventus's home fixture in Serie A against Bologna on 14 March 2009, in which he first set-up a goal from a corner and later scored another from a half-volley to help Juventus come from behind to win the match 4–1.[20] He eventually finished the season with 3 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, 2 of which came from 19 Serie A appearances.[21]
The following season, when the club's new manager,Ciro Ferrara, was forced into a tactical switch due to injuries to first choice midfielders,Mauro Camoranesi and Claudio Marchisio, Giovinco was variously inserted into the starting line-up; he helped Juventus to a 5–1 defeat ofSampdoria in only his fourth start of the season.[22] Under the following manager,Alberto Zaccheroni, he was hardly featured.[23] In April, he sustained a training ground injury and was ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing tests.[24]
On 5 August 2010,Parma announced the signing of Giovinco on loan from Juventus, with an option to buy half of the player's transfer rights at the end of the season.[25][26] He made his Parma debut againstBrescia in a 2–0 win on 29 August.[27][28] He scored his first goal for Parma on 12 September 2010, a free kick in a 2–1 loss to Catania.[29] An impressive start to the season earned Giovinco a call up to represent theItaly national team.[30] On 6 January 2011, Giovinco scored two goals for Parma in a 4–1 win against his parent club, Juventus.[31] After initially struggling to settle-in at Parma, he refound his form towards the end of the season and made his break-through with the club, finishing hisfirst season at the club with 7 goals in 30 appearances in the league.[32][33] At the end of the season, on 22 June 2011, Parma exercised the option to buy half of Giovinco's contract for a fee of €3 million.[34]
On 11 September, the first match of the2011–12 season, Giovinco scored against Juventus once again, where he found the net from a penalty in a 4–1 away defeat.[35] On 6 May, he scored a volley from 30 yards out againstSiena in the penultimate match of the season, which ended in a 2–0 away win.[36] In his second season with Parma, Giovinco finished as the club's leading goalscorer (15) and assist provider (11) in Serie A, helping the team to an eighth-place finish in the league; in total, he made 70 appearances during his two seasons with the club, scoring 23 goals, and providing 22 assists.[32][37][38]
Giovinco (bottom right) playing for Juventus in the 2012–13 season
On 21 June 2012,Juventus announced that it had purchased the other half of Giovinco's transfer rights from Parma for €11 million, tying him to the Turin club until 30 June 2015.[39] Although he had stated that he would have been pleased to wear thenumber 10 shirt, which was vacated after Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero left the club, Giovinco was handed the number 12 jersey under managerAntonio Conte.[40] On 11 August 2012, Giovinco won his first title with Juventus, helping the team to defeatNapoli 4–2 in the2012 Supercoppa Italiana.[41] Giovinco started in the first league match of the2012–13 season against his former club, Parma; Juventus won the match 2–0, although Giovinco suffered a minor injury two minutes from the end of the game.[42] In the following league match against Udinese on 2 September, Giovinco scored two goals and won a penalty, which was converted by Chilean teammateArturo Vidal, as Juventus went on to defeat theFriuli team 4–1 inUdine.[43]
Giovinco scored his first careerUEFA Champions League goal againstFC Nordsjælland on 7 November, a match which Juventus won 4–0 atJuventus Stadium.[44] He scored the third goal as Juventus beatdefending championsChelsea 3–0 at home,[45] and also contributed to Juventus' 1–0 away win againstShakhtar Donetsk, which allowed Juventus to top theirgroup undefeated and advance to the knockout stages for first time since the2008–09 tournament.[46] On 1 December, Giovinco scored his fifth league goal of the season in theDerby della Mole againstTorino, also recording an assist on one of Claudio Marchisio's two goals in a 3–0 victory at home.[47]Giovinco scored the only goal of the match in aCoppa Italia 1–0 win againstCagliari, allowing Juventus to progress to the quarter-finals of thecompetition; coincidentally, Giovinco (who was wearing the number 12 shirt for Juventus at the time) scored in the 12th minute of the second half of the match, which took place on 12 December 2012 (12/12/12), while the goal was also his twelfth for the club.[48] Juventus eventually managed to retain their Serie A title that season, with Giovinco managing 7 goals in the league, and 11 in total in all competitions, as Juventus reached the quarter-finals of the2012–13 UEFA Champions League, and the semi-finals of the 2012–13 Coppa Italia, only to lose out to the winners of the respective competitions,Bayern Munich andLazio.[49]
Giovinco missed out on Juventus's2013 Supercoppa Italiana victory, and he initially went scoreless in the2013–14 season until finally netting a notable goal in a 3–2 win over rivals Milan on 6 October 2013.[50] Giovinco fell out of form again and struggled to gain playing time, but he managed to break his goal drought on 14 April 2014, with a goal against Udinese, taking the ball past a defender and scoring with a left footedcurling shot from outside the box.[51][52] Overall, Giovinco managed 2 goals in 17 Serie A appearances that season, and one goal in theCoppa Italia, as Juventus won their third consecutive Serie A title.[21] During the2014–15 season underMassimiliano Allegri, Giovinco scored two goals in a 6–1 win overHellas Verona in theCoppa Italia, on 15 January 2015, helping Juventus to the quarter-finals of the competition; both of his goals came in the first half, with the first coming from a free kick, and the second in injury time.[53]
On 19 January 2015, Giovinco signed withCanadian teamToronto FC ofMajor League Soccer (MLS).[54] He was set to join the team upon the completion of the Serie A season in July 2015. He signed a five-year contract with a reported annual salary of $7 million, making him the highest paid player in MLS ahead ofOrlando City SC'sKaká,[55] and the highest paid Italian player in all leagues.[56] On 2 February, Juventus announced that Giovinco had left the club five months earlier than originally expected in order to kick-start his career in MLS with Toronto FC.[57] Giovinco made hisdebut for Toronto FC againstVancouver Whitecaps FC on 7 March.[58] He provided an assist forJozy Altidore's equalising goal in the 32nd minute. He scored his first goal for Toronto FC on 4 April, in a 3–2 loss toChicago Fire, also later setting upBenoît Cheyrou's goal.[59] On 13 May, Giovinco scored and assisted a goal in a 3–2 home win overMontreal Impact in the return leg of the2015 Canadian Championship semi-finals, although Montreal progressed to the final on away goals, having won the home leg 1–0.[60] After setting up two goals in TFC's 3–1 home win overSan José on 30 May, Giovinco was votedMajor League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters, for week 13 of the2015 MLS season.[61] Following his two goals in Toronto FC's 2–1 away win overD.C. United, he was named MLS Player of the Week for a second consecutive time the following week.[62]
On 12 July 2015, Giovinco achieved Toronto FC's first everhat-trick in MLS play against New York City FC in a 4–4 draw atYankee Stadium, and set up the fourth goal during the match, also missing a penalty. It was also the third fastest hat trick scored in the league's history at 9 minutes.[63] Following the match, he received the player of the week award for the third time in the 2015 MLS season.[64] After scoring and assisting in a 2–1 home win overPhiladelphia Union on 18 July 2015,[65] Giovinco was one of the 22 players to be named to the2015 MLS All-Star Game roster,[66] although he was later ruled out of the match due to injury, and replaced by his teammate Altidore.[67] On 5 August 2015, Giovinco scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 home win over Orlando City to bring him to the top of the MLS scoring tables with 16 goals, also breaking the club's single-season record of 15 goals set in2010 byDwayne De Rosario in the process.[68] On 6 August 2015, he was named theEtihad Airways MLS Player of the Month for July 2015.[69] On 14 August 2015, Giovinco's free kick goal against Orlando City was awarded the MLS Goal of the Week Award.[70] On 29 August 2015, he was substituted in the 51st minute in a 2–1 win over Montreal Impact due to an adductor strain; although it was reported that the injury was not serious, he was ruled out indefinitely.[71] On 3 September 2015, he was named theMLS Player of the Month for August, winning the award for a second consecutive time.[72] He returned to the starting line-up in a 3–1 home defeat to theNew England Revolution ten days later.[73]
On 26 September, Giovinco broke theMLS record for most combined goals and assists in a single season, previously held byChris Wondolowski, with his 15th and 16th assists of the season in a 3–2 home win overChicago, bringing his total tally to 35.[74] Upon review the following day,Jonathan Osorio's goal from a Giovinco "cross" was later credited as Giovinco's goal by the MLS, which meant that he broke another record, by becoming the first player to manage at least 20 goals and 10 assists in a single MLS season, as his 16th assist was changed to his 20th goal.[75]
On 14 October, after coming off the bench, he scored the decisive goal in a 2–1 home win overNew York Red Bulls, when he started a dribbling run past several players on the left flank, which culminated in a left-footed strike just inside the area; the win allowed Toronto FC to qualify for the MLS playoffs for the first time in their history.[76] This goal was later nominated as a finalist for theMLS Goal of the Year Award, but was beaten out byKrisztián Németh.[77] Several pundits praised his performances, expressing the opinion that this goal was the best goal of the season, and the greatest in Toronto FC's club history.[78] The pundits also praised Giovinco as arguably not only one of the top players of the current MLS season,[79] but also already as one of the greatest players in MLS history.[80] Giovinco had just returned from international duty earlier that day, having appeared forItaly the day before in aEuro 2016 qualifying match inRome.[76] On 25 October 2015, Giovinco assisted Altidore in a 2–1 away defeat to Montreal in the final match of the regular season, ending the regular season with 22 goals and 16 assists,[81] which allowed him to win the 2015 AudiMLS Golden Boot as both the joint top-scorer (alongsideKei Kamara) and the top-assist provider of the league in his first year with the club, with a record 38 combined goals and assists;[82][83] as a result, he became the first MLS player ever to win both the top scorer and the top assist provider awards in the same season, as well as the first Italian and Toronto FC player to win these awards.[84] In the playoffs, Toronto FC were eliminated in the knock-out round, following a 3–0 away defeat to domestic rivals Montreal Impact on 29 October.[85] In November 2015, Giovinco was named one of the three finalists for both the 2015MLS Newcomer of the Year Award and the 2015MLS MVP Award,[86] winning both awards on 23 November and 2 December respectively,[87][88] while three days before the latter, on 29 November, he was named to theMLS Best XI.[89] On 30 December, Giovinco was named the "Transaction of the Year" by MLS.[90]
2016 season: Canadian Championship and first MLS Cup appearance
Giovinco started off hissecond season with an 82nd-minute penalty in a 2–0 away win overSupporters' Shield holders New York Red Bulls, on 6 March; he later also set upMarky Delgado's goal in added time.[91] On 16 April, he scored the then-fastest goal inToronto FC history at 57 seconds in a 1–0 away win overD.C. United, surpassing the previous record holderReggie Lambe's by one minute and 50 seconds set in 2012.[92][93] A week later, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win away to theMontreal Impact in the401 Derby;[94] with these goals, he equalled De Rosario as theclub's all-time top scorer in the MLS with 28 goals in 40 appearances.[95] Giovinco was named to theTeam of the Week for his performances.[96] On 7 May, Toronto's home opener, he set up rookieTsubasa Endoh for his first ever MLS goal in a 1–0 win overFC Dallas, at the newly renovatedBMO Field.[97] On 14 May, Giovinco overtook De Rosario as the club's outright all-time top scorer in the MLS, scoring two goals and setting up another in a 4–3 home defeat to Canadian rivals Vancouver.[98] On 29 June, Giovinco helped Toronto FC win theCanadian Championship over Vancouver 2–2 on aggregate, winning onaway goals, as he scored the only goal in the first leg on 21 June.[99] On 14 July, he won the 2016Best MLS Player ESPY Award.[100] In July 2016, Giovinco was included in the roster for the2016 MLS All-Star Game.[101]
After an eight-game goal drought, Giovinco scored a hat-trick against D.C. United, on 23 July, in a 4–1 home win, also surpassing De Rosario's previous all-time record as Toronto FC's top scorer by two goals to 35 goals.[102] With two goals from free kicks during the match, including his seventh in the MLS, he brokeDavid Beckham's record for most goals from set-pieces in the league since 2010.[103] He was named to the Team of the Week once again for his performances,[104] and was also named MLS Player of the Week for the first time that season.[105] On 27 August, Giovinco was brought off the field after the later diagnosis of strains in his quadriceps and adductor in the eventual 1–0 loss in the 401 Derby with Montreal at home;[106] although he was initially expected to be sidelined for a month, the injury was more severe than expected, and he ended up missing seven weeks of play. He finally returned to action on 16 October, against Montreal once again, helping to set up Toronto FC's equaliser in a 2–2 away draw.[107] On 26 October, Giovinco scored the opening goal of a 3–1 home win over Philadelphia, both his and Toronto FC's first MLS Playoff goal in theMLS Cup Playoffs, and was later involved in his team's next two goals; this was Toronto FC's first ever playoff win, which enabled the team to progress to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals for the first time.[108] On 6 November in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, Giovinco scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 away win over New York City FC, 7–0 on aggregate, to progress to the Eastern Conference Finals in an all Canadian derby against Montreal Impact.[109] In the first leg of the Eastern Conference Final on 22 November, Giovinco set up Jozy Altidore's goal in a 3–2 away loss to Montreal.[110] Toronto FC later beat Montreal Impact 5–2 in extra time in the return leg at home on 30 November, as Giovinco once again set up Altidore's goal, winning on an aggregated score of 7–5, making Toronto FC the first Canadian team to compete in anMLS Cup Final;[111] although he was forced off in the 97th minute due to cramp in his calf, he was later declared fit to play againstSeattle Sounders FC in the2016 MLS Cup Final.[112][113] On 5 December, he was named to the MLS Best XI for the second season in a row, despite being left off the finalists list for the MLS MVP.[114]
In the 2016 MLS Cup Final against Seattle, held at BMO Field on 10 December, Giovinco's performance was largely stifled by Seattle's heavy and aggressive defending, despite initially creating an early goalscoring chance for Altidore; throughout the match, he was fouled a total of six times and had several shots blocked. A scoring opportunity came in the 48th minute, but his shot was skewed wide of the near post. He was eventually substituted forTosaint Ricketts in the 103rd minute, due to an apparent injury, and consequently, despite being the club's main penalty kick taker, was not used in the resulting shoot-out, which Toronto FC lost 5–4, following a 0–0 draw after extra-time.[115] Regarding Giovinco's substitution, coachGreg Vanney stated in the post-match press conference: "He couldn't move. He looked at me. It's not like I take him off because I want to. I look at him and he gives me the sign that he can’t go any more and when he feels like he can’t go, he feels like he’s more of a liability to the group than anything. That’s the decision. It's not one that I generally want to make, but we had to."[116][117][118]
The arrival of Spanish playmakerVictor Vázquez in midfield at the beginning of the 2017 season saw less responsibility placed on Giovinco andcaptainMichael Bradley to create Toronto FC's goalscoring opportunities, and this in turn freed up the Italian, enabling him to focus more on his attacking game.[119] Coach Greg Vanney also switched tactics from a4–4–2diamond to a3–5–2 formation, benefiting Giovinco's and Altidore's attacking partnership by allowing them to play closer together, and with Vázquez supporting them as the team's main creator, the attacking duo began to demonstrate a deeper understanding and an increased awareness of each other's movements, which improved their link-up play, and saw an increase in Altidore's goalscoring output throughout the season.[119][120][121] Giovinco scored his first goal of theseason in a 2–2 home draw to expansion teamAtlanta United FC, on 8 April 2017.[122] On 27 June, Giovinco scored both goals in a 2–1 home win over Montreal in the2017 Canadian Championship final second leg – edging Montreal 3–2 on aggregate; he also won theGeorge Gross Memorial Trophy for the most valuable player of the tournament.[123] On 30 July, Giovinco scored two goals and set up another in a 4–0 home win over New York City FC; his second goal of the match, which came from a free kick, was his 50th MLS goal, and his record-breaking 10th MLS goal from a free kick.[124][125][126] While Giovinco was ruled out on injury, Toronto FC won theSupporters' Shield for most points in the league that season, following a 4–2 home win over New York Red Bulls on 30 September.[127] In Toronto FC's last match of the regular season on 22 October, Giovinco scored from a free kick on his 100th appearance for the club in a 2–2 away draw to Atlanta; in doing so, Toronto FC broke the MLS regular season point record of 68 points, set byLA Galaxy in 1998, by one point.[128] The goal was also Giovinco's sixth free kick goal of the season, which set the record for most free kicks scored in an MLS regular-season.[129] On 30 October, in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals in the2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, Giovinco scored the match-winning goal from a free kick in a 2–1 away win over New York Red Bulls.[130] Giovinco was subsequently included among the finalists for the 2017 MLS MVP award, after being omitted from the list of finalists for the award the previous season.[131] On 5 November, in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, Giovinco received a booking for dissent in the 80th minute, causing his suspension for the Conference Finals as he also received a yellow in the first leg; Toronto FC lost the match 1–0 at home, but still advanced to the next round on away goals.[132] Giovinco returned to action in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Finals againstColumbus Crew on 29 November, at BMO field; he was involved in the only goal of the match, scored by Altidore, which saw Toronto win the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year, and earn a place in the2017 MLS Cup Final.[133][134] On 30 November, Giovinco was named to the MLS Best XI for the third season in a row.[135] On 9 December, in a rematch of the previous year's final at BMO field, Toronto defeated Seattle 2–0 in the2017 MLS Cup, and became the first MLS team to complete adomestic treble with their victory, as well as the first Canadian team to win the MLS Cup; Giovinco was involved in both goals, and gave the final pass to goalscorer Altidore for the opener.[136][137]
2018 season: Third Canadian Championship, Champions League Final and MLS struggles
On 20 February 2018, Giovinco opened theseason with his first appearance in theCONCACAF Champions League, the first leg of a round of 16 match-up away to theColorado Rapids, where he set up Jonathan Osorio's opening goal before later adding one himself for a 2–0 win.[138] On 7 March, in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals, Giovinco set up Jonathan Osorio in the last minute of regulation time to give Toronto FC a 2–1 home win against Mexican sideTigres UANL.[139] In the second leg, held on 13 March, Giovinco was involved in both of his team's goals in an eventual 3–2 away defeat, helping to create an own goal and later scoring another himself from a free kick; the result enabled Toronto FC to progress to the semi-finals of the competition for only the second time in their history, on away goals, following a 4–4 draw on aggregate.[140] On 3 April, Giovinco scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in a 3–1 home win overClub América in the first leg of the semi-final,[141] later setting up Toronto FC's goal in the 1–1 away draw at theEstadio Azteca in the second leg on 10 April, to advance 4–2 on aggregate to the finals.[142] After a 2–1 home loss toGuadalajara on 17 April in the first leg of the finals, Giovinco scored the aggregate-equalising goal in 2–1 away win to Guadalajara in the return leg on 25 April, which took the match straight to penalty shoot-out; Giovinco scored Toronto FC's first penalty but eventually lost theChampions League final 4–2 in a penalty shoot-out.[143] Giovinco won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player; he was directly involved in 11 of the 13 goals that Toronto FC scored in the competition, and notched four goals and three assists in eight appearances, which also made him the joint top-scorer of the tournament alongside teammate and Golden Boot winner Jonathan Osorio.[144][145][146] On 16 May, Giovinco was fined an undisclosed amount by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for failing to leave the field in a timely and orderly manner after receiving a red card in a league loss away to the New England Revolution on 12 May.[147] On 15 August, Giovinco scored a goal and assisted two more in a 5–2 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps to win the2018 Canadian Championship 7–4 on aggregate.[148][149] Reigning MLS Cup champions Toronto FC failed to qualify for the playoffs after a 2–1 home loss against the Vancouver Whitecaps on 6 October 2018, with three games left to play in the season.[150] Giovinco finished the 2018 MLS campaign with a goal in a 4–1 home win over Atlanta in the final match of the regular season on 28 October.[151]
After negotiations with Toronto fell through during the off-season, on 30 January 2019, Giovinco bid the club farewell with a post onInstagram:
"As I have always maintained, I was hoping to renew my contract and finish my playing career in a city that feels like home... Unfortunately, this desire of ours has clashed with a change in direction with current TFC management. For the two years I have been seeking to extend my contract however management was reluctant... They may say I left for a more lucrative deal, but this is not the case... After having grown the brand and elevating the overall reputation of TFC both at home and abroad, it seems I no longer serve a purpose. I would have accepted less to stay in Toronto. Therefore, I reluctantly announce that my tenure as a TFC player has come to an end... With me I bring beautiful memories. Toronto – the 6ix – you are and will always remain in my heart. Thank you for everything you have taught me about myself and about life. I love you Toronto!"
— Giovinco on his time as a Toronto FC player[152][153]
On 17 September, he scored in a 3–1 home win overAl-Ittihad, which enabled Al Hilal to progress to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.[159] On 1 October, in the first leg of the semi-finals of the competition, he assistedAli Al-Bulaihi's goal in a 4–1 away win overAl Sadd.[160] In the second leg, on 22 October, he set upBafétimbi Gomis's goal in a 4–2 home defeat, which saw Al Hilal advance to thefinal of the competition 6–5 on aggregate.[161][162] In the second leg of the2019 AFC Champions League Final on 24 November, Giovinco assistedSalem Al-Dawsari's opening goal in an eventual 2–0 away win overUrawa Red Diamonds, which saw Al Hilal win the title with a 3–0 aggregate victory; the title also allowed the team to qualify for the2019 FIFA Club World Cup.[163] Giovinco started in the FIFA Club World Cup third-place play-off againstMonterrey on 21 December; following a 2–2 draw after regulation time, he scored Al Hilal's second spot kick in the resulting shoot-out, although the former side ultimately won the match 4–3 on penalties.[164]
In January 2022, Giovinco joined the training camp for former clubToronto FC.[165] However, on 8 February 2022, Giovinco signed withSampdoria, a short-term contract until the end of June, as a replacement for the injuredManolo Gabbiadini.[166][167]
Giovinco also played at the2008 Toulon Tournament, where he appeared in all five matches, and was voted the most valuable player of the competition, scoring two goals in the opening game against theIvory Coast,[170] and netting the winning penalty in the semi-final shoot-out againstJapan.[171] Italy ultimately won the competition, defeatingChile 1–0 in the final. That summer, Giovinco, alongside Juventus teammatesClaudio Marchisio andPaolo De Ceglie, were named in the Italy squad for the2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.[172] On 7 August 2008, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win againstHonduras in the first match of the competition, where he struck the ball from outside of the box with his weaker left foot;[173] Italy were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the competition, following a 3–2 loss toBelgium on 16 August.[174]
In the summer of 2009, Giovinco was called up to the under-21 side for theEuropean Championship in Sweden, after playing a part in their successful qualifying campaign.[175] Giovinco started in every single match at the tournament, but Italy lost to eventual winnersGermany 1–0 in a tightly contested semi-final.[176] Due to his performances throughout the European Championship,[177] he was named to theTeam of the Tournament, and was also included in the list of the top ten players of the competition.[178]
Senior debut, Euro 2012 and 2013 Confederations Cup
Giovinco was called up for international duty for the first time in nearly two years while on loan at Parma, earning his first senior call-up for Italy on 6 February 2011;[179] he made hisItaly senior team debut on 9 February, in afriendly match againstGermany inDortmund, which ended in a 1–1 draw, coming on as a second-half substitute forStefano Mauri.[180] In his second international appearance againstUkraine, Giovinco provided an assist from a back-heel forAlessandro Matri's goal as Italy won the match 2–0 inKyiv.[181] After some promising substitute appearances, managerCesare Prandelli stated that he would give Giovinco his full international debut as a starter alongsideAntonio Cassano,[182] which came later that year on 11 October, in a 3–0 home win overNorthern Ireland in aEuropean qualifier.[183]
Giovinco was named part of Italy's23-man squad forUEFA Euro 2012.[184][185] He appeared as a substitute in the two opening group matches of the tournament againstSpain andCroatia, almost assisting a goal against Spain in the opening match, as the earlier goalscorerAntonio Di Natale put his lobbed pass over the bar.[186][187] Italy finished as runners-up of the tournament after losing 4–0 to Spain in thefinal.[188]
Giovinco started in the first game of Italy's2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign againstBulgaria inSofia, wearing the number 10 jersey;[189] the match ended in a 2–2 draw.[190] He scored his first goal for Italy in their2013 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage match againstJapan, wearing the number 10 shirt; in addition to scoring the match-winning goal, he also helped to win a penalty, which was converted byMario Balotelli, and thus ensured a 4–3 win, which allowed Italy to progress to the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in their history.[191][192] In the semi-finals, Giovinco came on during the second half of extra time; the match ended 0–0 and went to penalties as Giovinco netted his spot kick for Italy, however, Spain won 7–6 due toLeonardo Bonucci's miss.[193] Italy subsequently won the bronze medal match againstUruguay, also on penalties, after the match had ended 2–2 after extra time.[194] Due to the lack of playing time during the 2013–14 season, Giovinco missed out on the2014 World Cup and was not named in the provisional nor the final squad.[195]
In October 2014, Giovinco was called up by the new Italy manager, and his former Juventus manager, Antonio Conte, for anUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match againstAzerbaijan in Palermo, which Italy won 2–1 on 10 October.[196] Giovinco came on during the second half, and he helped set upGiorgio Chiellini's second, match-winning goal, also hitting the cross-bar towards the end of the match, from a strike outside the area, after an individual dribbling run.[197]
Following his strong performances for MLS side Toronto FC, Giovinco was called up to the national team once again in August 2015 for Italy's Euro 2016 qualifying matches againstMalta and Bulgaria in September, and was set to become the first MLS player to represent Italy.[198] He was ultimately ruled out of both matches after sustaining an adductor injury againstMontreal Impact,[199] andNew York City FC'sAndrea Pirlo became the first MLS player to play for Italy, during the same qualifiers.[200] In October 2015, he was called up in the Italy national team for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers against Azerbaijan andNorway on 10 and 13 October.[201] He made a substitute appearance in Italy's 3–1 away win over Azerbaijan, which guaranteed the Italians a place atEuro 2016; he came on in the 79th minute and later hit the cross-bar from a free kick after being fouled byBadavi Guseynov, who was subsequently sent off.[202] On 13 October, he came off of the bench once again and was involved in both goals as Italy came from behind to defeat Norway 2–1 in Rome, and top their group.[203]
On 23 May 2016, Giovinco, along with fellow MLS compatriot Pirlo, was left off of Conte's 30-player shortlist for Italy's Euro 2016 squad. Regarding their omission, Conte commented in a press conference, "When you make a certain choice and go to play in certain leagues, you do so taking it into account that they could pay the consequences from a footballing viewpoint".[204] In response to his omission, Giovinco stated, "I was upset. I need to keep improving so I can find my place back on the national team; I've said before, the league is continuing to grow and it's a beautiful league."[205]
Under Conte's successor,Gian Piero Ventura, Giovinco was once again omitted from Italy's team, both for the2018 World Cup qualifiers and for friendlies, in spite of his club form for Toronto FC in the MLS; when asked about the omissions of Giovinco andDomenico Criscito from his squad, Ventura commented: "Giovinco is a different story. I have done everything to help him but the reality is that he plays in a league [the MLS] that doesn't count for much, and the number of goals he scores is less important because with the quality he has got, he is bound to make a difference in that league. The problem is that if you play in that type of league, and you get used to playing in that type of league, it becomes a problem of mentality. Criscito, on the other hand, is a great player, I've seen him grow. The problem is that he has to fight to rediscover his spark and he needs that because he is just a little behind. The problem with Giovinco is the same. How long would it take to get him to show that spark?"[206] Italy failed to qualify for theWorld Cup for the first time in60 years, with Giovinco's agent claiming that the team should have selected him.[207]
On 5 October 2018, Giovinco was called up, for the first time in three years, by new managerRoberto Mancini for a friendly match on 10 October againstUkraine and aUEFA Nations League match againstPoland on 14 October, however, he was an unused substitute for both matches.[208]
Giovinco was a small, quick, technically gifted, and agile player, with noteddribbling skills, balance, acceleration, and excellent ball control;[7][210] these characteristics allowed him to beat opponents, hold up the ball with his back to goal or in tight spaces, and create space for teammates, despite his lack of strong physical attributes.[211][212][213][214][215] Capable of scoring goals, he was also adept atcreating chances for his teammates, possessing good link-up along with notableplaymaking skills, and was known for his vision, creativity, and passing and striking ability with either foot, despite being naturally right footed.[216][7][217] Furthermore, he was highly regarded for his ability tobend the ball, as well as his accuracy and ball delivery fromfree kicks, and was considered to be a set piece specialist in the media, as many of his goals had come from dead ball situations;[7][215][218][219] he was also effective at scoring frompenalties.[220][221]
Due to his short stature, dynamic abilities and pace, Giovinco acquired the nicknameformica atomica ("atomic ant", after the eponymousHanna-Barbera character) in his youth.[7] A versatile attacker, Giovinco was capable of playing in several offensive positions, and was usually deployed in a free role as asecond striker, behind or off of another forward, although was able to play as awinger, on either flank, or in a deeper playmaking role in the centre of the pitch, as a creativeattacking midfielder.[216][7][213][217][222][223] He was also sometimes used in a more offensive,central role, as a mainstriker, or even as afalse 9.[224][225][226]
Although Giovinco was considered to be one of the most promising and talented upcoming players in Italian football in his youth, he was initially criticised in the Italian media for failing to live up to his potential, in particular after moving to the MLS in the prime years of his career; several of his club's managers also left him out of the first team due to his diminutive size, as they felt he was too small and light to succeed at the highest levels of European football against more physical defenders.[227][228][229][230] Regarding the impact of his transfer to Toronto FC in 2015, Adam Digby commented: "Sebastian Giovinco may not be the biggest star, but his signing represents a coup for both Toronto and MLS as a whole, one which could prove hugely beneficial for all concerned."[231] Indeed, several pundits, such as Joe Prince–Wright ofNBC Sports and Joe Tansey ofBleacher Report, believed that Giovinco's move could lead to more established players in European leagues moving to the MLS in their prime, while in the past, most of them had joined the league in their 30s, at the end of their careers.[232][233][234][235] In 2015, Giovinco was named one of the 100 best footballers in the world byThe Guardian,[236]FourFourTwo,[237] andL'Équipe.[238] In 2019, Josha Kloke ofThe Athletic described Giovinco as "the best player in franchise history," upon his departure from Toronto FC that year.[239] In 2020,Major League Soccer named him among the 25 greatest players in league history.[240]
In May 2013, Sebastian and his partner Sharj Milano celebrated the birth of their first child, Jacopo; the couple have been in a relationship since 2007.[241][242] Their daughter Alma was born in Toronto in August 2016.[243][244][245]
Giovinco has made Toronto his adopted home, having played for TFC. In 2022, Giovinco joined Juventus' Toronto Academy as part of their coaching staff.[247]
^"Juventus 4-1 Parma" (in Italian). Legaseriea.it. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved3 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Siena 0 - 2 Parma".Football-Italia.net. Football Italia. 6 May 2012.Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved3 November 2016.
^Laura Armstrong (9 December 2017)."Toronto FC captures MLS Cup".The Toronto Star.Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved10 December 2017.
^Riccardo Pratesi (11 May 2015)."Rossi salva una buona Italia in Germania finisce 1–1" [Rossi saves a promising Italy side in Germany it ends 1–1] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport.Archived from the original on 10 February 2011. Retrieved9 February 2011.
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