_48.jpg) Inzaghi withInter Milan in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Simone Inzaghi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1976-04-05)5 April 1976 (age 49) | ||
| Place of birth | Piacenza, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Hilal (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–1994 | Piacenza | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1999 | Piacenza | 30 | (15) |
| 1994–1995 | →Carpi (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | →Novara (loan) | 23 | (4) |
| 1996–1997 | →Lumezzane (loan) | 23 | (6) |
| 1997–1998 | →Brescello [it] (loan) | 21 | (10) |
| 1999–2010 | Lazio | 133 | (28) |
| 2005 | →Sampdoria (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | →Atalanta (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| Total | 263 | (63) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993–1994 | Italy U18 | 4 | (1) |
| 2000–2003 | Italy | 3 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016–2021 | Lazio | ||
| 2021–2025 | Inter Milan | ||
| 2025– | Al Hilal | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Simone Inzaghi (Italian pronunciation:[siˈmoːneinˈdzaːɡi];[2] born 5 April 1976) is an Italian professionalfootball manager and formerplayer who is currently the head coach ofSaudi Pro League clubAl-Hilal.[3] Nicknamed "Il demone di Piacenza" ("ThePiacenza Demon") because of his ability to find unexpected tactical solutions and his verbal and non-verbal coaching communication style,[4][5] Inzaghi is known for helping revive the3–5–2 tactical setup.[6][7]
Inzaghi began his playing career in 1994 withPiacenza but was loaned to several clubs, includingNovara andLumezzane, where he won back-to-backSerie C2 titles in 1996 and 1997. Inzaghi signed forLazio in 1999 and won oneSerie A title, threeCoppa Italia titles, oneSupercoppa Italiana, and oneUEFA Super Cup. He also played forSampdoria andAtalanta on loan before retiring in 2010. At international level, Inzaghi earned threecaps forItaly between 2000 and 2003.[8]
Inzaghi began his senior coaching career with Lazio in 2016, after previously being in charge of the club's youth teams from 2010, and won one Coppa Italia and two Supercoppas Italiana. Inzaghi joinedInter Milan in 2021 and won one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia titles, three consecutive Supercoppas Italiana, and reached theUEFA Champions League final in2023 and2025. He then signed with Al-Hilal in 2025.
Inzaghi started playing professionally in 1993 with hometown clubPiacenza, although he did not get to feature in any matches with the first team in that season. The following year, he was loaned out tothird division sideCarpi; his first goal arrived in 1995–96, whilst at the service ofNovara in thefourth level. After two more loan stints, atLumezzane andBrescello [it], Inzaghi returned to Piacenza for the1998–99 Serie A season, which would be his first in the top-flight of Italian football. He scored 15 goals in 30 matches and secured a transfer toLazio.
Despite stiff competition within a Lazio side packed with quality strikers such asMarcelo Salas andAlen Bokšić, the rotation policy of managerSven-Göran Eriksson ensured that Inzaghi would get playing time; he appeared in 22 out of 34 Serie A matches in Lazio's highly successful1999–2000 season scoring seven goals, as his team went on to complete the domesticDouble by winning both theScudetto and theCoppa Italia. In theChampions League, as Lazio progressed from both thefirst and thesecond group stages to reach the quarter-finals, Inzaghi scored nine goals in eleven games (includingfour in a single game againstMarseille on14 March 2000, equalling the competition record held byMarco van Basten since 1992).[9]
The following seasons were not as successful, but Inzaghi did help Lazio conquer anotherCoppa Italia, in2003–04; in September of that year, he extended his contract until June 2009.[10] Inzaghi spent the latter half of the2004–05 season withSampdoria, as part of a six-month player exchange withFabio Bazzani.[11] He returned to Lazio for the2005–06 campaign and stayed forthe following, with only 12 appearances combined.The following season, Inzaghi joinedAtalanta on loan.[12] Although he struggled to find his form early on, he managed to play in 19 league matches, mostly as a second-halfsubstitute, but did not find the net.
Inzaghi returned to Lazio in2008–09, despite not being in the plans of managerDelio Rossi.[13] A move away did not materialise and Inzaghi made his comeback in a 2–0Cup win over former team Atalanta;[14] the season would end with Lazio winning the Coppa Italia, Inzaghi's third triumph in this competition, although he did not get to play in thefinal.[15] In the Serie A, Inzaghi made his first league appearance of the season in October, coming from the bench and scoring an equaliser two minutes from time to rescue a point againstLecce, in a 1–1 home draw;[16] it was his first Serie A goal since September 2004, but he would only appear in 12 games over two years, choosing to retire in the summer of 2010 at the age of 34.
Inzaghi played three times forItaly, infriendly matches. His first appearance came underDino Zoff on 29 March 2000, in a 0–2 away loss againstSpain inBarcelona. Hecame on in the 60th minute forStefano Fiore, partnering his older brotherFilippo upfront;[17] he made two more appearances for his country underGiovanni Trapattoni, in a 1–0 win overEngland in Turin on 15 November later the same year[18] and in another 1–0 win againstRomania in Ancona, on 16 November 2003.[19]
Throughout his career, Inzaghi's playing style was compared to that of his older brother Filippo andPaolo Rossi. Although he was not particularly skillful from a technical standpoint, he was a tall and fast striker with a slender physique, who was mainly known for his eye for goal, ability to play on the edge of the offside trap and clinical finishing inside the penalty area, in particular from close range, due to his opportunism and positional sense.[20]
Following his retirement, Inzaghi remained with Lazio, managing itsAllievi and Primavera sides.[21][22] On 3 April 2016, he was appointed to the senior team on an interim basis following the sacking ofStefano Pioli.[23]
For the2016–17 season, Inzaghi was originally replaced byMarcelo Bielsa. However, as the Argentine left his post after less than one week due to undisclosed reasons, he was named as permanent manager.[24][25] He guided the team to fifth place in the domestic league as well as thefinal of the Italian Cup, lost toJuventus; on 7 June 2017, he renewed his contract until 2020.[26]
The2017–18 campaign started on a high note, as Laziodefeated Juventus in theSupercoppa Italiana with a 3–2 result.[27] They again finished fifth in Serie A, missing out onChampions League qualification on the final matchday after a 2–3 home loss toInternazionale.[28]
The2018–19 season saw the sidewin the domestic cup 2–0 overAtalanta, conquering their seventh title overall and automatically qualifying forthe group stage of theUEFA Europa League.[29]
On 22 December 2019, Inzaghi captured his secondSupercoppa Italiana title with Lazio, following a 3–1 victory over Juventus.[30]
In the2019–20 Serie A season, he led Lazio to finish fourth, which earned them the right to play in the2020–21 UEFA Champions League, for the first time since 2007–08. Lazio managed to reach the round of 16 in the 2020–21 Champions League.[31]
On 27 May 2021, following reports linking him as the next manager of Inter Milan, Lazio confirmed that Inzaghi had officially left the club.[32] On 3 June 2021, Inzaghi signed a two-year contract as coach of Inter.[33]
In his first season as Inter manager, Inzaghi won theSupercoppa Italiana on 12 January 2022 and theCoppa Italia on 11 May 2022, defeatingJuventus at the end of extra-time in both cases, respectively 2–1 atSan Siro and 4–2 atStadio Olimpico.[34][35] He finished theSerie A championship in second place, being the most prolific attacking side with 84 goals,[36] and the Champions League campaign in the round of sixteen, being eliminated byLiverpool with a 1–2 on aggregate (2–0 defeat atSan Siro and 1–0 win atAnfield).[37]
In his second season, despite an inconsistentSerie A campaign which sawNapoli stroll to the title, he did once again secure theSupercoppa Italiana and guided Inter to anotherCoppa Italia title. But, perhaps his most notable achievement was getting Inter into theChampions League Final for the first time in 13 years, after a memorableknock-out stage run which included a 3–0 aggregate victory over local rivalsA.C. Milan in thesemi-finals.[38] However, Inter lost 1–0 toManchester City in the final.[39] On 5 September 2023, Inzaghi extended his contract with Inter until 2025.[40]
On 15 January 2024, Inzaghi placed third in the2023Best FIFA Men's Coach award, behind winnerPep Guardiola and compatriotLuciano Spalletti.[41] On 22 April 2024, Inzaghi won the2023–24 Serie A with Inter after a 2–1 away win in theDerby della Madonnina.[42] On 6 May 2025, Inzaghi led Inter to its seventhChampions League final with his team defeatingBarcelona7–6 on aggregate, also making it his second Champions League final as a coach in three years.[43] Inter lost the2024–25 Serie A title on the final matchday, finishing one point behind Napoli,[44] and suffered a 5–0 defeat toParis Saint-Germain in theChampions League final.[45]
On 3 June 2025, Inzaghi left Inter by mutual consent.[46]
On 4 June 2025, Inzaghi was appointed as manager ofAl-Hilal, signing a two-year contract.[47] Inzaghi's first game in charge of Al-Hilal ended in a 1–1 draw withReal Madrid in theFIFA Club World Cup.[48] Inzaghi's first win in charge of Al-Hilal came in the third match of the group stage, a 2–0 win overPachuca which confirmed the clubs advancement to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.[49]
Inzaghi earned praise after leading Al-Hilal to a 4–3 extra time win over defending championsManchester City in theRound of 16 of the Club World Cup.[50] Al Hilal would then exit the tournament in the quarter finals after losing 2–1 toFluminense.[51]
Inzaghi has built a reputation for getting the most out of his players. He is known for deploying a 3–5–2 formation with wing-backs that like to get forward and join in the attacking play.[52] In his preferred formation, two central strikers are supported by an attacking midfielder who sits just in front of the other two players in midfield. It is a tactically fluid system which appears like a 5–3–2 out of possession as the wing-backs drop back into defence. Inzaghi is also known for his versatility in how he sets his team up to defend. During his spell at Lazio, he implemented both a high press and a mid-block to win the ball back when their opponents were in possession.[53][54] In 2022, Francesco Porzio ofCBS Soccer noted that Inzaghi gave his players more freedom tactically than his predecessorAntonio Conte, which had a positive impact on the team's performances.[55] Inzaghi's tactical approach at Inter in the lead-up to the 2023 Champions League final againstPep Guardiola's Manchester City was described as "reactive" by Miguel Delaney ofThe Independent, who noted that it was "difficult to identify patterns or trends in Inter’s play" under Inzaghi, and as such, preparing to face Inzaghi's teams posed challenges for opposing managers, as they were difficult to read.[56] Beyond his tactical prowess, Inzaghi has also been praised for his leadership qualities as a manager, withJames Horncastle ofBBC Sport also noting in 2023 that he "is adaptable, a good man-manager and someone who manages moments in games".[57]
Born inPiacenza,Emilia-Romagna, Simone Inzaghi is the younger brother ofFilippo Inzaghi, who also became a footballer and striker.
On 14 May 2000, as Lazio unexpectedly won the Scudetto on the final matchday in a close title race, Inzaghi also found himself indirectly competing against his older brother, Filippo, who was at the time playing for Juventus in the away game against Perugia, which resulted in the infamous 1–0 defeat, which allowed Lazio to surpass Juventus in the first spot during the last hour of the competition. While Simone scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 3–0 historic win againstReggina, Filippo failed to make a difference in Perugia as Juventus lost the title race at its finish.
Simone Inzaghi was in a relationship with actress and television presenterAlessia Marcuzzi until 2004. They have one son, born in 2001.[58][59] He married Gaia Lucariello on 3 June 2018, and they have two sons.[60][61][62]
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Piacenza | 1993–94 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| 1997–98 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1998–99 | Serie A | 30 | 15 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 15 | |||
| Total | 30 | 15 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 31 | 15 | ||||
| Carpi (loan) | 1994–95 | Serie C1 | 9 | 0 | – | – | – | 9 | 0 | |||
| Novara (loan) | 1995–96 | Serie C2 | 23 | 4 | – | – | – | 23 | 4 | |||
| Lumezzane (loan) | 1996–97 | Serie C2 | 23 | 6 | – | – | – | 23 | 6 | |||
| Brescello [it] (loan) | 1997–98 | Serie C1 | 21 | 10 | – | – | – | 21 | 10 | |||
| Lazio | 1999–2000 | Serie A | 22 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 11[a] | 9 | 1[b] | 0 | 40 | 19 |
| 2000–01 | Serie A | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9[a] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 7 | |
| 2001–02 | Serie A | 20 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6[a] | 0 | – | 28 | 6 | ||
| 2002–03 | Serie A | 18 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8[c] | 4 | – | 29 | 9 | ||
| 2003–04 | Serie A | 23 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5[a] | 3 | – | 32 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | Serie A | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2005–06 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 1 | ||
| 2006–07 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | Serie A | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2009–10 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 133 | 28 | 20 | 7 | 42 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 196 | 55 | ||
| Sampdoria (loan) | 2004–05 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | ||
| Atalanta (loan) | 2007–08 | Serie A | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 262 | 63 | 23 | 7 | 42 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 328 | 90 | ||
| Italy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 |
| Team | Nat. | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Lazio |  | 3 April 2016 | 27 May 2021 | 251 | 134 | 45 | 72 | 463 | 325 | +138 | 053.39 |
| Inter Milan | | 1 July 2021 | 3 June 2025 | 217 | 141 | 41 | 35 | 425 | 188 | +237 | 064.98 |
| Al Hilal |  | 5 June 2025 | present | 21 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 48 | 22 | +26 | 076.19 |
| Total | 486 | 288 | 90 | 108 | 926 | 530 | +396 | 059.26 | |||
Novara[63]
Lumezzane[65]
Lazio[63]
Lazio[63]
Inter Milan
Individual
