Federico Balzaretti

Federico Balzaretti

Personal information
Date of birth	6 December 1981 (1981-12-06)
Place of birth	Turin, Italy
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Palermo
Number	42
Youth career
	Torino
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2005	Torino	94	(0)
1999–2001	→ Varese (loan)	44	(0)
2001–2002	→ Siena (loan)	16	(0)
2005–2007	Juventus	57	(2)
2007–2008	Fiorentina	6	(0)
2008–	Palermo	139	(3)
National team‡
2000–2002	Italy U-20	23	(1)
2002	Italy U-21	4	(0)
2010–	Italy	7	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 February 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2011

Federico Balzaretti (born 6 December 1981 in Turin, Piedmont) is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a left back for Serie A club Palermo and Italy national football team.

Club career

Balzaretti at Fiorentina

Known as 'Balzac' by most fans, he grew up since the age of 6 in the Torino youth system, debuting for the granata in season 2002–03. After a couple of seasons on loan to Varese and Siena, 'Balzac' was heavily involved in the 2004–05 Serie B campaign of Torino, which brought the team to a Serie A promotion.

However, as Torino disbanded right after that promotion, 'Balzac' was released in a free transfer, and was signed by city arch-rivals Juventus. In 2005–06 he was part of the first team for the bianconeri, often playing as regular under orders of coach Fabio Capello, and finally winning the Serie A league.

'Balzac's' first ever senior goal game on 17 February 2007, in Serie B, as Juventus beat Crotone 5–0. He was sold to Fiorentina on July 2007, but failed to impress with the viola as he made only six appearances in the first half of the Serie A 2007-08, and was subsequently signed by Palermo in a permanent move during the January transfer market. At Palermo, he took the #42 jersey as a homage to his father, who was born in 1942; in his tenure with the Sicilian side, he immediately established himself as a mainstay, playing regularly for the rosanero also in the following seasons and establishing as one of the most praised Italian left backs. It is reported he will join Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in January 2012 or the summer of 2012 as Palermo have agreed to sell him.

International career

After playing with a number of youth selections between 2000 and 2002, Balzaretti made his debut with the Italian national team under coach Cesare Prandelli on 17 November 2010, in a friendly match against Romania.

Career statistics

As of July 2011

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1999-00	Varese	Serie C1	17	0	0	0	0	0	17	0
2000-01			27	0	2	0	0	0	29	0
2001-02	Siena	Serie B	16	0	4	0	0	0	20	0
2002-03	Torino	Serie A	13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
2003-04		Serie B	39	0	0	0	0	0	39	0
2004-05			38+4	1+1	7	0	0	0	49	2
Total	Torino		94	2	8	0	0	0	102	2
2005-06	Juventus	Serie A	20	0	4	0	4	0	28	0
2006-07		Serie B	37	2	3	0	0	0	40	2
2007-08	Fiorentina	Serie A	6	0	2	0	3	0	11	0
2007-08	Palermo	Serie A	16	0	0	0	0	0	16	0
2008-09			33	0	1	0	0	0	34	0
2009-10			34	1	2	0	0	0	36	1
2010-11			33	2	4	0	7	0	44	2
2011-12			14	0	0	0	2	0	11	0
Total	Palermo		130	3	7	0	9	0	141	3
Career total			342	6	24	0	16	0	386	6

Private life

Balzaretti is married to renowned Italian ballerina Eleonora Abbagnato; their wedding took place in summer of 2011 in Palermo. She is six months pregnant with their first child as of October 2011.

External links

• Career profile (from US Palermo website)