italian football player

Graziano Pellè ( italian pronunciation : [ ɡratˈtsjaːno pelˈlɛ ] ; born 15 July 1985 ) is an italian professional football player who plays as a hitter. Pellè began his career at local Serie A club Lecce, and was loaned to three lower-division sides before moving to the Dutch club AZ in 2007. He won the Eredivisie entitle in his second of four seasons at the club. After brief spells back in Italy with Parma and Sampdoria, he returned to the Dutch top fledge, where his consistent scoring for Feyenoord earned Pellè an £ 8 million transfer to Southampton in July 2014. In July 2016, after two seasons in the Premier League, Pellè moved to Shandong Luneng for an estimated transfer tip of £12 million. [ 3 ]

Pellè represented Italy at under-20 and under-21 level. He besides played for the state ‘s Olympic team in 2008, but was not selected for the tournament. He scored on his senior international debut in 2014 and represented Italy at UEFA Euro 2016, where the team reached the quarter-finals .

Club career [edit ]

Lecce [edit ]

Born in San Cesario di Lecce, Province of Lecce, Pellè is from Monteroni di Lecce. [ 4 ] He could have chosen ballroom dancing as his profession after becoming national under-12s champion in partnership with his baby Fabiana. [ 4 ] He started playing for local club Lecce ‘s youth teams ; his father Roberto was a striker for Lecce in Serie C. [ 4 ] Graziano won two Campionato Primavera titles and the 2002 Coppa Italia Primavera. He made his Serie A debut on 11 January 2004 in 1–2 home get the better of against Bologna, making a sum of two appearances in the season. In January 2005, Pellè was loaned out to Catania in Serie B, being regularly used but failing to find the final. In the summer, he participated in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with the under-20 team, scoring four goals in an eventual quarter-final passing, [ 5 ] and returned to Lecce for the 2005–06 campaign, only to be loaned again in the winter transfer windowpane, again to the second division, nowadays to Crotone. In 2006–07 Pellè was yet again loaned to a degree two club, this prison term to Cesena, where he had a discovery year with ten goals .

arizona [edit ]

In July 2007, Pellè lost all ties to Lecce and signed for Eredivisie kit AZ. He stated in an interview that he had a option of staying at Lecce, who would loanword him to Palermo, but chose the Alkmaar club rather because of its willingness to give chances to young players. His debut season, however, was largely unfruitful, as he struggled to replace PSV -bound Danny Koevermans, and finished his first base season with just 3 goals in 27 games ( 16 starts ). [ 6 ] On 28 December 2008, Pellè scored the winning goal in a 1–0 gain against NEC. [ 7 ] In February of the succeed year, he netted doubly in a 3–0 home achiever over Groningen, [ 8 ] but was overall meagerly used by the North Holland side over the course of four Eredivisie seasons, being released in June 2011 .
Pellè ( far left ) among the AZ players celebrating their Eredivisie win in 2009

Parma [edit ]

In early July 2011, Parma confirmed through its official web site that Pellè had signed a multi-year compress with the baseball club. [ 9 ] He scored one finish during his time at Parma, netting its second goal in a come from behind 3–3 draw with his former golf club Lecce on 18 December 2011 ; this was his first goal in Serie A. [ 10 ] On 31 January 2012, Pellè joined Sampdoria on lend in the second part, scoring 4 goals in 16 appearances for the club to help it earn promotion bet on to Serie A for 2012–13. [ 11 ]

Feyenoord [edit ]

For the 2012–13 season, still owned by Parma, Pellè returned to the Netherlands, joining Feyenoord to become the first italian to play for the golf club. [ 12 ] He scored 11 goals in his first gear ten games, including a last-minute strike in a 2–2 home plate draw against Ajax [ 13 ] and both goals in a 2–0 achiever over RKC Waalwijk, besides at De Kuip. [ 14 ] On 23 December, he scored doubly more as Feyenoord beat Groningen 2–1 in the final game of the Eredivisie season before the winter break. [ 15 ]
Pellè in training with Feyenoord in 2013 On 5 January 2013, Pellè signed a four-year contract with the Rotterdam club, to be effective 1 July. [ 16 ] His first goal since securing a permanent wave travel to Feyenoord came on 30 January, scoring on a fall from Jean-Paul Boëtius as Feyenoord finally fell to a 2–1 kill to PSV. [ 17 ] On 28 April, he scored a first-half brace as Feyenoord notched an impressive 6–0 victory over Heracles. [ 18 ] At the end of the campaign, he had netted 27 league goals, ranking moment in the domestic charts [ 19 ] and besides surpassing the holocene records of italian scorers in a alien league – Luca Toni ( Bayern Munich ) and christian Vieri ( Atlético Madrid ) – in the work. [ 20 ] Pellè was besides celebrated for his “ ex post facto ” haircut among Feyenoord fans. In home games, many fans showed the same haircut as Pellè and there are still some tutorials on YouTube that teach how to arrange his hairdo. [ 21 ] Pellè netted all three goals for Feyenoord on 25 August 2013, notching a 3–1 acquire over NAC Breda, and securing the club ‘s beginning points of the new Eredivisie season. [ 22 ] He opened the score for Feyenoord in the seventh moment of their UEFA Europa League second leg play-off match against Kuban Krasnodar to bring the sides level at 1–1 on sum, but the dutch side conceded twice and fell to a 3–1 aggregate frustration. [ 23 ] He scored another hat-trick for Feyenoord on 29 September 2013, scoring with each metrical foot and from the punishment spot as the Rotterdam side defeated ADO Den Haag 4–2. [ 24 ] He scored doubly more on 1 December, netting in either half as Feyenoord defeated rivals PSV 3–1. [ 25 ] On 8 February 2014, Pellè scored twice and besides missed a punishment as Feyenoord came from a goal down to defeat NEC 5–1. [ 26 ] On 2 March, he opened the scoring with a header from a Bruno Martins Indi cross, but retrospectively received a loss batting order for an elbow to the confront of Joël Veltman and a four-match ban as Feyenoord fell 2–1 to rivals Ajax. [ 27 ] [ 28 ] After sitting out the ban, Pellè returned to the team on 6 April and scored a brace in Feyenoord ‘s 2–0 winnings over RKC Waalwijk. [ 29 ] His 15th and last league goal for Feyenoord came on 27 April, nodding in a Ruud Vormer corner as Feyenoord defeated Cambuur 5–1. [ 30 ]

Southampton [edit ]

2014–15 season [edit ]

Pellè signed a three-year deal for £8 million with Premier League side Southampton in July 2014, reuniting him with his former AZ and Feyenoord coach Ronald Koeman. [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Pellè made his competitive debut for the club on 17 August in its first game of the new league temper, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–1 frustration at Liverpool. [ 33 ] On 26 August, he scored his beginning competitive goal for the club in a 2–0 victory over Millwall in the Second Round of the League Cup. [ 34 ] His first base league goal for the cabaret came four days late in a 3–1 off win over West Ham United. [ 35 ] He scored twice more in Southampton ‘s next match, a 4–0 home acquire over Newcastle United on 13 September, to secure its moment league acquire in a many games. [ 36 ] On 27 September, Pellè won a match for Southampton against Queens Park Rangers with an overhead bang, which was later deemed “ worldly concern class ” by opposing director Harry Redknapp. [ 37 ] Pellè won the Premier League Player of the Month award for September, with Koeman named the Manager of the Month, [ 38 ] and he followed this up with two goals in an 8–0 victory over Sunderland on 18 October. [ 39 ] He scored another brace in a League Cup victory over Stoke City on 29 October, helping his english reach the quarter-finals of the contest for the first time in ten years. These were his 8th and 9th goals in his end 12 games. [ 40 ]

On 11 April 2015, Pellè scored his beginning Premier League finish of the year in a 2–0 acquire over Hull City at St. Mary ‘s Stadium, ending a rivulet of 15 league matches without scoring. [ 41 ] Two weeks late, in a 2–2 withdraw against Tottenham Hotspur, Pellè scored both goals for his team ; a strike after overpowering Ben Davies, and a header from a cross by Shane Long. [ 42 ]

2015–16 season [edit ]

Pellè scored Southampton ‘s first finish in a european competition since 2003 when he opened a 3–0 Europa League third base qualifying round home peg gain over Vitesse on 30 July 2015. [ 43 ] A workweek late, it took him four minutes to open a 2–0 win in the away peg. [ 44 ] In Southampton ‘s first pit of the league season, away to Newcastle, he headed in right-back Cédric ‘s hybridization to open a 2–2 reap. [ 45 ] He scored twice against Manchester United on 20 September, albeit in a 2–3 home loss. [ 46 ] Pellè then scored his fifth of the season against Chelsea in a 3–1 win at Stamford Bridge, scoring Southampton ‘s third goal of the match from a tight angle. [ 47 ]

Shandong Luneng [edit ]

Pellè left Southampton for Chinese golf club Shandong Luneng on 11 July 2016, [ 48 ] for an calculate tip of £12 million. [ 3 ] He became the world ‘s seventh-highest paid football player, earning £350,000 per workweek. [ 49 ] Pellè made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw with Liaoning Whowin on 16 July 2016. Four days late, he scored his first goal in a 4–1 victory over Hangzhou Greentown. [ 50 ]

fall to Parma [edit ]

On 5 February 2021, Pellè agreed to a reappearance to Parma on a six-month deal. [ 51 ] On 19 March, about 10 years since his last goal in Serie A, Pellé scored with an command processing overhead time kick in Parma ‘s pit against Genoa. [ 52 ]

International career [edit ]

Pellè play for Italy against Azerbaijan in 2015. Pellè scored four goals for Italy under-20 at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, including a brace in their 4–1 group phase win over Canada. [ 53 ] He besides netted an extra-time counterweight for a 2–2 draw with Morocco in the quarter-finals, and converted in the penalty gunfight which his team lost however. [ 54 ] After a successful loan spell with Cesena, Pellè earned a call-up to the italian under-21 english at the 2007 UEFA european Under-21 Football Championship, where he collected three appearances, all as a substitute. In the fifth-place playoff match against Portugal, he scored the first penalty complain in the gunfight win, with a Panenka -style penalty. [ 55 ] The gain secured Italy the final examination european spot at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. [ 55 ] He was separate of the formulation for the tournament but was ultimately not selected to the final 22-man police squad for the Olympics. [ 56 ] On 4 October 2014, Pellè received his first call up to the Italy aged side for the Azzurri’ second UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Azerbaijan and Malta. [ 57 ] He made his introduction as a newcomer aside to Malta on 13 October 2014, scoring the entirely goal of the game from close range after a corner in the 29th infinitesimal. [ 58 ] He netted a second goal in the 29th moment on his third appearance on 31 March 2015, heading Italy into the lead in a 1–1 friendly attract against England at Juventus Stadium in Turin. [ 59 ] On 3 September 2015, he finished Antonio Candreva ‘s cross for the entirely goal of the home modifier against Malta in Florence. [ 60 ] He scored the match-winning goal in Italy ‘s 2–1 family succeed over Norway on 13 October, which allowed Italy to top their Euro 2016 qualifying group and extended their unbeaten run in european stipulate to 50 matches ; Pellè was besides Italy ‘s circus tent scorer during the qualifying campaign, with three goals. [ 61 ] On 31 May 2016, Pellè was included in Italy director Antonio Conte ‘s 23-man police squad for Euro 2016. [ 62 ] In Italy ‘s opening game, on 13 June against Europe ‘s top-ranked team Belgium in Lyon, Pellè played the wide equal and volleyed a fall upon into the back of the net in total prison term for a 2–0 win. [ 63 ] In the round of 16 at Stade de France in Paris on 27 June, he struck a volley in the 91st minute to give the Azzurri a 2–0 win over defending champions Spain. [ 64 ] On 2 July, he missed a penalty in a 6–5 shoot-out kill to defending World Cup champions Germany in the tournament quarter-finals. [ 65 ] In the events after the match, Pellè issued an apology to the fans of the national team state, “ Do my Euros remain positive ? I could n’t care less justly now, I am just deplorable and want to apologise to all Italians. If I had scored that penalty, I ‘d have become a phenomenon, but alternatively … I arrived here as a cipher and I leave as a cipher. ” He besides denied provoking Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer by making the “ chip “ gesture. [ 66 ] Although moving his football career to China over the summer, modern coach Gian Piero Ventura called Pellè spinal column for international duty for a friendly against France and a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel on 1 and 5 September 2016, [ 67 ] seduce in both matches, as Italy suffered a 3–1 home frustration to France but defeated Israel aside, 3–1. [ 68 ] He was called again for World Cup qualifying matches against Spain and Macedonia on 6 and 9 October, however he was by and by excluded from the Macedonia couple after being substituted in the 59th hour during the Spain game and refusing to shake the hand of coach Ventura. [ 69 ]

style of free rein [edit ]

Described as a traditional “ target-man ” with an eye for goal, [ 70 ] Pellè is a large, potent and hard-working striker who excels in the air due to his height and forcible attributes. [ 71 ] As a centre-forward, he is known for his potent and accurate finish up ability with his head and feet, angstrom well as his accurate volleys and penalty-kick take ; he is besides capable of using his persuasiveness and solid first touch to hold up the ball with his back to goal, and either link-up with other players or create chances for teammates. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] [ 73 ] Labelled as a “ deep blunder ” by sports writer James Horncastle, [ 74 ] Pellè ‘s play dash and characteristics have led him to be compared to compatriot Luca Toni in the italian media. [ 75 ] Pellè has besides drawn praise in the media for his work-rate off the ball, and has been described as a mobile fore, who chases down and presses his opponents. [ 76 ]

career statistics [edit ]

club [edit ]

As of match played 22 May 2021. [ 77 ]

International [edit ]

As of 6 October 2016[79]
Italy
Year Apps Goals
2014 2 1
2015 8 3
2016 10 5
Total 20 9

International goals [edit ]

As of match played 5 September 2016.
Italy score listed first, score column indicates score after each Pellè goal.[77]

Honours [edit ]

AZ
Shandong Luneng Taishan
Italy U21

Individual

Notes [edit ]

References [edit ]