BIOGRAPHY
Antonio Cassano born 12 July 1982 in Bari is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Milan, mainly as a forward. Nicknamed Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia ("the jewel of Old Bari"), he is known for his short temper as much as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello, in November 2002. The word is regularly used by Italian journalists as a euphemism for any behavior incompatible with team spirit in football.
Cassano has sixteen caps and four goals with Italy. His début came in November 2003 against Poland, in which he scored his first goal. He was part of Italy's UEFA Euro 2004 squad as a reserve, but after Totti was suspended following a spitting incident with Christian Poulsen in a group match against Denmark, Cassano was inserted into the starting lineup for a 1–1 draw with Sweden in which he scored. He also netted a last-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over Bulgaria, but Italy were eliminated in the group stage on goal difference.
Cassano was left off the final roster for the 2006 World Cup, but was called up for two Euro 2008 qualifying matches in September 2006. He was part of the finals roster and went scoreless in the tournament as Italy were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain after a penalty shootout.
After a two-year absence from the Azzurri team, and following widespread criticism from the media towards Marcello Lippi about his exclusion from the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, Cassano was readmitted into the Italian team on August 6, 2010 by new head coach Cesare Prandelli for his first game in charge of the team, a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire to played on August 10 at Upton Park, London. Almost a month later, in Italy's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier played in Estonia Cassano scored the tying goal in a 1-2 away victory and also assisted Leonardo Bonucci's second goal with a back-heel. Cassano scored a magnificent goal from just outside the box in Italy's 5-0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier win over the Faroe Islands.
Cassano got engaged with water polo player Carolina Marcialis in 2008 and then married at June 19, 2010 at church Chiesa di San Martino, Portofino. Cassano's wife is set to give birth to the couple's first child, a son, by the end of March 2011
ANTONIO CASSANO PROFILE
Date of birth: 12 July 1982
Place of birth: Bari, Italy
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position: Striker
Club information
Current club: Milan
Number: 99
Youth career:
Bari
Senior career
1999–2001 Bari 48 (6)
2001–2005 Roma 118 (39)
2006–2008 Real Madrid 19 (2)
2007–2008 → Sampdoria (loan) 22 (10)
2008–2010 Sampdoria 74 (25)
2011– Milan 12 (2)
National team
1998 Italy U-15 9 (2)
1998 Italy U-16 2 (0)
1999 Italy U-18 2 (0)
2000 Italy U-20 8 (2)
2000–2002 Italy U-21 9 (3)
2003– Italy 21 (5)
