FIFA WC 2010 Diary : Gennaro Gattuso Announces Retirement

iSporter Suraj Kori profiles the Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso as he announced his retirement from the International football after the FIFA World Cup 2010. gennaro_gattuso

Gennaro Gattuso is a 32 year old Italian midfielder who also plays for AC Milan. He usually plays the role of a defensive midfielder and is known his aggressive play. He was an important member of the team that brought the World Cup to Italy in 2006.

He played exceptional football in the previous World Cup and is expected to do the same this time too. He was declared the Man of The Match in the knock out match against Ukraine in the 2006 World Cup. Gattuso has announced that he will retire after the 2010 World Cup!

At the age of 32 he is definitely not the same he was in 2006 with regards to stamina and speed. Even he agrees with it and wants the young players to take up his place. He is surely not among the goal scorers but is known for making most of them! He has also said leading his national side as coach in this very special tournament stays his dream.

Good players always do not make good coaches but he can turn out to be one! With the talent he possess he has everything in him to be good coach. Even though he was the heart of the midfield of his team in the 2006 World Cup he has struggled to find a place in the starting 11 this time and warmed the bench in the during the first of Italy's game. Another sign that his time has come...

But I do feel that he might be the trump card when the team is not performing well and Lippi will turn up to one of his most experienced players. He has 72 caps for Italy and has also represented his national side in 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2009 Confederations Cup. With such immense experience he is the man to look out for in the crunch situations...

Even if he is not able to make place in the team, the players would surely go in for his advice. He and Andrea Pirlo form a great pair for Italy as well as AC Milan and this pair can be ranked among the best in the world! These two are just irreplaceable and this was seen when they missed the quarter-finals of the Euro 2008 against Spain.

These two had to miss the game due to suspension and none of the reserve players were able to match these two! The team finally lost to Spain 4-2 in penalties. An expected result in the absence of such influential players.There was news that he would leave AC Milan in the January transfer window of 2010 but later came the confirmation from AC Milan itself that he will stay at the club until 30 June 2012 according to the contract.

This proves his class and value to the club! He has great honors to his name on individual as well as club level, which could just be a dream for any player. He has won the Serie A title in 2003-04, Coppa Italia in 2002-03and Supercoppa Italiana in 2004. He has also won the UEFA Super Cup in 2003 and 2007, UEFA Champions League in 2002-3 and 2006-07 and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007. All these honors have come to him being a part of one of the most Elite club of Italy and Europe, AC Milan!

Talking about his achievement as Italian national, what would be better than a World Cup which he accomplished in the previous edition 2006? He was also a member of the 'Team of the Tournament' in 2006 World Cup. This World Cup is the last time we can have the glimpse of this great man. And I just hope that he does the same for his team that he did in 2006...