Fabio Cannavaro

Name: Fabio Cannavaro
(Nickname: Il muro di Berlino (The Berlin Wall) )
Nationality: Italian
Date and Place of Birth: Born September 13, 1973 in Naples, Italy
Playing Position: Centre-back
Current Club: Real Madrid (Spanish La Liga)
Previous Clubs: 1992-1995 S.S.C. Napoli
1995-2002 Parma F.C.
2002-2004 Inter Milan
2004-2006 Juventus F.C.
2006-present Real Madrid

International Career: 1997-present Italy

About Fabio Cannavaro:
Fabio Cannavaro currently plays for Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga and is noted as being captain of the Italian national side who lifted the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Cannavaro is widely considered in footballing circles as one of the best central defenders in the world today.

He is renowned for his technical skill and his characteristic ability to read the game allowing him to make precise tackles together with well timed interceptions. At a height of five feet nine and a half inches Cannavaro cannot be considered as tall but his ability to leap high allows him to compete with any crosses into the box, both when defending and attacking.

Cannavaro has played for various Italian teams throughout his career before his move to Real Madrid in summer 2006. He was born in Naples and his talent was quickly spotted by local football scouts. He made his professional debut for Napoli on 7th March 1993 against Juventus. He moved to other Italian teams before signing for Juventus in 2004. At Juventus together with Thuram and Buffon he formed one of the most successful defensive line ups in Serie A enabling him to win his first Scudetto with Juventus in 2005.

In the aftermath of the World Cup win Juventus were relegated to Serie B and stripped of their 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 Scudetti for match fixing. Cannavaro officially became a Real Madrid player on 25th July 2006 wearing the number five jersey which had previously belonged to Zinedine Zidane.

In the 2006 World Cup he was named in the All Star team of the tournament and never received either a yellow or a red card in any of the matches he played in. The Italian national team conceded only two goals throughout the entirety of the tournament one of which was an own goal and the other a penalty. Cannavaro lifted the World Cup on behalf of his team on 9th July 2006 on the night of his 100th cap for his country signalling an achievement for his hard work and determination.