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Diego Milito

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Diego Milito
Personal information
Full name Diego Alberto Milito
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Internazionale
Number 22
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Racing 137 (34)
2003–2005 Genoa 59 (33)
2005–2008 Zaragoza 108 (53)
2008–2009 Genoa 31 (24)
2009– Internazionale 102 (58)
International career‡
2003– Argentina 24 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:05, 3 November 2012 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 May 2011

Diego Alberto Milito (born 12 June 1979) is an Argentine footballer of Italian origin who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Internazionale and the Argentine national team.[1] A prolific and consistent center-forward, Milito has statistically averaged just over a goal every two appearances, over the course of his 10-year professional career. He was pivotal in Inter's 2009–10 treble-winning season and his two goals in the Champions League final confirmed his status as one of the world's most clinical finishers.

He has been nicknamed El Príncipe ("The Prince" in Spanish) because of his physical resemblance with former Uruguayan footballer Enzo Francescoli, who had the same nickname.[2]

Club career

Racing Club

1999–2003: Early years in Argentina

Diego Milito started playing at Argentine first division team Racing Club in 1999, where he won the 2001 Apertura tournament. During this time, his younger brother Gabriel played for Racing's main rival, Independiente, as a defender. The two clubs would contest the Avellaneda derby with the two brothers lining up against each other.[3]

Genoa

2004–2005: First years in European football

At the beginning of 2004, Milito moved to Italian second division club Genoa. After two very successful seasons, where he scored 33 goals in 59 matches in Italy, Genoa were relegated down to Serie C1 as a punishment for an alleged match-fixing case in the final match of the 2004–05 season. Due to this, Milito was forced to leave Genoa and would ultimately join his brother Gabriel at Real Zaragoza in the Spanish La Liga.[4]

Real Zaragoza

2005–2008: Making his mark in Spain

Milito again showed his incredible potential in Spain, scoring four goals in the first semi-final of the 2006 Copa del Rey to beat Real Madrid 6–1. He finished the season as Zaragoza's top scorer with 16 goals in the first division.

Milito was one of the top scorers in the 2006–07 La Liga season.[5] He scored 23 goals, two less than league top goalscorer Ruud van Nistelrooy and three behind European Golden Boot winner Francesco Totti.

In November 2006, it was reported Zaragoza decided to buy him outright after his two-year loan was set to expire.[6][7]

Milito became the club captain at Zaragoza, taking over this role from brother Gabriel, who departed for FC Barcelona in 2007.[8] His contract was extended in August 2007 with a buy-out clause of €100 million.[9] His goals helped Zaragoza to a sixth place finish in the league. As of January 2008, Milito averaged higher than a goal every two games for Zaragoza, a statistic he also achieved with Genoa.

Genoa

2008–2009: A return to Italy

On 1 September 2008, just a few minutes before the transfer window closure time, Genoa completed the transfer of Milito from Zaragoza, after the Spanish team were relegated to the Segunda División.[10][11] His agent Fernando Hidalgo confirmed Milito chose explicitly to return to Genoa despite having received more lucrative offers from other major European clubs.[12] He made his debut on 14 September against Milan. Genoa won this game 2–0 with Milito assisting the first goal and scoring the second. On 9 November, Milito scored his first hat-trick for Genoa in the 4–0 victory against Reggina. He finished the season with 24 goals in 31 league appearances, placing him second behind Zlatan Ibrahimović in the Capocannonieri scoring title.

Inter

2009–10: A treble-winning debut season

Diego Milito during a match in 2009

On 20 May 2009, La Gazzetta dello Sport confirmed that Diego Milito was transferred to Internazionale alongside teammate Thiago Motta.[13] The transfer fees were undisclosed but Genoa received Robert Acquafresca, Riccardo Meggiorini, Leonardo Bonucci, Francesco Bolzoni[14] Ivan Fatić[15] and cash in exchange.

Diego Milito in 2009

The striker adapted to his new surroundings quickly and had an excellent start to his Inter career, scoring two goals in a 2–0 World Football Challenge win over city rivals Milan.[16] Subsequently, on 29 August, in his first ever Derby della Madonnina against Milan in Serie A, Milito assisted two goals and scored a penalty, his first league goal of the season, to cap off a 4–0 victory.[17] Later, on 13 September, he scored his second league goal in a 2–0 home win against Parma.[18] In the next league match against Cagliari, he scored both goals for Inter in a 2–1 away win.[19] These two goals placed him at the top of the all-time Serie A scoring charts for best strike rate, with 28 goals in 35 games, giving him an average of 0.8 goals per game.[20] Milito continued his fine run of form with another goal in the next league match against Napoli, scoring the second goal after Samuel Eto'o scored in the first minute, a game that they won 3–1.[21]

The consistency which Milito had shown at his previous clubs was sustained throughout his debut season at Inter, and after the first few matches, he had established himself as a key contributor to the squad. On 30 October, in a 5–3 home victory against Palermo, Milito, who had returned from an injury, came off the bench to make the result safe, scoring Inter's fifth goal.[22] In the next game, against Livorno, he scored another goal,[23] taking his strike rate up to seven goals in nine league matches. Three days later, on 4 November, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League in a 2–1 group stage win over Dynamo Kyiv; it was the equaliser which led to Wesley Sneijder's game-winner in the 89th minute.[24] On 24 February, in another Champions League match, this time in a 2–1 round of 16 win against Chelsea, he scored another important goal, his second in the competition.[25] Four days later, Milito netted the matchwinner which gave Internazionale a 3–2 victory at Udinese, in a thrilling win for the Nerazzurri.[26] On 27 March, after missing a 3–0 win over Livorno[27] with a hamstring problem, Milito returned for a crucial battle at title contenders Roma, where he scored one goal in a 2–1 loss.[28][29] On 31 March, in a 1–0 Champions League quarter-finals win against CSKA Moscow, he scored the winning goal which enhanced Internazionale's chances of reaching the semi-finals.[30] Diego scored a vital goal in a 3–1 home win against Barcelona in a first leg Champions League semi-final win.

During the very last matches of the 2009–2010 season, Milito proved instrumental in Inter's winning of the first treble in the history of Italian football. The Argentine first scored the only goal in Inter's victory over Roma in the final of the Coppa Italia on 5 May 2010, enabling the nerazzurri to take home their first trophy of the season.[31] Eleven days later, it was also Milito's goal which secured Internazionale's 18th scudetto when they beat Siena 1–0 on the final matchday of Serie A. With only two points separating the top two teams in Serie A, the goal lifted Inter to the summit of the table after being in a position to lose the league title to Roma at the half-time break as Roma, playing simultaneously, were winning their own match against Chievo at that point. Milito himself declared this goal to be the "best of his career",[32] having been decisive in delivering a league title to his team. However, there was more to come from the forward and on 22 May 2010 Milito yet again proved vital as he scored twice to seal a victory in the Champions League Final over Bayern Munich. As a result Internazionale became European club champions for the first time in 45 years with a 2–0 victory and completed their historic treble championship season.[33]

After the treble success many pundits took note of the fact that Milito had always been an effective and efficient striker, yet remained one of the most underrated players in world football because of his low-key manner and the fact that he had plied his trade for smaller, less competitive teams prior to joining Inter.[34] Scoring goals on the biggest stages for a marquee team finally earned the striker the recognition merited by his skill and goalscoring record. Of the player and his two Champions League winning goals, The Guardian wrote:

Vision, timing, flawless technique and sangfroid – these two goals had everything a great striker needs, plus a sense of lyricism in the fluency of his movement. The 30-year-old Milito is hardly a fancy striker, not a Messi taking your breath away with a trick or a Tévez galvanising the stadium with elemental force, but his economy has been just as devastating...[35]

On 9 August 2010, Milito signed a new four-year contract with the Nerazzurri.[36] On 26 August 2010, Milito was named 2010 UEFA Forward and Player of the Year.[37]

2010–present: After the treble

In his second season, Milito was unable to recreate the success he had during his first season at Inter. This was largely due to a recurring muscle injury which saw him feature only sporadically in the first eleven from August to April.[38][39] His form was thus affected and this was probably not helped by the departure of manager José Mourinho at the start of the season, nor the instability caused by the arrival and then subsequent departure of Rafael Benítez (August–December 2010).[40] On 29 May 2011, Milito scored a goal in the Coppa Italia final to help Inter beat Palermo 3–1. However during the 2011–12 Serie A season he began to regain his form, scoring a goal against Lecce, two goals against Parma, and a very important goal in Inter's 1–0 victory against Milan putting Inter back into the title race. He also continued on his scoring streak in Inter's 2–1 victory over Lazio. His good form continued as he scored an amazing 4 goals in a 4–4 draw with Palermo at home, a game in which Palermo player Fabrizio Miccoli also scored a hat-trick.[41] On 1 April, he scored a hat-trick against his former club Genoa in a 5–4 victory. On the 6th of May, Milito scored his third hat-trick of the season against Inter's city rivals, Milan. His goals lead to Inter's 4–2 victory and handed the scudetto title to Juventus. Milito finished the season with 24 Serie A goals and 26 in total.[42]

International career

Milito scored two goals on his international debut against Uruguay in 2003, but appeared only intermittently during the following years,[43] and was omitted from the 2006 World Cup squad.[44] He played for Argentina in the 2007 Copa América tournament, gaining playing time after Hernán Crespo's injury in a group stage match against Colombia and he was also included in Argentina's final 23 player roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[45]

Personal life

Diego is married to Sofia and they have two children.[46] He also holds an Italian passport, due to his Italian ancestry - Milito is a third-generation Italian-Argentine, his roots go to Terranova da Sibari (CS), in Calabria.[47][48] He is the older brother of former football player Gabriel who last played football for Independiente before retiring.

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 November 2012
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Racing 1999–2000 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1 0
2000–01 35 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 2 0
2001–02 38 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 9 0
2002–03 35 14 0 0 0 0 11 3 0 46 17 0
2003–04 18 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 8 0
Total 137 34 0 0 0 0 11 3 0 148 37 0
Genoa 2003–04 20 12 0 2 0 0 — 22 12 0
2004–05 39 21 0 3 1 0 — 42 22 0
Total 59 33 0 5 1 0 — 64 34 0
Zaragoza 2005–06 36 15 0 8 6 0 — 44 21 0
2006–07 37 23 2 3 0 0 — 40 23 2
2007–08 35 15 7 4 2 0 2 0 0 41 17 7
Total 108 53 9 15 8 0 2 0 0 125 61 9
Genoa 2008–09 31 24 7 3 2 0 — 34 26 7
Total 31 24 7 3 2 0 — 34 26 7
Internazionale 2009–10 35 22 4 5 2 0 11 6 2 51 30 6
2010–11 23 5 6 3 1 0 6 1 0 32 7 6
2011–12 33 24 3 1 0 0 7 2 1 41 26 4
2012–13 11 7 3 0 0 0 5 0 2 16 7 5
Total 102 58 16 9 3 0 29 9 5 140 70 21
Career Total 437 202 32 32 14 0 42 12 5 511 228 37

National team

[49] Template:Football player national team statistics |- |2003||5||3 |- |2004||2||0 |- |2005||0||0 |- |2006||0||0 |- |2007||6||1 |- |2008||2||0 |- |2009||5||0 |- |2010||4||0 |- !Total||24||4 |}

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 31 January 2003 Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras  Honduras 1 – 0 3–1 Friendly
2. 16 July 2003 Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina  Uruguay 1 – 0 2–2 Friendly
3. 16 July 2003 Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina  Uruguay 2 – 0 2–2 Friendly
4. 2 July 2007 Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela  Colombia 4 – 2 4–2 2007 Copa América

Statistics correct as of matches played 22 May 2010[50][51]

Honours

Club

Racing Club
Internazionale

Individual


Career totals

Professional career totals
Teams Appearances Goals Goals per game
Clubs 511 228 0.45
National team 24 4 0.17
Total 525 232 0.44

References

  1. ^ Real Zaragosa Official website News (Spanish)
  2. ^ "Milito, l' uomo che parla poco corre molto e fa sempre gol" (in Italian). 17 May 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Prince Milito now the King of Inter". Four Four Two. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  4. ^ "El Zaragoza ficha a Diego Milito" (in Spanish). UEFA.com. 30 August 2005. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  5. ^ RealZaragosa Player Profile (Spanish)
  6. ^ "Zaragoza to use Milito option". Sky Sports. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Preziosi: "La situazione di Milito? Non chiara"". Genoa CFC (in Italian). 12 May 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  8. ^ Fernandez' Argentinians lift Zaragoza
  9. ^ "Diego Milito renueva con el Zaragoza" (in Spanish). UEFA.com. 31 August 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Milito returns to Genoa". Sky Sports. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  11. ^ "DEPOSITATO IN LEGA IL CONTRATTO DI MILITO". Genoa CFC (in Italian). 1 September 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  12. ^ "Vi racconto il rifiuto di Crespo e il ritorno di Milito" (in Italian). Il Secolo XIX. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  13. ^ "Milito e Motta all'Inter Al Genoa Acquafresca". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 20 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  14. ^ "Thiago Motta signs on". inter.it (FC Internazionale Milano official site). 1 July 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  15. ^ "Il Genoa in rima: con Pelé c' è Dembelé". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 10 June 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  16. ^ "Milito hits brace to bury Rossoneri". ESPNsoccernet. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  17. ^ "Serie A: AC Milan 0–4 Inter Milan". http://www.insideworldsoccer.com. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  18. ^ "Internazionale 2 – 0 Parma". ESPNsoccernet. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  19. ^ "Cagliari 1 – 2 Internazionale". ESPNsoccernet. 20 September 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  20. ^ "Stats: Milito, the goal king". Internazionale. 21 September 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  21. ^ "Internazionale 3 – 1 Napoli". ESPNsoccernet. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  22. ^ "Inter 5–3 Palermo: Braces For Eto'o, Balotelli & Miccoli In Eight Goal Thriller". Goal.com. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  23. ^ "Clinical finishing seals win". ESPNsoccernet. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  24. ^ "Late drama seals win". ESPNsoccernet. 4 November 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Cambiasso strike gives Italians slight advantage". ESPNsoccernet. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  26. ^ "League leaders hang on". ESPNsoccernet. 28 February 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  27. ^ "Internazionale 3–0 Livorno". ESPNsoccernet. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  28. ^ "Previews: Milito ready to return at Roma". FourFourTwo. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  29. ^ "Toni the hero for title hopefuls". ESPNsoccernet. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  30. ^ "Milito nets vital winner". ESPNsoccernet. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  31. ^ "Inter claim first leg of possible treble". Turner Broadcasting System. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  32. ^ "Scudetto Goal Is Best Of My Career – Inter Striker Diego Milito". Goal.com. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  33. ^ Lyon, Sam (22 May 2010). "Bayern Munich 0 – 2 Inter Milan". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  34. ^ "Prince Milito now the King of Inter". Four Four Two. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  35. ^ Williams, Richard (23 May 2010). "The New Diego – How Milito Won The Champions League". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  36. ^ "Diego Milito signs new contract". FC Internazionale Milano. www.inter.it. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  37. ^ "Milito signs new Inter Milan deal". Ontheminute.com. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  38. ^ http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2010/11/25/2231570/diego-milito-returns-to-inter-training-after-suffering-hamstring-. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  39. ^ http://www.footballitaliano.org/18889/milito-to-start-for-inter.html {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ^ Smith, Rory (21 December 2010). "Inter Milan to confirm Rafael Benítez sacking with Leonardo lined up as replacement at San Siro". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  41. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/327003?cc=5901
  42. ^ Sky Sports http://www1.skysports.com/football/fixtures-results. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  43. ^ Argentina en las Eliminatorias 2003–2005
  44. ^ The Milito Clan
  45. ^ "Argentina vs Colombia in Copa América 2007". Football-lineups.com. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  46. ^ "Milito becomes father to Agustina". FC Internazionale Milano official site. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  47. ^ http://www.corrieredellosport.it/gs_storie/2010/06/01-114296/Diego+Milito
  48. ^ http://www.lastampa.it/sport/cmsSezioni/calcio/200911articoli/23549girata.asp
  49. ^ http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=300
  50. ^ Diego Milito's Profile, www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  51. ^ Diego Milito's Profile, www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
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