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Andrés D'Alessandro

{{Short description|Argentine footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Andrés D'Alessandro

| image = Andrés_D'Alessandro.jpg

| caption = D'Alessandro in 2016

| fullname = Andrés Nicolás D'Alessandro

| height = 1.74 m

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|4|15}}

| birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Attacking midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1991–1999

| youthclubs1 = River Plate

| years1 = 2000–2003

| clubs1 = River Plate

| caps1 = 70

| goals1 = 20

| years2 = 2003–2007

| clubs2 = Wolfsburg

| caps2 = 61

| goals2 = 8

| years3 = 2006

| clubs3 = → Portsmouth (loan)

| caps3 = 13

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2006–2007

| clubs4 = → Zaragoza (loan)

| caps4 = 36

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2007

| clubs5 = Zaragoza

| caps5 = 4

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2008

| clubs6 = San Lorenzo

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2008–2020

| clubs7 = Internacional

| caps7 = 284

| goals7 = 45

| years8 = 2016

| clubs8 = → River Plate (loan)

| caps8 = 17

| goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2021

| clubs9 = Nacional

| caps9 = 14

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2022

| clubs10 = Internacional

| caps10 = 1

| goals10 = 1

| totalcaps = 478

| totalgoals = 84

| nationalyears1 = 2001

| nationalteam1 = Argentina U20

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 2004

| nationalteam2 = Argentina U23

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2003–2010

| nationalteam3 = Argentina

| nationalcaps3 = 25

| nationalgoals3 = 3

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's football }}

{{MedalCountry| {{ARG}} }}

{{MedalOlympics}}

{{MedalGold | 2004 Athens | Team }}

{{MedalCompetition|FIFA U-20 World Cup}}

{{Medal|Winner|2001 Argentina|Team}}

{{MedalCompetition|Copa América}}

{{Medal|RU|2004 Peru|}}

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Andrés Nicolás D'Alessandro (born 15 April 1981) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He has played top-flight football in Argentina, Germany, England, Spain, Brazil and Uruguay.

He won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2004 and also played at that year's Copa América.

In 2020, he was awarded Brazilian citizenship.{{Cite web|last=Povo|first=Correio do|title=D'Alessandro é naturalizado brasileiro após 12 anos de Inter|url=https://www.correiodopovo.com.br/esportes/inter/d-alessandro-%C3%A9-naturalizado-brasileiro-ap%C3%B3s-12-anos-de-inter-1.482216|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Correio do Povo|language=pt-br}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-17|title=Andrés D'Alessandro se nacionalizó brasileño|url=https://www.espn.com.ar/futbol/brasil/nota/_/id/7446083/andres-dalessandro-se-nacionalizo-brasileno|access-date=2021-07-10|website=ESPN.com.ar|language=es}}

Club career

=Early career=

D'Alessandro was born in the La Paternal section of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He joined the labor force as a pizza delivery boy before becoming a professional footballer.Page 12 of News of the World sport section; 9 April 2006. Known as El Cabezón ("The Big Headed") for how large his big head looks on his small frame rather than any ego connotations,{{cite web|last1=Brega|first1=Giordano|title=Si affloscia la "boba" di Andres D'Alessandro. Il cabezon torna in Argentina|trans-title=The "boba" of Andres D'Alessandro comes to an end. El cabezón returns to Argentina|url=http://www.affaritaliani.it/sport/andresdalessandroaddioeuropa060208.html?refresh_ce|publisher=Affari Italiani|access-date=1 March 2015|language=it|date=9 February 2008}} he emerged through the River Plate youth system{{cite web|title=Player Profile: Andres D´Alessandro|url=http://www.southamericanfutbol.com/2010/04/player-profile-andres-d%C2%B4alessandro/ |publisher=Southamericanfutbol.com |access-date=17 February 2011}} that has produced much of Argentina's top talent over the years. He followed the likes of Santiago Solari and Pablo Aimar through the ranks, together with Javier Saviola, with whom he shared the limelight in the 2001 Youth World Championship. With the River Plate senior team, he won the 2001–02 and 2002–03 Primera División titles.

=Spell in Europe=

D'Alessandro attracted attention from European clubs following his success and performances at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. He eventually transferred to Wolfsburg in July 2003 for a club record €9 million.{{cite news|title=Wolfsburg snap up D'Alessandro |url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/news/kind=1/newsid=80971.html |work=UEFA |date=12 June 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528085909/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/news/kind%3D1/newsid%3D80971.html |archive-date=28 May 2009 |url-status=dead}} On 21 September 2005, D'Alessandro scored the Bundesliga's 40,000th goal since its creation in 1963, netting the fourth goal in a 4–2 victory over Hannover 96.

On 31 January 2006, to the surprise of most fans, D'Alessandro joined English Premier League club Portsmouth on loan for the remainder of the season.{{cite news|title=Portsmouth snap up d'Alessandro|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/4665826.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=17 February 2011|date=31 January 2006}} His main objective with his new club was to blend in with new teammates and help his club to avoid relegation. On Easter Monday, 17 April, he scored his first goal in English football – a contender for goal of the season – in Portsmouth's 2–1 defeat away to Charlton Athletic.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4906468.stm |title= Charlton 2–1 Portsmouth |publisher=BBC |date=17 April 2006 |access-date=1 September 2009}}

Portsmouth survived and manager Harry Redknapp sought to sign D'Alessandro on a permanent basis. But he was attracting the attention of many European clubs with strong interest from the likes of Atlético Madrid and Benfica. On 17 June he ended the speculation regarding his career by completing a season-long loan switch to La Liga outfit Real Zaragoza, citing his desire to play in Spain as a major factor in his decision. On 6 June 2007, he signed a contract at Zaragoza, keeping him at the club until 2011.

=Return to South America=

In 2008, he joined his former River Plate manager Ramón Díaz at Argentine club San Lorenzo. However, after Díaz left the club, D'Alesandro opted to move to Brazil to play for Internacional. Playing for the former Copa Libertadores champions, he described as a "step forward" in his career.{{cite web|title=D'Alessandro Pens Four-Year Inter Deal|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/584/brazil/2008/08/01/799856/dalessandro-pens-four-year-inter-deal|publisher=Goal.com | date = 1 August 2008 | access-date=17 February 2011}}

On 13 December 2008 it was reported on ESPN Deportes that the Los Angeles Galaxy had made a $10 million offer to Internacional for D'Alesandro but was declined. Their vice president Fernando Carvalho was quoted; "The offer came from the Los Angeles Galaxy of the United States. I didn't even want to listen to the details. The offer was for more money than we paid for D'Alessandro, who arrived here for five million euro, but we want to keep the Argentinian."{{cite web|title=Internacional turn down Galaxy D'Alessandro bid|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=602275&sec=global&cc=5901|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217110445/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=602275&sec=global&cc=5901|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 December 2008|publisher=ESPN Soccernet|access-date=17 February 2011 | date = 14 December 2008}} D'Alessandro has become one of Internacional's most idolized players of all time along the likes of Falcão, Valdomiro, and Fernandão. In 2008, he was part of Inter's Sulamericana Championship. In 2009 Internacional finished in second place in both the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil. In 2010, D'Alessandro led Internacional to their second Libertadores Championship, and was elected the best player in South America for that year;{{cite web|last1=Rinaldi|first1=Cesare|title=Calcio Sudamericano: Andres D'Alessandro è il Balon de Oro 2010|url=http://www.calcioblog.it/post/15487/calcio-sudamericano-andres-dalessandro-e-il-balon-de-oro-2010|website=calcioblog.it|access-date=1 March 2015|date=31 December 2010|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402111027/http://www.calcioblog.it/post/15487/calcio-sudamericano-andres-dalessandro-e-il-balon-de-oro-2010|url-status=dead}} in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, he also helped Internacional to a third-place finish, and was awarded the Bronze Ball as the tournament's third best player. In 2011 D'Alessadro had personally an even better year, but Internacional only managed to win the State Gaucho Championship. 2012 was a bad year for both Internacional and D'Alessandro. Furthermore, rumours of him leaving to play in China caused a major distraction; after long drawn out drama he stayed but soon was injured. In 2013 his game improved again, and while Inter only won the State Championship, he was praised as the only positive factor of the team that year. 2014 started well; D'Alessandro continued to play well and led Inter to their 4th straight Gaucho Championship.

On 3 February 2016, he returned to River Plate after {{frac|12|1|2}} years on a loan deal.{{Cite web|url=http://espn.uol.com.br/noticia/575130_argentino-de-maior-sucesso-na-historia-do-brasil-dalessandro-deixa-inter-apos-8-anos|title = Argentino de maior sucesso na história do Brasil, d'Alessandro deixa Inter após 8 anos}} He won his second Recopa Sudamericana and the Copa Argentina during his stay at the club. After that, he returned to Internacional de Porto Alegre on Dec 2016, and his successful career continues in this latter.

International career

D'Alessandro won the 2001 Under-20 World Championship with the Argentine youth side, held in Buenos Aires; due to his performances alongside his club teammate Javier Saviola, he was awarded the Silver Ball as the tournament's second best player. D'Alessandro had originally started the tournament as a substitute, but injuries allowed him a place in the team in later matches. Argentina beat Ghana 3–0 in the final.

D'Alessandro has represented Argentina's senior side on 28 occasions, scoring 4 times between 2001 and 2011. He also represented Argentina's under-23 side at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where Argentina won a gold medal.{{cite web|title=Andres D ALESSANDRO|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=180182/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318224108/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=180182/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 March 2008|publisher=FIFA|access-date=1 March 2015}}

D'Alessandro also took part in the 2004 Copa América with Argentina. He scored his only goal of the tournament in the group stage, in Argentina's 6–1 victory over Ecuador{{cite web|title=Saviola blows Ecuador away|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jul/08/newsstory.sport4|work=The Guardian|access-date=28 February 2015|date=8 July 2004}} In the final, against rivals Brazil, he missed Argentina's first penalty in the resulting shootout, following a 2–2 draw after extra time; Argentina were defeated 4–2 in the shootout.{{cite web|title=Brazil win Copa shoot-out|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/3922603.stm|work=BBC News|access-date=28 February 2015|date=25 July 2004}}{{cite web|last1=O'Connor|first1=Michael|title=Brazil snatch cup in late twist|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/jul/26/newsstory.sport5|work=The Guardian|access-date=28 February 2015|date=26 July 2004}}

On 20 August 2010, Sergio Batista recalled D'Alessandro to the national team for a friendly against Spain, which was played on 7 September 2010 at the Monumental Stadium River Plate.

Style of play

A talented attacking midfielder, D'Alessandro is best known for his dribbling ability, creativity, and technical skill, and is capable beating players with body feints and tricks, such as the dragback (boba), nutmeg, or the Blomqvist shuffle;{{cite web|last1=Brega|first1=Giordano|title=Si affloscia la "boba" di Andres D'Alessandro. Il cabezon torna in Argentina|url=http://www.affaritaliani.it/sport/andresdalessandroaddioeuropa060208.html?refresh_ce|website=affaritaliani.it|access-date=1 March 2015|language=it |trans-title=The "boba" of Andres D'Alessandro comes to an end. El cabezon returns to Argentina|date=9 February 2008}}{{cite web|last1=Dotto|first1=Matteo|title=D' Alessandro, la maledizione del mancato Maradona|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2006/febbraio/07/Alessandro_maledizione_del_mancato_Maradona_co_9_060207120.shtml|website=archiviostorico.corriere.it|publisher=Il Corriere della Sera|access-date=1 March 2015|language=it |trans-title=D'Alessandro, the curse of the unfulfilled New Maradona |date=7 February 2006}} he is also an accurate free-kick taker. D'Alessandro is also known for his short passing ability, which makes him a capable assist provider.

In 2001, he was named one of the 100 best young footballers in the world by Don Balón,{{cite web|title=Don Balon's list of the 100 best young players in the world|url=http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/2010/11/02/don-balons-list-of-the-100-best-young-players-in-the-world/|website=thespoiler.co.uk|date=2 November 2010|access-date=1 March 2015}} and he was also labelled one of Maradona's potential heirs by the media and by Maradona himself; despite his precocious talent however, he was not able to fully fulfill the potential he demonstrated in his youth.

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|5 January 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/andres-nicolas-dalessandro/3827/|title=A. D'Alessandro|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=18 September 2017}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="2"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="5"|River Plate

|1999–2000

|1

0colspan="2"|—00colspan="2"|—10
2000–01

|4

0colspan="2"|—30colspan="2"|—70
2001–02

|36

9colspan="2"|—50colspan="2"|—419
2002–03

|29

11colspan="2"|—114colspan="2"|—4015
Total

!70||20||0||0||19||4||0||0||89||24

rowspan="4"|VfL Wolfsburg

|2003–04

|29

31140colspan="2"|—344
2004–05

|19

300colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—193
2005–06

|13

22031colspan="2"|—183
Total

!61||8||3||1||7||1||0||0||71||10

Portsmouth (loan)

|2005–06

|13

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—131
Real Zaragoza (loan)

|2006–07

|36

252colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—414
Real Zaragoza

|2007–08

|14

23020colspan="2"|—192
San Lorenzo

|2007–08

|15

2colspan="2"|—90colspan="2"|—242
rowspan="14"|Internacional

|2008

|11

2colspan="2"|—72colspan="2"|—184
2009

|22

67130944111
2010

|20

1colspan="2"|—1310114445
2011

|30

9colspan="2"|—811054815
2012

|21

1colspan="2"|—5171333
2013

|35

1174001655820
2014

|33

63000102468
2015

|15

02011481365
2016

|1

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—1020
2017

|31

572colspan="2"|—141528
2018

|24

362colspan="2"|—72377
2019

|23

16010070461
2020

|20

0000072272
Total

!285||45||32||9||57||8||110||28||490||90

River Plate (loan)

|2016–17

|17

24093colspan="2"|—305
Nacional

|2021

|14

1colspan="2"|—5010201
colspan="2"|Career total

!525||83||53||12||108||16||111||28||797||139

=International=

{{Updated|17 February 2011}}{{NFT|338|name=D'Alessandro, Andrés|accessdate=17 February 2011}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team||Year||Apps||Goals
rowspan="8"|Argentina

|2003

92
2004101
200530
200600
200700
200800
200900
201030
colspan="2"|Total||25||3

Honours

River Plate

Internacional

Argentina U20

Argentina Olympic

Argentina

Individual

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

{{Commons category|Andrés D'Alessandro}}

  • {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605095759/http://www.futbolxxi.com/Futbolista.aspx?ID=12064&SEOFutbolista=D'Alessandro+Andres+Nicolas |date=dmy |title=Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI at Futbol XXI {{in lang|es}} }}
  • {{ESPN FC|33894}}
  • {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060426200212/http://www.123football.com/players/d/andres-d-alessandro/ |date=dmy |title=Short Bio }}
  • {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717075907/http://guardian.touch-line.com/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=59&CPID=133&pStr=Player&PLID=55326&TEID=3314 |date=dmy |title=Guardian.co.uk }}

{{Navboxes

|bg=gold

|fg=black

|title= Awards

|list1=

{{2001 South American Team of the Year}}

{{2002 South American Team of the Year}}

{{2008 South American Team of the Year}}

{{2010 South American Team of the Year}}

{{South American Footballer of the Year}}

}}

{{Navboxes

|title= Argentina squads

|bg= #75aadb

|fg= white

|bordercolor= silver

|list1=

{{Argentina squad 2004 Copa América}}

{{Argentina men's football squad 2004 Summer Olympics}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Alessandro, Andres}}

Category:1981 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Buenos Aires

Category:Argentine men's footballers

Category:Argentina men's under-20 international footballers

Category:Argentina men's international footballers

Category:2004 Copa América players

Category:Olympic footballers for Argentina

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Club Atlético River Plate footballers

Category:VfL Wolfsburg players

Category:Portsmouth F.C. players

Category:Premier League players

Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:La Liga players

Category:Real Zaragoza players

Category:San Lorenzo de Almagro footballers

Category:SC Internacional players

Category:Copa Sudamericana–winning players

Category:Club Nacional de Football players

Category:Olympic gold medalists for Argentina

Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players

Category:Bundesliga players

Category:Argentine Primera División players

Category:Uruguayan Primera División players

Category:Copa Libertadores–winning players

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Brazil

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England

Category:Argentine expatriate men's footballers

Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Brazil

Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Germany

Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Spain

Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in England

Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Uruguay

Category:South American Footballer of the Year winners

Category:Olympic medalists in football

Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Argentine sportspeople of Italian descent

Category:Naturalized citizens of Brazil

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay

Category:21st-century Argentine sportsmen