Francesco Toldo

Francesco Toldo

Toldo with Internazionale in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Francesco Toldo
Date of birth	(1971-12-02) 2 December 1971 (age 45)
Place of birth	Padua, Italy
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1983–1985	USMA Caselle
1985–1987	Montebelluna
1987–1990	Milan
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1993	Milan	0	(0)
1990–1991	→ Hellas Verona (loan)	0	(0)
1991–1992	→ Trento (loan)	38	(0)
1992–1993	→ Ravenna (loan)	31	(0)
1993–2001	Fiorentina	266	(0)
2001–2010	Internazionale	148	(0)
Total		483	(0)
National team
1993–1994	Italy U21	8	(0)
1995–2004	Italy	28	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Francesco Toldo (born 2 December 1971) is an Italian retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is regarded by pundits as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation.

In a professional career which spanned two full decades, he mainly represented Fiorentina and Internazionale (eight and nine seasons respectively), winning a total of 15 titles combined; in his last five years, however, he was solely a backup for the Nerazzurri.

For the Italy national team, Toldo appeared in five international competitions, being a starter in UEFA Euro 2000, where he helped Italy reach the final.

Born in Padua, Veneto, Toldo began his career with Milan in 1990. He never played a game with the Milan, however, being loaned during his stint with the club, successively to Hellas Verona (1990–91), Trentino (1991–92), and Ravenna (1992–93).

Toldo then joined Fiorentina in 1993, and became the Viola club's starter for eight seasons, winning the Coppa Italia twice, the Supercoppa Italiana, and playing in one edition of the UEFA Champions League. In 2000, Toldo was named the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for his performances.

One year before Fiorentina faced bankruptcy, Toldo and Rui Costa were sold to Parma for a combined 140 billion lire in June 2001 (55 billion lire for Toldo; about €28.4 million in fixed exchange rate). It made the club a net profit in 2000–01 financial year, instead of a net loss. However, both players refused to join. Toldo himself would be the replacement of departing goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, whom Toldo refused to live under the expectation of. Eventually, Toldo joined Internazionale instead of Parma; Parma signed Sébastien Frey from Inter instead of Toldo; Buffon joined Juventus from Parma; and Edwin van der Sar went to Fulham from Juventus.