Montolivo playing for Italy at the UEFA Euro 2012
|
|||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Riccardo Montolivo | ||
Date of birth | 18 January 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Milan, Italy | ||
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
|
Milan | ||
Number | 18 | ||
Youth career | |||
1992–2003 | Atalanta | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2003–2005 | Atalanta | 73 | (7) |
2005–2012 | Fiorentina | 219 | (17) |
2012– | Milan | 110 | (7) |
National team‡ | |||
2004–2006 | Italy U21 | 19 | (3) |
2008 | Italy Olympic | 4 | (1) |
2007– | Italy | 64 | (2) |
Honours
|
|||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2017. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 October 2016 |
Riccardo Montolivo (Italian pronunciation: [rikˈkardo montoˈlivo]; born 18 January 1985) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club A.C. Milan, where he is the captain, and internationally for the Italian national team.
A versatile and creative cone, Montolivo started his career with Atalanta in 2003 before being transferred to Fiorentina in 2005. He went on to make more than 250 appearances for the club in seven years. In 2012, he signed for Milan on a free transfer and was given the club's captaincy the season following the departure of Massimo Ambrosini.
Montolivo made his debut for the Italian senior team in 2007 against South Africa and has since then represented the country in two FIFA Confederations Cups (2009 and 2013, winning a bronze medal in the latter edition of the tournament) as well as in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012, where he played as a starter in the final; he also took part at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Montolivo is a graduate of the Atalanta youth academy. He made his debut for the club in a Serie B match against Piacenza coming on the field as an 81st-minute substitute for Michele Marcoliniego. His first starting match came in a 2–1 win against Hellas Verona. From that match onwards, he became frequent member of the starting line-up and scored his first goal against Bari in a 2–0 win. Atalanta placed fifth and was promoted to the Serie A through playoffs.