Top facts about Stefano Fiore, Italian former winger

Stefano Fiore Cavaliere OMRI (born 17 April 1975) is an Italian football manager and former player who played as an offensive midfielder or on the right flank.

He was the technical area manager for Nuova Cosenza Calcio in Serie D.

Stefano Fiore’s age

is 47. Here you can find out the most important facts about Stefano Fiore, the former star.

He played two seasons with Padova and Chievo before returning to Parma for two more seasons in 1997, when he got into the starting lineup and won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia in 1999.

After that, he went to Udinese, where he spent two successful seasons, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2000 and assisting his team in qualifying for Europe.

Later, he moved to

, where he won his second Coppa Italia and finished as the competition's top scorer in 2004.

His efforts earned him a move to Valencia in Spain later that year, where despite winning the UEFA Supercup, he failed to reproduce his earlier success, and he was subsequently transferred back to Italy on loan to Fiorentina, Torino, and Livorno during his three seasons with the club.

An important fact about Stefano Fiore is that he returned to Italy permanently in 2007, playing with Mantova for a season; after being inactive for the 2008–09 season, he moved to Cosenza in 2009, where he played for two seasons.

Top facts about Stefano Fiore:

Stefano Fiore began his professional career with his hometown club AS Cosenza Calcio in 1992. Before joining

in 1994, he had only made eleven appearances.

Parma won the UEFA Cup in 1995, but Fiore did not play in any international matches. Even though he was barely a substitute at Parma during Nevio Scala's season, he was practically forced to move to Padova Calcio, a direct rival in Italy's Serie A.

Stefano Fiore early life

Regarding

Stefano Fiore’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he was born in Cosenza and started his professional football career in 1992 with his hometown club.

Before coming to Parma in 1994, he only played 11 games. At the age of nineteen, he made his Serie A debut for the club in a 0–0 away draw against Genoa on December 11, 1994.

Parma finished third in Serie A that season and advanced to the Coppa Italia final. Fiore was put into the starting eleven by manager Nevio Scala in the return leg of the final, which ended 1–1, which was their most famous achievement. There is no information available regarding

Stefano Fiore’s parents

.

Fiore was able to obtain international experience with seasoned teammates Gianfranco Zola, Fernando Couto, and Dino Baggio as a result of this. He moved to Padova for the next season due to his little playing time with them, where he scored one goal in 24 appearances.

Stefano Fiore professional career

Stefano Fiore was a member of the Italy national football team from 2000 to 2004, winning 38 caps and scoring twice.

At the juvenile level, he was a part of the team that won the 1997 Mediterranean Games, and at the senior level, he was named to the Italy teams for UEFA Euro 2000 and UEFA Euro 2004, where he scored one goal in helping his side reach the final.

Fiore began his career with his hometown club Cosenza, making his debut in 1992 before moving to Parma FC in 1994. After a lackluster 1994-95 season, he signed with the more modest Padova, where he had more consistency. In 1996, he joined

, where he made an impression, appearing in 38 games and scoring one goal.

His good play earned him a return to Parma in 1997, when the club was looking for a midfielder who could play alongside Dino Baggio. In his two seasons with the gialloblu, he proved his worth, earning him ownership and continuity.

In June 1999, he agreed to join Udinese in a trident with Ghanaian Stephen Appiah and Brazilian Márcio Amoroso for a fee of 90 million lire. His career took off even more after he made his debut with the Italian soccer team in 2000 and was a member of the Azzurro team at Euro 2000.

He signed for SS Lazio in Rome for 80 billion lire with his partner Giuliano Giannichedda. Lazio had made changes to their squad, releasing key players such as Pavel Nedvd, Juan Sebastián Verón, and Marcelo Salas, who they hoped to replace with players such as Gaizka Mendieta, Jaap Stam, and Fiore himself.

His performance at Laziale was less than stellar, especially when Coach Alberto Zaccheroni insisted on forcing him to play out of position. As a result of all of this, he was not selected for the 2002 World Cup.

With the departure of Zaccheroni and the arrival of

, Fiore returned to his original position, where he excelled once more, winning the Italian Cup in 2004 and representing Italy at Euro 2004.

Due to Lazio's financial difficulties and the debt incurred by the signing of Gaizka Mendieta, Fiore, along with his compatriots Deél Bernardo Corradi, Marco Di Vaio, and Emiliano Moretti, signed for Valencia, coached by fellow Italian Claudio Ranieri, for the 2004–05 season.

Fiore suffered a serious injury in October 2004 that he never fully recovered from, and this, combined with his lack of acclimatization to Spanish football, meant that his participation in the Ché club was severely limited.

Fiore spent the 2005–06 season on loan at Fiorentina. His return to Italy appeared to come as a surprise, as Fiore co-led the viola club with Luca Toni.

Despite his strong performance, Fiorentina did not want to keep him, so he spent the next two seasons on loan at

and Livorno.

Fiore joined AC Mantova of the Italian Serie B in September 2007, after his contract with Valencia expired. Fiore ended his career with the team where he made his debut, Cosenza, in the 2008–09 season, retiring in 2011 to join the club's technical team.

Stefano Fiore club career

His debut in the Serie A championship took place at just nineteen with the Parma shirt in Genoa -Parma (0-0) played on 11 December 1994.

On the thirty-first day, on 13 May 1995, he also scored his first goal in Serie A which was worth the 1-0 victory in Parma- Bari.

In that season Parma won the UEFA Cup against Juventus and the young Fiore was thus able to have his first international experience, alongside players such as Gianfranco Zola, Fernando Couto and Dino Baggio.

Chievo and Parma

An important

fact about Stefano Fiore

is that he went to Serie B club Chievo for the 1996–97 season, where he was a standout performer with two goals and many assists. Parma, a previous club, re-signed the midfielder in 1997 as a result of this.

He became a more permanent member of the squad for the next two seasons; despite spending most of the 1997–98 season on the bench, he looked far more impressive than his main starting eleven contender, the ageing Dino Baggio, when he was given a chance, and he was promoted to the starting line-up for the following 1998–99 season.

This was Fiore's most successful season, as Parma finished fourth in Serie A and defeated Fiorentina to win the Coppa Italia.

Parma also won the UEFA Cup for the second time that season, defeating Olympique Marseille 3–0 in the final in Moscow. Fiore was a key figure in Parma's successful European campaign that season, scoring two goals in ten UEFA Cup matches.

Udinese

In June 1999, he joined Udinese under Luigi De Canio in a cash-plus-player deal in which Parma received Stephen Appiah and Márcio Amoroso for a total 90 billion lire transfer fee to Udinese, with Fiore valued at 15 billion lire and the rest as cash.

His breakthrough with the club came in the 1999–2000 Serie A season, when he scored 9 goals in 33 games, a personal high.

His excellent form won him a call-up to the national squad for Euro 2000, replacing Dino Baggio, who had held him out of the Parma team for so long.

In the 2000–01 season, he maintained his great form, scoring 9 goals in 34 appearances while also helping Udinese win the UEFA Intertoto Cup, allowing them to qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Lazio

A notable fact about Stefano Fiore is that he eventually joined Lazio in June 2001, along with teammate Giuliano Giannichedda, for a fee of more than 80 billion Italian lire.

That season, Lazio traded midfielders Juan Sebastián Verón and Pavel Nedvd in the same month (June), and forward Marcelo Salas to Juventus in exchange for cash and Darko Kovaevi.

They also signed Gaizka Mendieta from Valencia and persuaded Jaap Stam to cover a portion of Verón's transfer expenses. Fiore's first season at Lazio was spent under

, his former Italy manager from Euro 2000.

Fiore struggled to regain his best form for Lazio in the 2001–02 season, as Alberto Zaccheroni, the coach who succeeded Zoff, insisted on playing him on the left side of midfield.

Fiore's position in the national team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan was lost as a consequence of this. After Zaccheroni was fired in 2002, Fiore started to progress under the guidance of new coach Roberto Mancini.

A notable

fact about Stefano Fiore

is that he appeared more at ease in the center of the midfield, and he led Lazio to fourth place in Serie A, earning them a spot in the UEFA Winners League the next season, scoring six goals and also reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, only to lose to eventual champions

.

Despite the departure of numerous important players in the summer (and later Dejan Stankovi in January 2004), Fiore was in fine form for Lazio the following season.

Fiore was an inspiring player for Lazio in the 2003–04 Coppa Italia, ending the tournament as top scorer with 6 goals in 7 games, including 3 goals in the two legs of the final against Juventus. His outstanding performances won him a spot on the national team for Euro 2004.

Valencia

Due to Lazio's financial difficulties, Fiore and Bernardo Corradi were transferred to Valencia in Spain, where he joined Italian coach Claudio Ranieri and compatriot Marco Di Vaio, signing a three-year deal.

Corradi was listed at €10 million, while Fiore was listed for €6.6 million. The deal covered Gaizka Mendieta's outstanding transfer costs from Valencia to Lazio, which totaled €16.6 million.

After a promising start that featured a UEFA Super Cup victory against Champions League champions Porto, Valencia went on a terrible losing run in October that they never completely recovered from.

They were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League early, and

was fired at the end of February. Fiore struggled to adjust to the rigors of Spanish football and was often relegated to the bench.

Loans

Fiore and Corradi returned to Serie A in July 2005, with Fiorentina signing the midfielder on loan. They had already lost Enzo Maresca and Christian Obodo, both holding midfielders, in June.

Fiore and striker Luca Toni worked well together, and together they took

to a higher level, leading them to fourth place in Serie A until the Calciopoli rulings saw them drop out.

Fiorentina chose not to sign Fiore on a permanent basis, and on deadline day, he signed a loan deal with Torino, who were returning to Serie A. He was loaned to Livorno on January 31, 2007, the last day of the transfer window.

A notable fact about Stefano Fiore is that he made his Serie A debut for Livorno against

on February 11, 2007. He struggled to find a club to call home in the summer of 2007, until August 22, when he signed a one-year deal with A.C. Mantova in Serie B, where he previously played in 1997.

Fiore did not play for any team during the 2008–09 season, but he returned to professional football in September 2009, signing a three-year deal with local club Cosenza in the third-tier Lega Pro Prima Divisione, where he played until his retirement in 2011.

Stefano Fiore international career

Fiore played for Italy's Under-21 team eight times and three times for the Under-23 team, with whom he won the Mediterranean Games in 1997.

During his stint with Udinese under manager Dino Zoff, he earned his senior Italy national team debut on February 23, 2000, in a 1–0 win against Sweden in a Palermo international friendly.

Fiore's excellent success during the 1999–2000 Serie A season quickly established him as a regular and key component of the national team, earning him a spot in Dino Zoff's Euro 2000 squad.

He had a very successful tournament, scoring the goal of the tournament in Italy's second group match, a 2–0 victory over co-hosts Belgium; he also assisted a goal for his creative, offensive midfield teammate Francesco Totti in the quarter-finals of the tournament, a 2–0 win over Romania, which secured Italy's place in the semi-finals against co-hosts the Netherlands.

His excellent form continued as he played in every match for Italy during the campaign, helping them to the final, where they were defeated by the reigning World Champions France on a golden-goal in extra-time.

A notable fact about Stefano Fiore is that he remained a part of the national team under Giovanni Trapattoni's successor, scoring his second international goal in a friendly loss to Argentina at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on February 28, 2001.

However, he was unable to attend the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where Italy was defeated in the second round by co-hosts South Korea, regrettably and controversially.

Fiore's outstanding performances for Lazio during the 2003–04 season won him a recall to the national team in 2003, and he was included to Italy's 23-man Euro 2004 squad.

Coach Giovanni Trapattoni, on the other hand, utilized Fiore sparingly, preferring to play Argentine-born winger Mauro Camoranesi and only utilizing him as a substitute in the first two group matches.

When he finally makes his debut, the Azzurri looked a lot more dynamic, with Fiore coming close to scoring in the final group game against Bulgaria with a beautiful volley.

Despite winning the match 2–1 and not losing a game during the tournament, Italy was eliminated from the tournament in the first round on direct encounters, after a three-way five-point tie with Denmark and Sweden, who both advanced to the quarter-finals.

Following Trapattoni's dismissal in 2004 as a result of Italy's poor performance at the European Championships, Fiore made appearances in a few games under new Italy manager

.

Later that year, Fiore announced his retirement from the national team. Fiore was a member of the Italy national football team from 2000 to 2004, winning 38 caps and scoring two goals.

Stefano Fiore playing style

A notable fact about Stefano Fiore is that he was mostly used as an attacking midfielder or on the left or right flank during his career.

Fiore was a quick, combative, hard-working, and mobile playmaker with good vision, ball skills, and intelligence who was renowned for his passing ability, offensive capabilities, and eye for goal from midfield, courtesy of his powerful and accurate striking ability from distance with his right foot, as well as his ability to make attacking runs into more advanced positions.

 These attributes also allowed him to plough his way into more advanced positions. Due to his tactical adaptability, physicality, and defensive work-rate off the ball, as well as his ability to link-up with other players and both create and finish opportunities, he also played in numerous deeper midfield situations, as a central midfielder or deep-lying playmaker.

Stefano Fiore legacy

The traditional discussion about whether superstar should play at Euro 2000 had accompanied Italy into the tournament. Was it going to be Alessandro Del Piero or Francesco Totti?

The argument sparked the customary regional fears and allegiances, which the Azzurri shirt's blue never seems to totally calm. But, as the media argued over their views, Stefano Fiore, a Cosenza local, had declared his entrance on the international arena with a stunning goal against Belgium.

A notable

fact about Stefano Fiore

is that he didn't represent any of the great Italian clubs: Parma, Roma, Lazio, Milan, Inter, Fiorentina, and

, who were all members of Le Sette Sorelle (The Seven Sisters), a now-disbanded sisterhood. 

However, he had recently had an exceptional season with Udinese, scoring nine goals while playing a more offensive position in Coach Luigi De Canio's midfield.

Zoff positioned Fiore closer to the attackers for Italy, despite the fact that he had previously played on the left wing, and he felt him as capable of playing a more traditional position in center midfield. Fiore saw his adaptability as bittersweet.

"My favourite position had always been to play within a three- or five-man midfield, but it was the position where I played the least in my career," he remarked in 2015. "I've been a regista, a trequartista, and even a wide player."

As he exchanged a fast ball with

before unleashing an incredible shot from the edge of the box against Belgium at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels that July night, Fiore demonstrated exactly what he was capable of when playing closer to the front players.

His celebration, though, was indicative of his career. Fiore was telling everyone that he lived, that he cared, as he spun away, pointing to his name on the back of his jersey.

At the age of 25, he won his sixth cap for Italy that night, but only the most ardent fans of Italian football knew who Fiore was. Even though he won a UEFA Cup by chance at the age of 20 with Parma, his career was not very illustrious.

"I was co-owned by Cosenza and Parma, but Parma won the blind auction for me, so I ended up there. I started out with their Primavera level before moving up to the senior team and winning the UEFA Cup."

He won the UEFA Cup with Parma again in 1999, despite playing a far more important part that season, but he only came in as a replacement for Juan Sebastian Veron in the 77th minute of the Final against Olympique Marseille.

Fiore, who was on the periphery at the time, moved to Udinese the next season, where he quickly established himself as a significant role, winning the Inter-Toto Cup in 2000 and scored nine goals in each of his two seasons there.

His achievements drew the attention of Lazio, where he won the Coppa Italia in 2004 and lost in a UEFA Cup semi-final against Porto in 2003.

Fiore was a key member of the Biancoceleste squad, particularly when the club's financial woes in 2002 forced the departure of high-profile players such as club captain

and striker Hernan Crespo.

He lasted until 2004 before going on to numerous other teams, including Valencia and Fiorentina. However, following his Lazio tenure, his career began to wane, and he retired in 2011 after playing for his local club of Cosenza in Serie C1.

Fiore was either a mediocre journeyman midfielder or a terribly underestimated talent, depending on who you ask. He was a decent player to those who saw his career after he left Lazio, but his undoubted skill was epitomized in the early 2000s.

Fiore's tale is intriguing not just because of what happened, but also because of what may have happened.

He did win UEFA Cups, although not as a key player. Yes, he was adaptable, but he often found himself in places he didn't like for. Yes, he played for Lazio, but at a time when they were going to face financial difficulties.

Despite having the talent to make the last jump into fame, Fiore lingered on the verge of unqualified success for numerous years. His career is the polar opposite of that of a lowly athlete who happens to be on a winning club.

He came within seconds of winning the European Championship with Italy, which was fitting. His outstanding efforts at Euro 2000 won him a starting berth in the Final against France in Rotterdam, but Italy lost in extra time to a

golden goal following a heartbreaking last-gasp French equalize.

When viewing replays of that Final, it's difficult not to grin when the sweeping camera lingers on Fiore for a second or two during the Italian national anthem — a player who is easy to forget but always a delight to remember.

Some more facts about Stefano Fiore:

An important fact about Stefano Fiore is that he scored one goal in 24 games during the 1995/96 season. The following season, he returned to Serie B, this time with Chievo Verona, where he earned his first flight. Fiore drew the attention of his former club, AC Parma, with two goals and multiple assists in 38 games.

The midfielder signed a two-year contract with the Gialloblu in 1997. Again, Fiore was rarely used in Parma under Carlo Ancelotti, and was mostly used as a substitute for the aging Dino Baggio. Despite making 54 appearances, he was dissatisfied with his role as a reservist in the long run.

Fiore made six appearances for Parma in the UEFA Champions League in 1997/98. The following season, AC Parma won the UEFA Cup again, and Fiore scored twice in ten games. They also won the Coppa Italia in 1999, but Fiore did not make an appearance as a substitute.

In the 1999/2000 season, Fiore recorded his first highlight of his career. After joining Udinese Calcio, he finally gained the coach's trust and made 33 appearances in his first season in northern Italy, scoring nine spectacular goals.

Transfer rumors about Fiore were rampant following his strong performances at the EM 2000. However, the midfielder turned down offers from big clubs such as Juventus, Lazio, and Inter Milan and chose to stay with Udinese Calcio for the following season.

His outstanding form served him well in the championship as well. He scored nine goals in 34 games once more. Fiore played in the UEFA Cup twice during his two seasons with Udinese, scoring one goal in nine games.

Fiore joined Lazio Roma for €25 million in 2001. Giuliano Giannichedda, another member of his team, trailed behind him. Fiore, on the other hand, was unable to find his form for the Biancocelesti, with Coach Alberto Zaccheroni exclusively using him on the left side of midfield.

He was also dropped from the national team and was a spectator at the 2002 World Cup. Fiore was back to his former form under new coach Roberto Mancini when Zaccheroni was fired in 2002. He was deployed in central midfield once more, and he led Lazio to fourth place in Italy's first division.

As a result, Lazio Rome has secured a place in the Champions League. The following season, Fiore was in sensational form for Lazio, but the club was weakened by some summer sales.

Despite this, the Romans won the Coppa Italia. Fiore's strong performances in the cup and championship earned him a recall to the national team for the EM 2004.

Stefano Fiore and some of his teammates were sold to Valencia FC in Spain in 2004 due to financial problems at Lazio Rome. Following a promising start to the season under Claudio Ranieri, the Spanish club went on a long losing streak in October.

After being eliminated from the Champions League, Ranieri was fired in February 2005. Fiore, who was struggling to adapt to Spanish football, was increasingly relegated to the bench under the new coach.

In the summer of 2005, he returned to the Italian Serie A, where he was loaned out for a year to AC Fiorentina. Fiore felt at ease in Italy and quickly regained his form.

He led Fiorentina back to the top flight alongside striker Luca Toni. Surprisingly, despite being offered €2 million by Valencia, Fiorentina did not sign the midfielder.

Although he trained with the Valencia team upon his return to Spain, the club searched for a club interested in the midfielder and found one in Torino, Italy. Fiore, who stated that he would like to play in Italy again, was assigned to Turin for a year.

Fiore was loaned to AS Livorno by FC Valencia for six months in January 2007, where he quickly established himself as a regular. Fiore joined AC Mantova for two years in the summer of 2007. After that, he joined his hometown club, AS Cosenza Calcio.

Fiore was called up to the Squadra Azzurra in 2000 after excelling at Serie A club Udinese Calcio. In February of this year, he made his debut in Italy's 1-0 draw with Sweden.

Fiore debuted at the European Championships in 2000 as a replacement for Dino Baggio, who had always kept him on the bench at Parma. The tournament went extremely well for the Italian, and Fiore scored the tournament-winning goal in a 2-0 victory over Belgium. Only in the final did the Squadra Azzurra fail.

Fiore's poor form at Lazio also meant that he was overlooked for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Because of his current form, he admits that he does not deserve to play for the Italy national team.

An important fact about Stefano Fiore is that he was considered for the national team again just two years later, having found his form again at Lazio. However, he was rarely used by Coach

at the 2004 European Championships in Portugal, who preferred Mauro Camoranesi.

The national team shone brightest in games involving Stefano Fiore, who scored a spectacular volley in the final group game against Bulgaria.

Italy, who had been undefeated, had to leave the European Championship early because the previous two games had only been drawn. Many people assumed that a call-up to the national team was a given after strong performances at Fiorentina.

However, Fiore was not included in Marcello Lippi's 23-man squad for Germany 2006, so he was once again a spectator at a World Cup and was unable to celebrate the world title with the Squadra Azzurra.

Stefano Fiore social media

Regarding

Stefano Fiore social media

, it should be mentioned that he has an Instagram page (

) with more than 17k followers. On the page, we can see various pictures of him along with his fans and family.

Stefano Fiore body measurements

Speaking about

Stefano Fiore body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the former player is 177m and 75kg.

Stefano Fiore net worth and salary

Stefano Fiore's net worth

is estimated to be around $8 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.

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