# Antonio Di Natale
**Antonio Di Natale** (born 1977 in Naples) is a retired Italian striker who spent most of his career at Udinese, scored 209 goals in [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a), and ranks sixth on the competition's all-time scoring list.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) • [2](https://sportnews.snai.it/calcio/serie-a-i-migliori-marcatori-di-tutti-i-tempi-la-classifica-all-time-dei-primi-100)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977, Naples[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) |
| Serie A goals | 209 in 445 matches (Empoli 18, Udinese 191), sixth all-time[2](https://sportnews.snai.it/calcio/serie-a-i-migliori-marcatori-di-tutti-i-tempi-la-classifica-all-time-dei-primi-100) |
| Capocannoniere | 2009-10 with 29 goals and 2010-11 with 28 goals[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) |
| Udinese records | 385 Serie A appearances, 191 Serie A goals, 23 Coppa Italia goals, 17 European goals[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) |
| Italy | Scored the opening goal against Spain at Euro 2012[3](https://www.cahiersdufootball.com/article/di-natale-un-footballeur-en-argent-5160?page=1) • [4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7dd017995b-d86e7a05bc27-1000--di-natale-recalled-for-provisional-italy-squad/) |
| Retirement | Ended his career in 2016 after the 2015-16 season[5](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx) |
## Early career at Empoli
Di Natale came through the youth ranks at [Empoli](https://www.edgepedia.org/empoli), which loaned him to lower-division clubs Iperzola, Varese, and Viareggio before he established himself in the first team.[6](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/antonio-di-natale/) He made his professional debut on 26 January 1997 for Empoli in a 0-0 draw against Cremonese, and scored his first goal on 21 December 1997 while on loan at Iperzola in Serie C2.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) In the 2001-02 season he scored 16 goals as Empoli won promotion to Serie A.[5](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx)
After Empoli's relegation, he moved to Udinese in 2004, having scored 18 Serie A goals for Empoli.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto)
## Udinese
Di Natale debuted for Udinese on 19 September 2004 in a 4-0 win over Parma, scoring the opening goal.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) His scoring output grew steadily, and after a serious knee injury suffered in March while on international duty he returned to score at least 20 goals a season between 2009-10 and 2013-14.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto)
**Capocannoniere twice.** He won the Serie A top-scorer title (capocannoniere) in consecutive seasons, with 29 goals in 2009-10 and 28 in 2010-11, and scored more than twenty goals in four straight seasons from 2009-10 to 2012-13.[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) In the 2011-12 season his 23 goals helped Udinese reach third place and qualify for the Champions League.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7dd017995b-d86e7a05bc27-1000--di-natale-recalled-for-provisional-italy-squad/)
He finished as Udinese's all-time leading scorer with 191 Serie A goals and its record appearance holder in Serie A with 385 matches, and he is the club's record scorer in both the [Coppa Italia](https://www.edgepedia.org/coppa-italia) (23 goals) and European competitions (17 goals).[1](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto) He declined approaches from larger clubs, including Juventus and Milan, and remained at Udinese until retiring at the end of the 2015-16 season.[5](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx)
## Italy
Di Natale debuted for the national team in 2002 under [Giovanni Trapattoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/giovanni-trapattoni) and played at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012.[5](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx) Recalled by coach Cesare Prandelli for Euro 2012 after not being capped since the 2010 World Cup, he had scored 80 Serie A goals across the previous three seasons.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7dd017995b-d86e7a05bc27-1000--di-natale-recalled-for-provisional-italy-squad/) In the group-stage match against Spain on 10 June 2012 he came on as a substitute and scored the opening goal in the 61st minute, finishing a pass from [Andrea Pirlo](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrea-pirlo); the match ended 1-1.[3](https://www.cahiersdufootball.com/article/di-natale-un-footballeur-en-argent-5160?page=1) Italy went on to reach the final, losing 4-0 to Spain.[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2003351/)
## Playing style and recognition
Di Natale was known for intelligent movement, precise finishing, and a low center of gravity that gave him stability in turning and shooting; he scored from nearly every type of shooting situation.[5](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx) He won the Pallone d'Argento (Silver Ball) award for 2010-11, given by the Italian sports press union for sporting correctness, talent, mentality, and generosity.[3](https://www.cahiersdufootball.com/article/di-natale-un-footballeur-en-argent-5160?page=1)
## References
1. [Happy birthday Toto! – Udinese](https://www.udinese.it/news/team/happy-birthday-toto)
2. [Serie A: la classifica marcatori di tutti i tempi – SNAI Sportnews](https://sportnews.snai.it/calcio/serie-a-i-migliori-marcatori-di-tutti-i-tempi-la-classifica-all-time-dei-primi-100)
3. [Di Natale, un footballeur en argent – Les Cahiers du football](https://www.cahiersdufootball.com/article/di-natale-un-footballeur-en-argent-5160?page=1)
4. [Di Natale recalled for provisional Italy squad – UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7dd017995b-d86e7a05bc27-1000--di-natale-recalled-for-provisional-italy-squad/)
5. ['The Power of Love': Antonio Di Natale, uomo di cuore – Goal.com Italia](https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/antonio-di-natale-empoli-udinese/irr6y8m1evcj197poikb6jkjx)
6. [Di Natale, Antonio – Treccani Enciclopedia](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/antonio-di-natale/)
7. [History: Spain 4-0 Italy – UEFA EURO 2012 Final – UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2003351/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Italian footballers born before 1995 › Surnames Me to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license