# Emanuele Giaccherini
**Emanuele Giaccherini** (born 1985) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, winger and box-to-box midfielder, reaching [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) only at age 25 and becoming a surprise star of Italy's Euro 2016 squad. After four years in the fourth division, and having worked in a factory as a teenager, he won two Serie A titles with Juventus, played in the Premier League for Sunderland, and earned 29 caps and 4 goals for Italy between 2012 and 2016.[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html) • [2](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985; sources give Talla or nearby Bibbiena, both in the province of Arezzo[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html) • [3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835) |
| Italy record | 29 caps (14 wins, 10 draws, 5 losses), 4 goals; first cap 10 June 2012 vs Spain, last 2 July 2016 vs Germany[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html) |
| Serie A totals | 163 appearances, 25 goals, 12 assists, 10,495 minutes[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/emanuele-giaccherini/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/84835/wettbewerb/IT1) |
| Career totals | 378 appearances and 62 goals across all clubs[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html) |
| Honours | Two Serie A titles with Juventus (2012, 2013)[2](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/) |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835) |
| Retired | 1 July 2021, last club Chievo Verona[3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835) |
## Early life and rise from non-league football
Giaccherini was born in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany; RSSSF records Talla as his birthplace, while Transfermarkt and a Corriere della Sera interview give Bibbiena.[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html) • [3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835) • [6](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml) As a teenager he combined football with manual work. In the summer of 2000, aged 15, he asked his father, a factory worker, to let him work too, preparing precast concrete beams on 120-meter casting beds, waking at 5:30 a.m. and returning home at 2 p.m.; he qualified as a mechanical technician.[7](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/27-09-2025/giaccherini-a-conte-devo-tutto-che-fatica-fare-l-operaio.shtml)
His body nearly ended the career before it started. At 16 he had his spleen removed after a bad collision on the pitch, and continued playing without the organ.[6](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml) Spotted by Cesena at 19, he spent four seasons struggling in Serie C2, the fourth division, mostly on loan at Forlì (2004-05), Bellaria Igea Marina (2005-07) and Pavia (2007-08), and was out for almost a year with a double ankle fracture.[2](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/) • [8](https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20406271.html) Coaches at Bellaria and Pavia judged him too easily knocked off the ball, and by 2008 he was almost ready to give up and return to making precast concrete.[8](https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20406271.html)
**The turning point came at Pavia and then Cesena.** At Pavia he was moved from second striker to left-sided midfielder and scored 10 goals.[9](https://www.upmagazinearezzo.it/giak-si-gioca-ed-emanuele-si-racconta/) Back at Cesena, his breakthrough came in a friendly when the striker Veronesi withdrew after his father's death; Giaccherini scored two goals, became a regular under new manager Pierpaolo Bisoli, and the club won promotion from [Serie C](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-c) to [Serie B](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-b) and then to Serie A in two seasons, with Giaccherini in a key role.[6](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml) • [8](https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20406271.html) He reached Serie A at 25.[10](https://www.agi.it/sport/calcio/news/2021-07-01/europei-si-ritira-giaccherini-13120223/)
## Club career
**Cesena.** His best Serie A season by appearances came immediately: in 2010-11 he played 36 matches, scored 7 goals and made 4 assists in 2,906 minutes for newly promoted Cesena.[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/emanuele-giaccherini/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/84835/wettbewerb/IT1)
**Juventus (2011-2013).** Juventus signed him on a co-ownership deal in August 2011, and he started the first match at the new [Juventus Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/juventus-stadium) on the left of a 4-3-3.[11](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647264-italys-emanuele-giaccherini-is-the-embodiment-of-antonio-contes-coaching-ethos) When Antonio Conte shifted to a 3-5-2, he converted Giaccherini from a winger into a "mezz'ala", a box-to-box midfielder, and used him as the utility man of the midfield, replacing Marchisio, Pirlo and [Arturo Vidal](https://www.edgepedia.org/arturo-vidal) when needed; he played 27 games between Serie A and the [Coppa Italia](https://www.edgepedia.org/coppa-italia) in that first season.[11](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647264-italys-emanuele-giaccherini-is-the-embodiment-of-antonio-contes-coaching-ethos) BBC Sport credits him with 40 Juventus appearances and back-to-back Serie A titles;[12](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23331584) the player himself has said 55 appearances across Champions League and league play.[13](https://www.ilmattino.it/sport/sscnapoli/napoli_juventus_giaccherini_grazie_a_conte_sono_diventato_giaccherinho-8614028.html) In 2012-13 he made 17 Serie A appearances (942 minutes), winning 77.8% of his 27 tackles and scoring three goals from 33 shots, 15 on target.[14](https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/the-champions-emanuele-giaccherini) He was a squad rotation player rather than a regular starter, and Conte later expressed frustration that the club sold him.[15](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/giaccherinho-bbc-and-antonio-contes-juventus-influence-have-italy-off-and-running-1.171722)
**Sunderland (2013-2015).** In July 2013 [Sunderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunderland) signed him for £6.5m on a four-year contract, according to the BBC;[12](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23331584) The Guardian reported the fee as around £8.5m and described him as a marquee signing.[16](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/12/sunderland-gus-poyet-emanuele-giaccherini) The move did not work out. Within weeks of his arrival [Paolo Di Canio](https://www.edgepedia.org/paolo-di-canio) was sacked, and Giaccherini found himself sidelined by [Gus Poyet](https://www.edgepedia.org/gus-poyet) and overwhelmed by culture shock.[16](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/12/sunderland-gus-poyet-emanuele-giaccherini) He found the Premier League more physical and intense but tactically poorer than Serie A.[9](https://www.upmagazinearezzo.it/giak-si-gioca-ed-emanuele-si-racconta/) His first season was his best: 24 matches and 5 goals in all competitions per El País, including a 25-yard strike against Arsenal and a goal in a 4-0 win over Cardiff City, and an appearance as a substitute in the 2014 League Cup Final loss to Manchester City.[17](https://elpais.com/deportes/2016/06/14/actualidad/1465887544_503741.html) • [18](https://www.safcstats.co.uk/players/1013/emanuele-giaccherini) Statistical sites differ slightly on the league split: National Football Teams records 24 league appearances and 4 goals for 2013-14, while SAFC Stats records 23 and 5.[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html) • [18](https://www.safcstats.co.uk/players/1013/emanuele-giaccherini) Ankle injuries in September 2014 and February 2015 ruled him out for much of 2014-15, in which he made only 4 league appearances.[18](https://www.safcstats.co.uk/players/1013/emanuele-giaccherini)
**Bologna loan (2015-16).** In 2015, while he was in England, Conte called him and asked him to return to Italy so he could follow him closely ahead of Euro 2016; Bologna signed him near the end of the transfer window, and he had what he calls an extraordinary championship, with 28 appearances and 7 goals.[13](https://www.ilmattino.it/sport/sscnapoli/napoli_juventus_giaccherini_grazie_a_conte_sono_diventato_giaccherinho-8614028.html) • [5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html)
**Napoli (2016-2018).** After Euro 2016, Napoli signed him on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[19](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36815932) Under Maurizio Sarri the spell failed: Sarri saw him only as a back-up to Callejón, a role he felt did not match his characteristics, and he asked to leave.[7](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/27-09-2025/giaccherini-a-conte-devo-tutto-che-fatica-fare-l-operaio.shtml) He made 16 appearances with 1 goal in 2016-17 and 4 appearances in 2017-18.[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html)
**Chievo Verona (2018-2021).** He finished his career at Chievo, with 26 appearances and 3 goals in 2018-19, 23 appearances and 5 goals in Serie B in 2019-20, and 13 appearances and 2 goals in 2020-21.[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html) FBref records 13 Serie A appearances (11 starts, 903 minutes) for Chievo in 2017-18, when the club finished 13th.[20](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c50f354/Emanuele-Giaccherini) His final season was spent largely in the treatment room through a series of injuries, and he retired on 1 July 2021.[6](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml) • [3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835)
## International career
[Cesare Prandelli](https://www.edgepedia.org/cesare-prandelli) called him up for Euro 2012, where Italy reached the final and lost to Spain; Giaccherini's first cap came on 10 June 2012 in the group match against Spain, a 1-1 draw.[2](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/) • [1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html) At the 2013 Confederations Cup he scored against Brazil on 22 June.[21](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c50f354/goallogs/nat_tm/Emanuele-Giaccherini-Goal-Log) By the time he joined Sunderland he had 14 caps and had scored the fastest goal in Italy's national-team history, after 19 seconds against Haiti in June 2013.[12](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23331584)
**Euro 2016 was his peak.** Under Conte, the 31-year-old Bologna midfielder opened the scoring in Italy's 2-0 win over Belgium in the group stage, controlling and finishing in the 32nd minute with an assist from [Leonardo Bonucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonardo-bonucci).[17](https://elpais.com/deportes/2016/06/14/actualidad/1465887544_503741.html) • [21](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c50f354/goallogs/nat_tm/Emanuele-Giaccherini-Goal-Log) Italy beat Belgium and Spain before losing the quarter-final to Germany on penalties.[9](https://www.upmagazinearezzo.it/giak-si-gioca-ed-emanuele-si-racconta/) Across the tournament he completed 83.1 percent of his passes and averaged 1.5 tackles per game, per WhoScored.[11](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647264-italys-emanuele-giaccherini-is-the-embodiment-of-antonio-contes-coaching-ethos) He later described the Belgium goal as the apex of his career.[22](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Nazionale/08-04-2026/emanuele-giaccherini-intervista-conte-nazionale.shtml) His last cap came in that Germany match on 2 July 2016.[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html)
## Playing style and position
Giaccherini's defining trait was versatility. Databases list him as an attacking midfielder with additional positions of left winger, center midfielder and left midfielder, at 1.67 m and about 60 kg.[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html) He himself named left winger or mezzala as his best roles: under Conte he covered both the offensive and defensive phases, describing himself as a "tuttocampista" (all-round midfielder), while Prandelli preferred him as a mezzala for Italy.[9](https://www.upmagazinearezzo.it/giak-si-gioca-ed-emanuele-si-racconta/) He credits Conte with changing his tactical characteristics, converting him from a wide player into an excellent mezzala and lengthening his career.[13](https://www.ilmattino.it/sport/sscnapoli/napoli_juventus_giaccherini_grazie_a_conte_sono_diventato_giaccherinho-8614028.html)
An ESPN scouting-style profile highlights his work off the ball: pressing to perfection, constant tackling to win back possession in advantageous positions, intelligent box running to create space for teammates, and wide positioning that facilitated Juventus's vertical game.[23](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37389813/giaccherini-pocket-dynamite) In Serie A he appeared most often as a left winger (26 games, 5 goals), but also as attacking midfielder (23), left midfield (22), central midfield (22) and right winger (13).[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/emanuele-giaccherini/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/84835/wettbewerb/IT1)
## By the numbers
Giaccherini's Serie A career totals are 163 appearances, 25 goals and 12 assists in 10,495 minutes.[4](https://www.transfermarkt.com/emanuele-giaccherini/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/84835/wettbewerb/IT1) Across all clubs, including the fourth-division years, he made 378 appearances and scored 62 goals.[5](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html) For Italy he earned 29 caps with 4 goals, a scoring rate of 0.14 per match.[1](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html)
The defining number is his age at debut: he reached Serie A only at 25, after four fourth-division seasons. His Serie A clubs were Cesena, Juventus, Bologna, Napoli, and Chievo.[10](https://www.agi.it/sport/calcio/news/2021-07-01/europei-si-ritira-giaccherini-13120223/)
## Honours
Giaccherini won two Serie A titles with Juventus, in 2012 and 2013, as a squad rotation player under Conte.[2](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/) • [12](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23331584)
## What has changed since 2023
Giaccherini retired in 2021 after an injury-hit final season at Chievo Verona.[6](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml) Since then he has worked as a commentator for DAZN, obtained the UEFA B coaching license through a course organized by the Italian federation with Assocalciatori support, and collaborated with the Bibbiena youth setup; he decided to take the license during his final years as a player.[24](https://www.lanazione.it/arezzo/sport/giak-va-in-panchina-ma-per-ora-sto-a-dazn-5b822217)
## Legacy and assessment
Giaccherini is remembered as a late-blooming overachiever. The phrase he heard most at youth trials was "good, but too small", yet he became the fighting soldier of Conte's hard-working Italy side and the manager's favorite.[17](https://elpais.com/deportes/2016/06/14/actualidad/1465887544_503741.html) He says he owes Conte everything, and the Belgium goal stands as his career peak.[7](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/27-09-2025/giaccherini-a-conte-devo-tutto-che-fatica-fare-l-operaio.shtml) • [22](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Nazionale/08-04-2026/emanuele-giaccherini-intervista-conte-nazionale.shtml)
## References
1. [Emanuele Giaccherini - International Appearances, RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/giaccherini-intl.html)
2. [Giaccherini, Emanuele - Treccani](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emanuele-giaccherini/)
3. [Emanuele Giaccherini profile - Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/emanuele-giaccherini/profil/spieler/84835)
4. [Emanuele Giaccherini - Serie A performance data, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.com/emanuele-giaccherini/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/84835/wettbewerb/IT1)
5. [Emanuele Giaccherini - National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47923/Emanuele_Giaccherini.html)
6. [Giaccherini: «Da ragazzino lavoravo in fabbrica...», Corriere della Sera](https://www.corriere.it/sport/24_novembre_19/emanuele-giaccherini-che-fine-ha-fatto-intervista-b2d171e7-3202-43a7-93f6-d820debc8xlk.shtml)
7. [Giaccherini: "A Conte devo tutto. Che fatica fare l'operaio", La Gazzetta dello Sport](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/27-09-2025/giaccherini-a-conte-devo-tutto-che-fatica-fare-l-operaio.shtml)
8. [Emanuele Giaccherini: Italy's talisman from Talla, Irish Examiner](https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20406271.html)
9. [Giak si gioca... ed Emanuele si racconta, UP Magazine Arezzo](https://www.upmagazinearezzo.it/giak-si-gioca-ed-emanuele-si-racconta/)
10. [Dice addio al calcio Giaccherini, eroe di Italia-Belgio del 2016, AGI](https://www.agi.it/sport/calcio/news/2021-07-01/europei-si-ritira-giaccherini-13120223/)
11. [Italy's Emanuele Giaccherini Is the Embodiment of Antonio Conte's Coaching Ethos, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647264-italys-emanuele-giaccherini-is-the-embodiment-of-antonio-contes-coaching-ethos)
12. [Sunderland sign £6.5m Emanuele Giaccherini from Juventus, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23331584)
13. [Napoli-Juventus, Giaccherini: «Grazie a Conte sono diventato Giaccherinho», Il Mattino](https://www.ilmattino.it/sport/sscnapoli/napoli_juventus_giaccherini_grazie_a_conte_sono_diventato_giaccherinho-8614028.html)
14. [The Champions: Emanuele Giaccherini, Juventus](https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/the-champions-emanuele-giaccherini)
15. [Giaccherinho, BBC and Antonio Conte's Juventus influence have Italy off and running, The National](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/giaccherinho-bbc-and-antonio-contes-juventus-influence-have-italy-off-and-running-1.171722)
16. [Sunderland's Gus Poyet changes mind on reborn Emanuele Giaccherini, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/12/sunderland-gus-poyet-emanuele-giaccherini)
17. [Eurocopa 2016: Giaccherini, el símbolo de la Italia trabajadora de Conte, El País](https://elpais.com/deportes/2016/06/14/actualidad/1465887544_503741.html)
18. [Emanuele Giaccherini, Sunderland AFC Stats](https://www.safcstats.co.uk/players/1013/emanuele-giaccherini)
19. [Emanuele Giaccherini: Sunderland winger joins Napoli, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36815932)
20. [Emanuele Giaccherini - FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c50f354/Emanuele-Giaccherini)
21. [Emanuele Giaccherini Goal Logs - FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c50f354/goallogs/nat_tm/Emanuele-Giaccherini-Goal-Log)
22. [Emanuele Giaccherini intervista: "Conte l'uomo giusto per l'Italia", La Gazzetta dello Sport](https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Nazionale/08-04-2026/emanuele-giaccherini-intervista-conte-nazionale.shtml)
23. [Giaccherini - the pocket dynamite, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37389813/giaccherini-pocket-dynamite)
24. [Giak va in panchina: "Ma per ora sto a Dazn", La Nazione](https://www.lanazione.it/arezzo/sport/giak-va-in-panchina-ma-per-ora-sto-a-dazn-5b822217)
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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 A to Ma*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: 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