View source for Simone Del Nero

{{short description|Italian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Simone Del Nero
| image = 
| caption = 
| fullname = Simone Del Nero<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legaseriea.it/uploads/default/attachments/comunicati/comunicati_m/3839/files/allegati/3844/cu80234567.pdf |title=Comunicato Ufficiale N. 80 |trans-title=Official Press Release No. 80 |publisher=Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A|page=5 |date=13 October 2009 |access-date=11 December 2020 |language=Italian}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|8|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Carrara]], Italy
| height = 1.84 m
| position = [[Midfielder#Winger|Left winger]]
| currentclub = [[U.S.D. Lavagnese 1919|Lavagnese]] (head of youth)
| clubnumber = 
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = [[Empoli F.C.|Empoli]]
| years1 = 1998–2000
| clubs1 = [[Empoli F.C.|Empoli]]
| caps1 = 4
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2000–2007
| clubs2 = [[Brescia Calcio|Brescia]]
| caps2 = 105
| goals2 = 7
| years3 = 2001–2002
| clubs3 = → [[Livingston F.C.|Livingston]] (loan)
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2003
| clubs4 = → [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]] (loan)
| years5 = 2007–2012
| clubs5 = [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]]
| caps5 = 22
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2012
| clubs6 = → [[A.C. Cesena|Cesena]] (loan)
| caps6 = 11
| goals6 = 2
| years7 = 2013
| clubs7 = [[Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C.|Johor Darul Ta'zim]]
| caps7 = 8
| goals7 = 2
| years8 = 2013–2016
| clubs8 = [[S.S.D. Massese|Massese]]
| caps8 = 45
| goals8 = 16
| years9 = 2016–2017
| clubs9 = [[Carrarese Calcio|Carrarese]]
| caps9 = 19
| goals9 = 4
| years10 = 2017–2018
| clubs10 = [[S.S.D. Massese|Massese]]
| caps10 = 7
| goals10 = 4
| years11 = 2018–2022
| clubs11 = [[A.S.D. Rivasamba H.C.A.|Rivasamba]]
| caps11 = ?
| goals11 = ?
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2004
| nationalteam1 = [[Italy national under-21 football team|Italy U21]]
| nationalcaps1 = 13
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[association football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{ITA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] | [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Team competition]]}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[UEFA European Under-21 Championship]]|}}
{{Medal|W|[[2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship|2004]]|}}
| pcupdate = 16 November 2017
}}
'''Simone Del Nero''' {{postnominals|post-noms=[[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|Cavaliere OMRI]]}} (born 4 August 1981) is an Italian former footballer who played as a [[Midfielder#Winger|left winger]].

==Club career==
Born in [[Carrara]], [[Province of Massa-Carrara|Massa-Carrara]], Del Nero grew up in the youth system of [[Empoli]]. He played just four senior games in two years for the Tuscans before moving to [[Brescia Calcio|Brescia]]. Upon joining the Rondinelle, Del Nero at first played with the youth team, developing as a player under the guidance of youth coach and former professional, Luciano De Paola.

Del Nero made fleeting appearances for the senior side, before a disappointing stint on loan with Scottish outfit [[Livingston F.C.|Livingston]]. He returned to Brescia for the [[2002–03 Serie A|2002–03]] season, where he made three appearances before another loan spell, this time to [[Sicily]] with [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]], at the time in [[Serie B]]. However, Del Nero did not play a game with the rosanero and returned north at the season's end.

Del Nero had a breakout year in [[2003–04 Serie A|2003–04]], the first in which he established himself as a regular and consistently played in the senior side. In [[2004–05 Serie A|2004–05]], he remained a regular, but did not manage to save his team from relegation.

Del Nero was one of the most talented young players at Brescia with his former coach, [[Mario Somma]], a great admirer. He remained a regular under Rolando Maran and [[Zdeněk Zeman]] in his last two years at the club, [[2005–06 Serie B|2005–06]] and [[2006–07 Serie B|2006–07]], both of which were spent in [[Serie B]].

In the summer of 2007, Del Nero was available on a free transfer as he was out-of-contract at Brescia and was quickly signed to a five-year deal by giants [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]], who were preparing for a return to the [[UEFA Champions League]], having just finished third in [[2006–07 Serie A|Serie A]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/?action=read&id=65570|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901183453/http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/?action=read&id=65570|url-status=dead|title=UFFICIALE: Del Nero e Meghni alla Lazio|archive-date=1 September 2009|language=it}}</ref>

Lazio were drawn to face Romanian champions [[FC Dinamo București|Dinamo București]] in the Champions League qualifiers and, in the second leg, Del Nero proved decisive. Having only managed a 1–1 draw in [[Rome]], the biancocelesti travelled to [[Bucharest]] needing a win and Del Nero won an early penalty for the first goal before setting up the second, with Lazio going on to win 3–1 and qualify for the group stage. Unfortunately for the [[Liguria]]n, he did not take any part in the group phase, and only managed five [[2007–08 Serie A|Serie A]] appearances due to injury. At the end of the [[2007–08 Serie A|2007–08]] season, Del Nero underwent an operation in Finland for [[plantar fasciitis]].<ref>[http://www.ecodiroma.org/il-mercato-biancoceleste-rozhenal-stendardo-e-pinzi.htm EcoDiRoma: Notizie dall'infermeria {{in lang|it}}] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903045758/http://www.ecodiroma.org/il-mercato-biancoceleste-rozhenal-stendardo-e-pinzi.htm |date=3 September 2009 }}</ref>

That surgery had kept him out for much of the [[2008–09 Serie A|2008–09]] season as well, but he made a return to action on 14 December 2008, playing the first half of Lazio's draw against [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]].<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/sa0809/udi-laz.html Udinese 3 – 3 Lazio channel4.com]</ref> Del Nero went on to make a handful more appearances towards the end of the season, including a substitute appearance in the [[2009 Coppa Italia Final]], which Lazio won on penalties.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rainews.it/|title=Rai News: le ultime notizie in tempo reale|website=www.rainews.it}}</ref> The Coppa was Del Nero's first title with the Roman club.

He joined Malaysia Super League club, [[Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C.|Johor Darul Ta'zim]] in 2013. He bagged his first goal in [[2013 Malaysia Super League]] when Johor Darul Ta'zim draw 2–2 against [[LionsXII]] at [[Tan Sri Dato Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium]] on 19 February 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-my/match/99808/johor-darul-takzim-vs-lionsxii/report|title=Johor Darul Takzim FC 2-2 Lions XII}}</ref>
Fitness and injury problems restricted his playing time at Johor, affecting his performance on the pitch, and he rejected an offer to be loaned to sister club [[Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C.|Johor FA]], resulting in the end of his spell in Johor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sports247.my/2013/03/del-nero-is-leaving/ |access-date=19 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110120957/http://www.sports247.my/2013/03/del-nero-is-leaving/ |archive-date=10 January 2014 |title=Del Nero is leaving}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3879/malaysia-super-league/2013/03/20/3840455/fandi-ahmad-confirms-del-nero-departure-from-johor-darul |title=Fandi Ahmad confirms Del Nero departure from Johor Darul Takzim |publisher=Goal.com |date=20 March 2013 |access-date=24 January 2016}}</ref> On 6 April 2013, together with fellow import player [[Dani Guiza]], they played their last game for Johor Darul Ta'zim in a [[Malaysia FA Cup]] semi final first leg match, which ended in 2–3 defeat to [[Selangor FA]].

Del Nero joined [[Serie D]] club [[S.S.D. Massese|Massese]] in the end of 2013.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021|reason=Previous citation was from a black-listed URL}}

On 30 July 2016, he was sent on loan to [[Carrarese Calcio|Carrarese]] for the 2016–17 season, along with fellow striker [[Gennaro Tutino]], who arrived from [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/lega-pro/ufficiale-carrarese-arrivano-tutino-e-del-nero-859898|title=UFFICIALE: Carrarese, arrivano Tutino e Del Nero|publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb.com|language=Italian|author1=Tommaso Maschio|date=30 July 2016|access-date=22 January 2017}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Del Nero was appointed as head of youth at [[U.S.D. Lavagnese 1919|Lavagnese]] in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.settimanasport.com/2022/05/24/leggi-notizia/argomenti/calcio-giovanile/articolo/lavagnese-ce-simone-del-nero-per-il-settore-giovanile.html|title=LAVAGNESE There is Simone Del Nero for the youth sector|publisher=Settimana Sport|date=24 May 2022}}</ref>

==International career==
Del Nero was a part of the [[Italy national under-21 football team|Italy national U-21 side]] that was victorious at the [[2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship]] and also won a bronze medal with the Italian Olympic team at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]].

Del Nero has never been called up to the [[Italy national football team]].

==Honours==
===Club===
'''Lazio'''
*[[Coppa Italia]]: [[2008–09 Coppa Italia|2008–09]]
*[[Supercoppa Italiana]]: [[2009 Supercoppa Italiana|2009]]

===International===
'''Italy'''
* [[UEFA European Under-21 Championship]]: [[2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship|2004]]
* Olympic bronze medal: [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Summer Olympics]]

===Orders===
:*[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 Cav BAR.svg|left|50px]] 5th Class / Knight: ''[[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana]]'': 2004<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.quirinale.it/Onorificenze/DettaglioDecorato.asp?idprogressivo=142673&iddecorato=142173|title=Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana Sig. Simone Del Nero |language=it}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{TuttoCalciatori|Del_Nero_Simone}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202091055/http://www.figc.it/nazionali/DettaglioConvocato?codiceConvocato=2070&squadra=1 |date=2 February 2017 |title=Official FIGC profile}} {{in lang|it}}
* {{CONI profile|new_id=209|old_id=810}}
* {{Olympics.com profile|simone-del-nero}}
* {{SR/Olympics profile|de/simone-del-nero-1}}

{{Italy Squad 2004 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Del Nero, Simone}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Carrara]]
[[Category:Italian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Empoli FC players]]
[[Category:Brescia Calcio players]]
[[Category:Livingston F.C. players]]
[[Category:SS Lazio players]]
[[Category:AC Cesena players]]
[[Category:US Massese 1919 players]]
[[Category:Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. players]]
[[Category:Serie A players]]
[[Category:Serie B players]]
[[Category:Serie C players]]
[[Category:Serie D players]]
[[Category:Scottish Premier League players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Italy]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Italy]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Italy men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Italian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in football]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]]
[[Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen]]