Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi Nicknamed 'El Pocho' (born 3 May 1985) is an Argentine football striker currently playing for Italian Serie A club Napoli.
| File:Lavezziinallenamento.JPG | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) |
Striker Attacking midfielder Right winger Left winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Napoli | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 November 2008 | |||
Club career
Early career
Like many promising young Argentine players who appear in Italy, the media have been quick to dub Lavezzi the "New Maradona".[1][2] Lavezzi himself however plays this down, instead comparing himself to another young Argentine player Carlos Tévez. Despite this his style very much follows the principles of Argentine Football Creole Style made famous by Diego Maradona.
As a youngster, Lavezzi had a very keen interest in football and supported his local side Rosario Central; he would later get their badge tattooed on his chest.
From a very young age, the footballing talent of Lavezzi was recognised, as he played in the youth squads of Boca Juniors from the age of 10 until he was 17.[3] Lavezzi moved to the youth side of Estudiantes de Buenos Aires in 2003, where over one season he played 39 games and scored 17 goals.[3]
Genoa
Known as 'El Pocho' or 'The Chubby one'. He was bought by Italian side Genoa in 2004 for 1 million euros,[3] but was loaned out straight away to Argentina side San Lorenzo.[4] Here at the age of 19, he competed in the Apertura 2004 tournament scoring six goals in total over the course of the season; which saw him finish as 4th top scorer.
Lavezzi's most notable contributions included a spectacular effort against River Plate at the El Monumental. He scored in the 69th minute to give San Lorenzo a famous victory and seriously damage River's title challenge. This gained him the nickname la Bestia ("the Beast") from the Argentine media.[3]
Although it was planned for Lavezzi to return back to Genoa after a season on loan, there were problems. While Lavezzi was playing in Argentina, Genoa were involved in an alleged match fixing scandal which saw them relegated down to Serie C1; the third level of Italian football. Due to financial constraints, the promising forward was sold to San Lorenzo for 1.2 million euro.[5]
San Lorenzo
On his return to San Lorenzo for the Apertura 2005 season, he managed to help the club up into the top half of the table, with eight goals, he finished as the overall 4th top scorer. His last act as a San Lorenzo player was to help them to the Clausura 2007 title, beating out Boca Juniors by six points.
Napoli
Napoli had recently achieved promotion back to Serie A, after finishing as runners-up the previous season in Serie B. Looking to strengthen their squad for a return to the top level, Napoli signed Lavezzi on a five-year contract on 5 July 2007. The transfer deal was worth around 6 million euros, he was presented before the fans and given the number 7 shirt for his first season.
Lavezzi soon made an impact for the club by scoring a hat-trick in a 3–1 victory over Pisa in the Coppa Italia at the Stadio San Paolo; this was the first hat-trick by a Napoli player in fourteen years.[6] The first league goal Lavezzi scored for Napoli, came during a 5–0 victory against Udinese on 2 September 2007. After the match he was described in reports as "inspirational",[7] with the media proclaiming "Napoli's star is born".[7] The Neapolitan club hadn't won a league match by such a large margin since 1988, when Diego Maradona was at the club.[8]
Lavezzi's contract was extended one year to 30 June 2013 in March 2008. He completed the 2007–08 season with 8 goals in 35 games. He quickly became a focal point of the fans' affection with his amazing skills and quick accelerations.
The 2008–09 season was one of highs and lows for Lavezzi. He was a leading contributor to Napoli's incredible first half of the season which saw them compete for first position on the ladder. However, the second half proved much more difficult, with inconsistent performances, Lavezzi and Napoli slid down the ladder to finish a dissapointing 12th, well below expectations. Lavezzi's return was 7 goals in 30 games.
Immediately after the end of the season, Lavezzi fled to Argentina after the neapolitan club ignored his request for further contract negotiations. Public opinion is divided on the issue after he addressed a letter to the Napoli fans expressing his disappointment in club management.
International career
Lavezzi made his international debut for the Argentina national team team against Chile, on 18 April 2007. He was chosen to represent Argentina at the 2008 Olympics.He scored two goals, one against Australia on 10 August 2008, and a penalty against Serbia on 13 August 2008. Lavezzi also appeared in the final minutes of extra time against Nigeria, in a game Argentina won 1-0.
Titles
| Season | Club | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  San Lorenzo |
Primera Division Argentina Clausura |
| 2008 | Argentina Under 23 |
Olympic football tournament |
References
- ^ Channel4.com
- ^ Guardian.co.uk
- ^ a b c d CalcioNapoliNews.it
- ^ the young player had already started making a name for himself.Clarin.com
- ^ IlGiornale.it
- ^ Extra-Football.com
- ^ a b Channel4.com
- ^ Napoli 1988-89