Oddo played for several Italian clubs throughout his career, although he is mainly remembered for his time withLazio,where he won theCoppa Italia,and in particular,Milan,where he won several titles, including theUEFA Champions Leagueand theScudetto;he also had a spell on loan with German clubBayern Munich.At the international level, he represented theItalian squadatUEFA Euro 2004and was also part of the team that won the2006 FIFA World Cup.
Oddo started his career atRenato Curi AngolanaofSerie Dand moved toAC Milanyouth team in 1993. After spending two years on the bench, in the hope of more playing opportunities, he moved toSerie CteamFiorenzuolaon loan. It was followed by other three Serie C groups (Monza,Prato,Lecco). He returned to promotedSerie Bteam Monza in 1998 and left a year later forNapoli(in aco-ownershipdeal). He helped Napoli win promotion toSerie Aafter a successful1999–2000 Serie Band joinedHellas Veronathat summer.[3]While at Verona, Oddo completed his obligatory military service. He would spend Monday through Thursday at the military barracks and then, on Fridays, would join up with his teammates for training.[4]
After two successful seasons with Verona, Italian giantsSS Laziopurchased him. At Lazio he had the opportunity to play in theUEFA Champions Leaguein the season 2003–04 and theUEFA Cupcompetition in the seasons 2002–03 and 2004–05. The team reached the semi-finals in2003.Moreover, his third season with Lazio earned him theCoppa Italiawinner title. He became the captain of Lazio for the first half of the 2006–07 season following the departure ofFabio LiveranitoFiorentina.
On 23 January 2007, it was announced that Milan and Lazio had reached an accord for Oddo's transfer to theRossoneriafter a long negotiation period. The overall price was €10.75 million (cash plusPasquale Foggia,who had been on loan at the club since the start of the season) and Oddo waived some of his wage, made the deal worth €12 million in total.[5][6]He signed a contract until 30 June 2011.[7]Months later, Oddo was the starting right back in the2007 UEFA Champions League finaland helped Milan gain their seventh European Cup in a 2–1 win overLiverpool,as well as the club's fifthUEFA Super Cupin August when they had to face2007 UEFA Cupwinners,Sevilla.
With the arrival ofGianluca Zambrotta,Oddo had to compete with him in the right-back position. On 28 August 2008, Oddo moved toBayern Munichon a one-year loan with the option of making the move permanent; however, at the end of the 2008–09 season, the German club confirmed that it would not take that option, and he returned to Milan, with Zambrotta moved to left-back and Oddo found himself competing withIgnazio Abatefor the right-back position.
On 21 July 2010, he extended his contract until 30 June 2012.[8]A day after, Zambrotta also signed a new deal.
After being mostly frozen out of the Milan squad during the starting part of the2010–11 season,he made his season debut against former club Napoli after an early first-half head injury to left backLuca Antonini;furthermore, he provided two assists, one toRobinhofor the opening goal and another forZlatan Ibrahimović.
On 31 August 2011, Oddo joinedLecceon a season-long loan.[9]
Following the 2011–12 season, Oddo ended his career, saying, "I leave football. When you reach a certain age, you face a crossroads."
He was a starter at sevenEuro 2004qualifying matches.During the main competition in Portugal, he made one appearance, playing as a substitute in Italy's final group game againstBulgaria(22 June 2004); during the match, he supplied an assist forCassano'sgoal, which helped Italy win the match 2–1, although they were eliminated from the tournament in the first round on direct encounters, following a three-way five-point tie withDenmarkandSweden.[11]Subsequently, Oddo was a member of Italy's championship-winning squad during the2006 FIFA World CupunderMarcello Lippi,as back up toGianluca Zambrotta,making one substitute appearance in Italy's 3–0 win overUkrainein the quarter-finals of the tournament.[12]At the end of2006 FIFA World Cup finalmatch in Germany, in which Italy defeatedFrance5–3 in apenalty shoot-out,Oddo chopped off a large chunk of his teammateMauro Camoranesi's long hair as the rest of the squad danced around them in a circle.[13]
Oddo scored his first and only international goal for Italy from the penalty spot in aEuro 2008 qualifyingmatch on 7 October 2006 against Ukraine, under managerRoberto Donadoni,which ended in a 2–0 victory for the Italians.[14]Oddo made his 34th and final appearance for Italy in a 3–1 win over Portugal on 6 February 2008.[15]
Oddo was primarily deployed on the right flank as an offensivefull-backorwing-back,or even as awide-midfielderon occasion, due to his stamina, work-rate, defensive consistency, attacking drive, andcrossingability. In his later career, he was deployed in a more defensive role as acentral-defender.[16][17][18]Despite being a defender, Oddo was known for his ability onset piecesandpenalties.[19]
After retirement, he decided to pursue a coaching career, accepting an offer as youth coach of theAllievi Regionali BforGenoain August 2013. He left his job in July 2014 to accept an offer to guide thePrimavera(under-19) squad of his hometown clubPescara.
On 23 May 2015, he was promoted as head coach of Pescara after the dismissal ofMarco Baroniwith only one game remaining, a home match againstLivorno(coached by former Italy teammateChristian Panucci), with both teams still involved in the race for a promotion playoff spot.[20]The game ended with a 3–0 win for Pescara, which qualified the team to the Serie A promotion playoffs. On 9 June 2016, Oddo led Pescara toSerie A promotionafter beating outTrapani3–1 on aggregate in theSerie B promotion play-off final.[21]On 15 July 2016, Pescara extended Oddo's contract by three years, keeping him as manager of the club until June 2019.[22]He was sacked on 14 February 2017.[23]
On 21 November 2017, Oddo was named the head coach ofUdinesefollowing the sacking ofLuigi Delneri.[24]He was sacked on 24 April 2018, with Udinese in 15th place, as they lost 11 matches in a row.[25]
On 29 October 2018,Serie BclubCrotoneannounced the hiring of Oddo.[26]However, he failed to change the fortunes of the club, failing to win a single game before resigning on 28 December following a 0–3 home defeat toSpezia.[27]
On 7 June 2019, Oddo was appointed head coach ofPerugia.[28]He was dismissed by Perugia on 4 January 2020.[29]He was rehired again on 19 July,[30]and terminated on 19 August 2020.[31]
On 29 August 2020, Oddo was appointed manager ofPescara.[32]On 29 November 2020, Pescara fired him after only gaining four points in the first nine league games.[33]
On 24 February 2022, he returned to management as the new head coach ofSerie Cpromotion hopefulsPadova.[34]Under his tenure, he guided Padova to win the2021–22 Coppa Italia Serie Ctitle, but failed automatic promotion by ending in second place behindSüdtirol.He led Padova to a second consecutive promotion playoff final, where they were defeated byPalermoin a 0–2 aggregate loss. Due to failure to achieve promotion to Serie B, Oddo and Padova parted ways by mutual consent at the end of the season.[35]
On 14 February 2023, Oddo was named head coach ofSerie Brelegation-struggling clubSPAL,replacingDaniele De Rossi.[36]He left the club at the end of the season as SPAL was relegated toSerie C.
On 8 April 2024, Oddo returned to Padova, replacingVincenzo Torrentein charge of the Serie C team in time for the promotion playoffs and agreeing on a contract until 30 June 2024 with an option to extend.[37]He left the club by the end of the season, after being eliminated in the playoffs toVicenza.
Oddo is from the town ofPescaraon the Adriatic coast but has Sicilian origins.[38]
Oddo's father,Francesco,is a football manager and former player. After leaving school, Oddo attended university to study law but left without graduating. He returned to university in 2007 but undertook a course in sports management.[39]
He has two sons, Davide (born 30 November 2003) and Francesco (born 27 December 2008).[39]Oddo is a trained barber and styled a lot of hisItalycolleagues' hair at theWorld Cup 2006,earning him the nickname theBarber of Berlin.[40]
Ukraine
