Camoranesi began his career in Argentina in 1995, where he played forAldosiviandBanfield,also having spells in Mexico withSantos LagunaandCruz Azul,and in Uruguay withWanderers.In 2000, he moved to Italy, joiningVerona,where his performances earned him a transfer to defendingSerie AchampionsJuventusin 2002. Camoranesi won the league title and theSupercoppa Italianain his first season with the club, also reaching theUEFA Champions Leaguefinal; he spent most of his career with the Turin side, also winning a second Supercoppa Italiana during his eight seasons with theBianconeri.In 2010, he joined German sideVfB Stuttgartfor a season, before returning to Argentina to play forLanús,and subsequentlyRacing Club,where he retired in 2014. Following his retirement, Camoranesi began his managerial career later that year, and has since coached Mexican clubCoras de Tepic,Argentine sideTigre,Slovenian teamsTabor SežanaandMaribor,and Maltese sideFloriana.
Born inTandil,Camoranesi was a fan ofRiver Plategrowing up. He started his career atAldosivi,100 miles away from his hometown. He moved to Mexico to begin his professional playing career atSantos Lagunaduring the 1995–96 season and scored one goal in 13 games for the team; Santos Laguna fans nicknamed him "El Cholo".[3]
The following year, Camoranesi moved to Uruguayan clubMontevideo Wanderersbriefly, before returning to his homeland to play forBanfieldin 1997, solidifying himself as an attacking right midfielder, while playing 38 games with 16 goals.[3]
The following season, Camoranesi returned to Mexico as a member of clubCruz Azul,where he played from 1998 to 2000, making 79 appearances and scoring 21 goals.[3]
He caught the attention ofSerie AsideVerona,and moved to Italy in 2000. He helped the club avoid relegation in hisfirst seasonwith four goals in 22 appearances.[3]
In 2002, Camoranesi was signed by Juventus on aco-ownership deal;initially Juventus agreed a price of €1[4]in cash plus player deal (whichMax Vieriwas sold for €517,000 (or 1 billion lire) plus €2.324 million cash (or 4.5 billion lire cash)) On 26 June 2003, he was signed outright by theBianconerion a permanent basis for an additional fee of €5 million; this was the same day Juventus signedMarco Di Vaioin similar deal.[3]
Despite his agent Sergio Fortunato linking the player to clubs such asLyon,ValenciaandLiverpoolover the summer of 2006, following Juventus's relegation, Camoranesi made an announcement himself in September, pledging loyalty to Juventus: "In January, I will not ask to be sold; I'm happy to stay here."[3][5]
Camoranesi put on some notable performances and contributed to a number of goals for Juventus during the2006–07 Serie Bseason, scoring 4 in total, as his team won the title and earned promotion back to the Italian top flight.[3]AgainstLeccein April 2007, he performed a manoeuvre similar to aCruyff turn,turning the ball through a defender's legs on the wing, before retrieving it to help set up Juventus's first goal of the match. Later in the match, he scored his side's third; Camoranesi took the ball past three Lecce defenders, before hitting the ball from the edge of the box, with his left foot into the top corner.[6]Just days before he had scored a header in the 2–0 victory against close title contendersNapoli.
Despite initial rumours of his departure, on 10 July 2007, he extended his contract with the club until 2010. For the2007–08 Serie Aseason, his shirt number was changed from 16 to 8. In spite of suffering several injuries during the2007–08 season,he scored 5 goals in 22 appearances, and also won theGuerin d'Oroaward, as the player with the highest average rating.[3]
Camoranesi changed back to number 16 jersey ahead of the2008–09 Serie Aseason, and also extended his contract for another year. After pre-season, he was often sidelined by injuries at the start of the season.[3]After struggling in the first few games in the start of the2009–10 Serie Aseason, Camoranesi came back strongly and proved to be one of Juventus's most important players. He scored the solitary goal againstMaccabi Haifain the Champions League, as well as a brace in a 5–2 win overAtalanta.
On 31 August 2010, Camoranesi signed a one-year contract withStuttgartas a free agent.[7]His contract with Juventus was mutually terminated on the same day.[8]On 26 January 2011, his contract with Stuttgart was mutually terminated, with Camoranesi admitting that he "just didn't fit in the club sporting wise, although he liked the team, the people and the city." He expressed a desire to continue his career in Argentina.[9]
On 2 February 2011, Camoranesi signed a two-year contract withLanúswith the option to coach youth players if he chose to retire.[10]In October 2011, he made headlines for kicking an opponent in the head. In a match against Racing Club, he fouled Patricio Toranzo and was shown a red card by the referee. Instead of walking off, Camoranesi ran back and kicked the same opponent in the head while Toranzo was still lying on the ground. Toranzo later commented that Camoranesi is "not much of a man, just a coward" and suggested Camoranesi would need to see a psychiatrist for his violent behaviour. Camoranesi faced a long ban from football for this incident.[11][12]
On 20 July 2012, Camoranesi signed in for Argentine sideRacing Club.On 13 June 2013, he announced that he would retire from football at the end of the season in June, although rumours circulated he could be close to joiningLeicester Cityto link up with Argentine midfielderEsteban Cambiasso.[13]On 16 March 2014, he came on as a 68th-minute substitute forRodrigo De Paul,as his side lost 0–2 away toNewell's Old Boys,for whom former Juventus teammateDavid Trezeguetscored the second goal in the 83rd minute. This turned out to be Camoranesi's last game in his career.
Camoranesi was eligible forItalian citizenshipthrough a great-grandfather, Luigi, who in 1873 emigrated fromPotenza Picena,in Italy'sMarcheregion, to Argentina.[14][15]Hisdual citizenshipmade him eligible to play for either Argentina or Italy, but theAzzurrishowed interest in him first and, on 12 February 2003, he made his international debut in a friendly match againstPortugal,which his team won 1–0 under managerGiovanni Trapattoni;[16]consequently, Camoranesi became the firstoriundoto appear for Italy in 40 years, with the last being the Brazilian-bornAngelo Sormani.[17]Under Trapattoni, Camoranesi played for Italy atUEFA Euro 2004,[18][19]where they were eliminated in the first round.[20]Camoranesi's first senior international goal came in a2006 World Cup qualifieraway toBelaruson 7 September 2005, which the Italians won 4–1.[21]
At the end of2006 FIFA World Cup Finalmatch in Germany, in which Italy defeatedFrance5–3 in apenalty shoot-outafter a 1–1 draw, Camoranesi had teammateMassimo Oddochop off a large chunk of his long hair as the rest of the squad danced around them in a circle.[27]Camoranesi then went up to the camera and dedicated the triumph by saying in Spanish: "Para los pibes del barrio" (For the guys from the neighbourhood).[27]
Camoranesi commented in an interview in regards to the World Cup victory: "I feel Argentine but I have worthily defended the colours of Italy. I think that nobody can say otherwise."[28]
He was successively called up to Italy's squad forUEFA Euro 2008under managerRoberto Donadoni;[29]Italy were knocked out on penalties by eventual championsSpainon penalties, following a goalless draw.[30][31]Upon Lippi's return, he also took part at the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup,[32]in which Italy were eliminated in the group stage following a 3–0 loss to eventual championsBrazilin their third first-round match.[33]Later that same year, he scored Italy's first goal with a header from a corner in a 2–2 away draw againstIrelandon 10 October, which allowed Italy toqualify for the 2010 World Cupwith two games to spare; this was his final international goal.[34]Camoranesi took part at the2010 FIFA World Cup;[35]the latter tournament was his last experience with the Italy national team, with his final appearance coming in Italy's second group match, a 1–1 draw againstNew Zealand.[36]Italy were eliminated in the first round once again, following a 3–2 defeat toSlovakia,finishing bottom of their group.[37]In total, Camoranesi was capped 55 times by Italy between 2003 and 2010, and scored four goals.[38]
On 15 December 2017, Camoranesi received his coaching licence.[39]
Camoranesi was appointed manager ofSlovenian PrvaLigasideTabor Sežanaon 3 January 2020, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract.[40]Eight months later he signed a three-year contract atMariborin the same league.[41]He was sacked on 23 February 2021.[42]
On 5 July 2022, Camoranesi was appointed assistant manager ofOlympique de MarseilleafterIgor Tudorbecame the manager of the club.[43]However, he left the team only a week later when Tudor namedHari Vukasas his assistant.[44]
Camoranesi was a dynamic, hard-working, and skillfulmidfielder,who usually deployed on the rightwing,or on occasion on the left flank, or as acentralorattacking midfielderbehind the strikers.[3][49][50][51]He was a quick, energetic, and technically gifted player, with excellent ball control, who excelled atdribblingand beating players in one on one situations and getting up the flank.[3][49][50]He was also gifted with good vision, creativity,crossingand passing ability with his right foot, which allowed him to create chances for his teammates.[50][52][53]In addition to these characteristics, he also had an accurate and powerful shot, in particular from outside the penalty area, and was known for both his offensive and defensive contribution, which enabled him to start attacks after winning back the ball.[50][52]A tenacious winger, throughout his career, he was however criticised for his aggression and lack of discipline at times, which caused him to pick up unnecessary bookings.[3][52]
Belarus
Georgia
Belgium
Republic of Ireland
