UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A natural finisher with both feet, Marco Di Vaio also heads a ball with aplomb and often scores like that such is his bravery.

National team
Di Vaio made his debut for Italy in February 2002 against the United States but did not make the FIFA World Cup squad that summer. Despite playing just once during UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying, he was selected for the finals ahead of Alberto Gilardino with Filippo Inzaghi absent through injury. The diminutive striker played for just seven minutes in Portugal, however.

Club
A product of the S.S. Lazio youth system, Di Vaio also played for Hellas-Verona FC and AS Bari during his early career in Serie B. Yet he shot to prominence with Salernitana Sport: scoring 33 goals in 67 games over two years at the Arechi stadium, including the promotion-winning campaign of 1997/98.

1999: These exploits persuaded Parma AC to spend €16m on him in the summer of 1999 and he did not disappoint, scoring 15 times in 27 appearances in 2000/01, before adding a further 20 goals the following term.

2002: With the summer transfer deadline looming, Juventus FC decided to bring him to Turin in a €26m deal which saw the €10m-rated midfield player Matteo Brighi move in the opposite direction. He scored seven times in 26 league games as Juve won the title, and also featured eleven times in the UEFA Champions League but not in the final defeat.

2003/04: Although Juve relinquished their crown, finishing only third, Di Vaio maintained his high standards, scoring eleven goals in 29 games. Added to his European tally with three goals in the Champions League but failed to find the net as Juve lost the Coppa Italia final to S.S. Lazio. Then swelled the Italian ranks at Valencia CF in July when penning a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Did you know?
Ironically, in his final game as a Parma player, he scored an equalising goal against Juventus in the 2002 Italian Super Cup final in Tripoli - a game his new club went on to win 2-1.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A natural finisher with both feet, Marco Di Vaio also heads a ball with aplomb and often scores like that such is his bravery.

National team
Di Vaio made his debut for Italy in February 2002 against the United States but did not make the FIFA World Cup squad that summer.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Played just once, scoring as a substitute in the final Group 9 victory against Azerbaijan. Selected for Portugal ahead of Alberto Gilardino with Filippo Inzaghi absent through injury.

Club
A product of the S.S. Lazio youth system, Di Vaio also played for Hellas-Verona FC and AS Bari during his early career in Serie B. Yet he shot to prominence with Salernitana Sport: scoring 33 goals in 67 games over two years at the Arechi stadium, including the promotion-winning campaign of 1997/98.

1999: These exploits persuaded Parma AC to spend €16m on him in the summer of 1999 and he did not disappoint, scoring 15 times in 27 appearances in 2000/01, before adding a further 20 goals the following term.

2002: With the summer transfer deadline looming, Juventus FC decided to bring him to Turin in a €26m deal which saw the €10m-rated midfield player Matteo Brighi move in the opposite direction. He scored seven times in 26 league games as Juve won the title, and also featured eleven times in the UEFA Champions League but not in the final defeat.

2003/04: Although Juve relinquished their crown, finishing only third, Di Vaio maintained his high standards, scoring eleven goals in 29 games. Added to his European tally with three goals in the Champions League but failed to find the net as Juve lost the Coppa Italia final to S.S. Lazio.

Did you know?
Ironically, in his final game as a Parma player, he scored an equalising goal against Juventus in the 2002 Italian Super Cup final in Tripoli - a game his new club went on to win 2-1.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.