Piermario Morosini
![]() Morosini with Livorno in 2012 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1986-07-05)5 July 1986 | ||
Place of birth | Bergamo, Italy | ||
Date of death | 14 April 2012(2012-04-14) (aged 25) | ||
Place of death | Pescara, Italy | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Atalanta | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005–2007 | Udinese | 5 | (0) |
2006–2007 | → Bologna (loan) | 16 | (0) |
2007–2009 | Vicenza | 66 | (1) |
2009–2012 | Udinese | 0 | (0) |
2009–2010 | → Reggina (loan) | 17 | (0) |
2010 | → Padova (loan) | 14 | (0) |
2011 | → Vicenza (loan) | 15 | (0) |
2012 | → Livorno (loan) | 8 | (0) |
Total | 141 | (1) | |
International career | |||
2001–2003 | Italy U17 | 16 | (1) |
2003–2004 | Italy U18 | 7 | (0) |
2004–2005 | Italy U19 | 12 | (0) |
2005–2007 | Italy U20 | 3 | (0) |
2006–2009 | Italy U21 | 18 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Piermario Morosini (5 July 1986 – 14 April 2012) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a midfielder. On 14 April 2012, during a match between Pescara and Livorno, Morosini suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on the pitch.
Early life
Piermario Morosini was born on 5 July 1986, in Bergamo, Italy. His mother Camilla died in 2001, when he was fifteen years old. His father, Aldo, died in 2003, followed shortly after by a disabled brother who committed suicide, leaving him alone with a disabled elder sister.[1]
Shortly after his parents' death, Morosini remarked that "these are the things that change your life, but at the same time make you so angry and help you achieve what was also a dream of my parents."[2]
Club career
Morosini started his career at hometown club Atalanta, and was sold to Udinese in a co-ownership deal during 2005.
On 23 October 2005, he debuts in Serie A in the match Udinese-Inter, collecting in total five appearances in this league. In this season 2005–06 he debuts also in UEFA Cup in the match Levski Sofia-Udinese.
Udinese got full ownership from Atalanta in 2006, and loaned him to Bologna in order to gain experience. From 2007 to 2009 half of the registration rights was farmed to Serie B club Vicenza Calcio. Morosini signed four-year contract with Vicenza and sold for €500,000. Udinese acquired Morosini back from Vicenza for €300,000.[3]
On 31 August 2009, Morosini signed for newly relegated side Reggina on loan.
On 1 February 2010, he was loaned to Calcio Padova. In June 2010, the club decided not to buy him outright.[4]
In January 2011 he was transferred on loan to Vicenza and played 15 times for this club.
On 31 January 2012, he went on loan to Livorno playing 8 matches.[5][6]
International career
Morosini made his international debut for the Italy U-17 team in 2001 and his U-21 debut in 2006.[7] He was called up for the 2009 European U21 Championships as back-up.[7][8]
Death and legacy
On 14 April 2012, while representing Livorno, Morosini suffered cardiac arrest and fell to the ground in the 31st minute of the Serie B match away to Pescara.[9] He stumbled on the ground, trying to get up, before losing consciousness and receiving medical attention on the field.[10] A defibrillator was used on Morosini, who was conscious when he was taken on the stretcher.[11] According to the news agency ANSA, a city police car was blocking the stadium's exit for the ambulance for nearly a minute, but a heart specialist said that the delay made no difference.[12] After Morosini was taken to the hospital, the match was abandoned with Livorno leading 2–0, and some players reportedly "left the field in tears".[13]
Morosini was rushed to the Santo Spirito hospital, but reports later indicated he died before reaching the hospital.[14][15] Italian media reports were alerted of Morosini's death after an "explosion of shouts and tears" by his teammates who had gone to the hospital.[16] All of the Italian football league matches for the weekend were suspended.[17] Livorno and Vicenza then decided they would retire the number 25, the number Morosini wore whilst their player.[18]
Morosini's death came four weeks after Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest in an English FA Cup match, after which awareness of heart risk had been raised in Italian football.[15] Morosini's sister, who is disabled, was left with no family. However, Udinese player Antonio Di Natale confirmed that he would financially support and look after her.[19][20]
Several days after Morosini's death, the Curva Sud of the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia—the home stadium of Atalanta—was renamed the Curva Piermario Morosini in his honor.[21]
On the third anniversary of his death, Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon dedicated his side's 1–0 away win over Monaco in the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League quarter-final to Morosini.[22] The award for the best player of Campionato Primavera is named after him.
References
- ^ "Obituary: Piermario Morosini (5/7/1986 – 14/4/2012)". Forza Italian Football. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ "Obituary: Piermario Morosini (5/7/1986 – 14/4/2012)". Forza Italian Football. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ Vicenza Calcio SpA Report and Accounts on 30 June 2009 (in Italian), CCIAA
- ^ "Calciomercato". Calcio Padova (in Italian). 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
- ^ "Morosini sold to Livorno". Udinese Calcio. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Nuovo acquisto: Il centrocampista Morosini al Livorno" (in Italian). AS Livorno Calcio. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Piermario Morosini: Footballer in Italy's Serie B". The Independent. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ Voakes, Kris (15 April 2012). "Piermario Morosini: The tragic soul whose death football must learn from". Goal. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "Morosini dies on pitch". ESPN. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.[dead link]
- ^ "Piermario Morosini Dead: Livorno Player Dies After Cardiac Arrest At Series B Match In Italy". The Huffington Post. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Livorno's Piermario Morosini dies after cardiac arrest during Serie B match in Pescara, Italy". The Washington Post. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Heart attack on pitch kills Italian player". Al Jazeera. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Morosini dies from heart attack". Fox News. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Tragedia in campo a Pescara Morosini muore per arresto cardiaco". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Italy footballer Morosini dies after collapse on pitch". BBC News. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Serie B player Piermario Morosini dies after collapsing during game". National Post. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Piermario Morosini's death was tragedy that not only Livorno suffered". The Guardian. London. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ "Italian club Livorno to retire Piermario Morosini's number 25 shirt". The Independent. London. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale to look after disabled sister of Piermario Morosini following player's death". The Telegraph. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "Piermario Morosini's club Udinese to care for his sister". BBC News. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ "Atalanta pay tribute to Piermario Morosini by renaming the Curva Sud". Forza Italian Football. 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Buffon dedicates Juventus' win against Monaco to Morosini". Forza Italian Football. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
External links
- Profile at official website of A.S. Livorno Calcio
- Forza Italian Football site
- Photo Gallery