Marco Verratti (; born 5 November 1992) is an Italian professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
central midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
for
Qatar Stars League
The Qatar Stars League (; abbreviated as QSL), known as Ooredoo Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation wi ...
club
Al-Arabi.
A technically gifted
playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a footballer who controls the flow of the team's play, and is often involved in offensively and defensively playing Passing (association football), passing moves which lead to Goal (sport), goals, through ...
, Verratti began his career with Italian club
Pescara
Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...
in 2008, where he soon rose to prominence as one of the best young midfielders in Europe, helping the team to win the
2011–12 Serie B
The 2011–12 Serie B (known as the Serie bwin for sponsorship reasons) was the eightieth season since its establishment in 1929. A total of 22 teams contested the league: 15 of these were returning from the 2010–11 season, four had been pro ...
title, and winning the 2012
Bravo Award
The Bravo Award was an annual award which was handed out by the Italian magazine ''Guerin Sportivo'' to the most outstanding young European Association football, footballer.
The first winner of the award was Englishman Jimmy Case. The first no ...
.
His playing style drew comparisons with
Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo (; born 19 May 1979) is an Italian association football, football manager (association football), manager and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest Midfielder (association football)#Deep-lying playmaker, mi ...
, due to his passing ability, vision, and control, as well as his similar transition from the role of ''
trequartista
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
'' to that of a ''
regista''.
In July 2012, he transferred to French side
Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain () or simply PSG, is a French professional Association football, football club based in Paris. They compete in Ligue 1, the French football league system, top d ...
, where he won a then-record nine
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...
titles, among other domestic and individual trophies,
[ and established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. He ranks third for all-time appearances for the club.
At international level, Verratti represented the Italy under-21 football team at the ]2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, or simply the 2013 Euro Under-21, was the 19th staging of UEFA's UEFA European Under-21 Championship, European Under-21 Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Israel from 5–18 June 2013.
The Is ...
, winning a runners-up medal, and being named to the all-star squad for the tournament. At senior level, he made his Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
debut in 2012, and represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
[ and ]UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
, winning the latter tournament.
Early life
Verratti was born in Pescara
Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...
, and grew up in Manoppello. As a child, he supported Juventus
Juventus Football Club (; from , ), commonly known as Juventus or colloquially as Juve (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Turin, Piedmont, who compete in Serie A, the ...
and idolised Alessandro Del Piero
Alessandro Del Piero (; born 9 November 1974) is an Italian former professional footballer who mainly played as a second striker, although he was capable of playing in several offensive positions. Since 2015, he has worked as a pundit for ...
, the team's Italian international
The Italian International in badminton is an international open held in Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsul ...
offensive playmaker.[ Verratti's talent was noticed at an early age, and he was made offers to join the youth academies of ]Atalanta
Atalanta (; ) is a heroine in Greek mythology.
There are two versions of the huntress Atalanta: one from Arcadia (region), Arcadia, whose parents were Iasus and Clymene (mythology), Clymene and who is primarily known from the tales of the Caly ...
and Internazionale
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Since 1 ...
, but joined his local club Pescara
Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...
for €5,000. After an impressive performance for Pescara's under-16 team against AC Milan
(), commonly referred to as Milan or AC Milan () mainly outside of Italy, is an Italian professional Football club (association football), football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Founded in 1899, the club competes in the Serie A, the top tie ...
, the Lombardy
The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
club offered €300,000 to sign the midfielder, but Verratti decided to remain at Pescara.[
]
Club career
Pescara
The first youth team Verratti was affiliated with was that of Manoppello, a historic team of Pescara, that in 2001 merged with the newly born Manoppello Arabona. He remained there until 2006 when he entered the youth of Pescara
Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...
.
Verratti made his first team debut in the 2008–09 season at the age of 15 years and 9 months. In the 2009–10 season, he appeared more regularly for Pescara, and since then became a key player in the first team. His performances generated national media coverage as a potential star of the future and Italian international.
With Zdeněk Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman (; born 12 May 1947) is a Czech-Italian football manager.
Known for his exciting, offensive footballing tactics and use of the 4–3–3 formation, Zeman has managed numerous teams over the years, mostly in Italian football. He ...
as manager, Verratti excelled as a deep-lying playmaker
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
in a Pescara team which won the 2011–12 Serie B
The 2011–12 Serie B (known as the Serie bwin for sponsorship reasons) was the eightieth season since its establishment in 1929. A total of 22 teams contested the league: 15 of these were returning from the 2010–11 season, four had been pro ...
title playing "the best football in Italy", earning promotion to Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
the following season.[ After helping Pescara to promotion to ]Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
, Verratti received the 2012 Bravo Award
The Bravo Award was an annual award which was handed out by the Italian magazine ''Guerin Sportivo'' to the most outstanding young European Association football, footballer.
The first winner of the award was Englishman Jimmy Case. The first no ...
for the best player under the age of 21 in Europe, and was reportedly wanted by Napoli
Naples ( ; ; ) is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its province-level municipality is the thir ...
, Roma
Roma or ROMA may refer to:
People, characters, figures, names
* Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas.
* Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun
* Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
and Juventus, as well as Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti (; born 10 June 1959) is an Italian professional football manager and former player who is the manager of the Brazil national team. Nicknamed "Carletto" in Italy and "Don Carlo" in Spain, he is regarded as one of the greatest ...
's Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain () or simply PSG, is a French professional Association football, football club based in Paris. They compete in Ligue 1, the French football league system, top d ...
.[ At the 2012 AIC Gran Gala del Calcio, he was elected the best player of the 2011–12 Serie B season, along with former Pescara teammates ]Ciro Immobile
Ciro Immobile (born 20 February 1990) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a Striker (association football), striker for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş J.K., Beşiktaş. He is regarded as one of the best strikers in his generation.
Im ...
and Lorenzo Insigne
Lorenzo Insigne (; born 4 June 1991) is an Italian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward or Midfielder#Winger, winger for Major League Soccer club Toronto FC.
Insigne began his pro ...
.
Paris Saint-Germain
2012–2014: Debut season, individual awards
On 18 July 2012, Verratti signed a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1
Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...
. On 2 September 2012, Verratti made his competitive debut for PSG in an away Ligue 1 match against Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
. Twelve days later, he assisted Javier Pastore
Javier Matías Pastore (; born 20 June 1989) is an Argentine professional association football, footballer who is currently a free agent.
An attacking midfielder, Pastore began his club career with Talleres de Córdoba, Talleres and then Club ...
's opening goal in his first competitive appearance at the Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes (, ) is an all-seater stadium, all-seater football stadium in Paris, France. It is located in the south-west of the French capital, inside the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement, near the Stade Jean-Bouin (P ...
, a 2–0 Ligue 1 defeat of Toulouse
Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
.[
On 18 September 2012, he made his ]UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
debut in a 4–1 group stage defeat of Dynamo Kyiv
The Football Club 'Dynamo Kyiv', also known as Dynamo Kyiv, or simply Dynamo, ( ) is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kyiv. Founded in 1927 as a Kyivan football team of republican branch of the bigger Soviet Dynamo Sports Society ...
. He ended his first season in the French capital by winning the 2012–13 Ligue 1
The 2012–13 Ligue 1 was the 75th season since its establishment. Montpellier were the defending champions. The league schedule was announced in April 2012 and the fixtures were determined on 30 May. The season began on 10 August and ended on ...
title. On 20 August 2013, Verratti signed a one-year extension to his contract with PSG, keeping him at the club until 2018.
Verratti's second season with PSG was even more successful than the first as the team retained its Ligue 1 title and won the Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue (), known outside France as the French League Cup, was a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. The tournament was established in 1993 and, unlike the Coupe de France ...
and the 2013 Trophée des Champions. Verratti was named as the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year and included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year for the 2013–14 season.
2014–2017: First goals and contract extension
On 30 September 2014, Verratti scored his first competitive goal for PSG, a header in a 3–2 home win over Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
in the group stage of the Champions League. On 18 January 2015, Verratti scored his first goal in Ligue 1, in a 4–2 home win over Evian
Evian (, ; , stylized as evian) is a French brand that bottles mineral water from several sources near Évian-les-Bains, on the south shore of Lake Geneva.
Evian is owned by Danone, a French multinational corporation. In addition to the miner ...
.
In August 2016, Verratti signed a three-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until 2021.
2017–2019: European and domestic performances
On 6 March 2018, Verratti was sent off after acquiring a second yellow card in the second leg of a Champions League round of 16 fixture against the eventual champions Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
. Real Madrid went on to win the game 2–1 and eliminated PSG with an aggregate score of 5–2.
On 3 April 2019, Verratti scored the opening goal from a Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé Lottin (born 20 December 1998) is a French professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for club Real Madrid CF, Real Madrid and Captain (association football), captains ...
assist in a 3–0 home win over Nantes
Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
in the Coupe de France
The Coupe de France (), also known in English language, English as the French Cup or less commonly as the France Cup, is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in French football organised by the French Football Fed ...
semi-finals, which allowed PSG to advance to the final of the competition; during the same match, he also provided an assist for his team's final goal, which was scored by Dani Alves. This goal was Verratti's first of the 2018–19 season for PSG, and also his first goal ever in the competition.
2019–2020: Domestic treble and European final
Following PSG's 2–1 victory over Rennes
Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
in the 2019 Trophée des Champions
The 2019/20 Trophée des Champions () was the 24th edition of the French super cup. The match was contested by the winners of the 2018–19 Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain and Coupe de France champions, Rennes. The match was played at the Shenzhen ...
on 3 August, Verratti became the player with the most titles with the club, with 22 trophies in total (six Ligue 1 titles, four Coupe de France titles, five Coupe de la Ligue titles, and seven Trophée des Champions titles). In October, he signed a three–year contract extension with the club, which would tie him to PSG until June 2024. On 12 January 2020, Verratti made his 300th appearance for PSG in a 3–3 home draw against Monaco in Ligue 1. On 18 February, he became the club's all-time appearance holder in the Champions League, when he made his 58th appearance in the competition in a 2–1 away loss in the first leg of their round of 16 draw against Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e. V. Dortmund, often known simply as Borussia Dortmund () or by its initialism BVB (), or just Dortmund by International fans, is a German professional sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is ...
, overtaking the previous record holder Paul Le Guen at 57. In April, PSG were assigned the 2019–20 Ligue 1
The 2019–20 Ligue 1 season, also known as Ligue 1 Conforama for sponsorship reasons, was a French association football tournament within Ligue 1. It was the 82nd season since its establishment. The season began on 9 August 2019 and ended abrupt ...
title after the season was ended prematurely due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
; at the time of the League's suspension, PSG were in first place, with a twelve–point lead over second–placed Marseille. This was Verratti's record seventh Ligue 1 title with the club, which saw him equal the all–time individual record of most Ligue 1 title victories, along with his club teammate Thiago Silva
Thiago Emiliano da Silva (born 22 September 1984) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for and captains Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Fluminense. Regarded as one of the best defenders of all time, he is known ...
, which was jointly held by Hervé Revelli
Hervé Revelli (born 5 May 1946) is a French former footballer who played as a forward.
Career
Revelli scored 31 Ligue 1 goals during the calendar year of 1969. Fifty years later in 2019, Kylian Mbappé became the first French player to score ...
and Jean-Michel Larqué
Jean-Michel Larqué (born 8 September 1947) is a French former professional footballer, and now a sports journalist. He has also been player-coach of RC Paris, his only experience as head-coach.
Career
Larqué was born in Bizanos, Pyrénées-A ...
of Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne (; Franco-Provençal: ''Sant-Etiève''), also written St. Etienne, is a city and the prefecture of the Loire département, in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regi ...
, as well as Grégory Coupet
Grégory Coupet (born 31 December 1972) is a French former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Coupet is most well known for his lengthy career at Lyon where he won seven Ligue 1 titles. He also played for Saint-Étienne, Atlét ...
, Juninho Juninho, Portuguese for "little Junior", is a common nickname in Brazil for those whose full name includes Júnior. It is often combined with an epithet, sometimes a demonym (a word derived from their place of origin). The following association foo ...
and Sidney Govou
Sidney Rodrigue Noukpo Govou (born 27 July 1979) is a French former professional footballer who played primarily as a winger, but was occasionally deployed as a striker. He is most prominent for his lengthy playing career at Lyon where he won s ...
of Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. PSG went on to win a domestic treble, but lost out in the Champions League final 1–0 to Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), commonly known as Bayern Munich (), FC Bayern () or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are most known for their men's professional football team, ...
on 23 August; Verratti made a substitute appearance during the match.
2020–2023: Most Ligue 1 titles won
In the 2020–21 season with Paris Saint-Germain, Verratti reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, losing 4–1 on aggregate to Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
. In Ligue 1, PSG failed to retain the title as Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
were crowned champions.
On 23 January 2022, Verratti scored two goals in a 4–0 league win over Reims
Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French Departments of France, department of Marne (department), Marne, and the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 12th most populous city in Fran ...
. By doing so, he scored his first league goal since May 2017, and the first brace of his career. After a 1–1 draw against Lens on 23 April, PSG won Ligue 1 for the tenth time in its history, becoming the club with the highest number of championship titles in France, tied with Saint-Étienne. Verratti on his side won eight Ligue 1 titles with PSG, became the first player to achieve this feat.
On 28 December 2022, it was announced that Verratti had extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain until 30 June 2026. On 27 May 2023, Verratti won his ninth Ligue 1 title, updating his previous record.
In August 2023, it was reported that Verratti was informed by newly appointed coach Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique Martínez García (; born 8 May 1970), known as Luis Enrique, is a Spanish football manager and former player. He is the manager of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
A versatile player with good technique, he was capable of playin ...
that he would not be part of his plans for the next season. On 6 September, reports stated that he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the 2023–24 season. He eventually left Paris Saint-Germain after 11 years with 416 matches, as the player with the second-most matches at the club, only behind Jean-Marc Pilorget
Jean-Marc Pilorget (born 13 April 1958) is a French former professional football player and manager. He held the record of the most appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, with 435 matches, until 2024.
Club career
Pilorget was the all-time leader ...
with 435.
Al-Arabi
On 13 September 2023, Verratti signed a three-year deal with Qatar Stars League
The Qatar Stars League (; abbreviated as QSL), known as Ooredoo Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation wi ...
club Al-Arabi, for a reported transfer fee of €45m.
International career
Youth
Verratti took part with the Italy U-21 side at the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, or simply the 2013 Euro Under-21, was the 19th staging of UEFA's UEFA European Under-21 Championship, European Under-21 Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Israel from 5–18 June 2013.
The Is ...
, where the ''Azzurrini'' finished as runner-up to Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. His performances saw him included in UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach soccer, beach football in Europe and the List of transcontinental countries#A ...
's all-star squad for the tournament.
Senior
The uncapped Verratti was included into Cesare Prandelli
Claudio Cesare Prandelli (; born 19 August 1957) is an Italian former football coach and former player.
Playing career
Prandelli was a midfielder who moved from Atalanta to Juventus in 1979. His first game for Juventus was in the 1979–80 Eur ...
's preliminary 32-man Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
squad for UEFA Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th UEFA European Championship, European Championship for List of men's national association football teams#UEFA (Europe), men's ...
, being one of only two Serie B players (the other being Torino
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
's Angelo Ogbonna
Obinze Angelo Ogbonna (; born 23 May 1988) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for club Watford.
Ogbonna signed for Torino in 2002, having previously been a member of Nuova Cassino's youth set-up. Ogbonna made his ...
) to be part of it. He was subsequently cut from the squad on 28 May 2012.
On 15 August 2012, Verratti debuted for the Italian senior team in a 2–1 friendly loss against England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in Bern
Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
. He made his first competitive appearance in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA#Structure, FIFA confederations. The 2014 FIFA World Cup featured 32 teams, with one place reserved for the host nation, Brazil national football team, Bra ...
, appearing as a second-half substitute for Emanuele Giaccherini in a 2–2 draw against Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
on 7 September.
On 6 February 2013, Verratti scored his first international goal in a friendly match against the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
in Amsterdam, an equalizer at the 91st minute that ended in a 1–1 draw.
2014 FIFA World Cup
On 1 June 2014, Verratti was selected in Italy's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
. In Italy's opening match of the tournament, he made his first competitive start for the ''Azzurri'' on the left side of a midfield diamond with Juventus players Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo (; born 19 May 1979) is an Italian association football, football manager (association football), manager and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest Midfielder (association football)#Deep-lying playmaker, mi ...
and Claudio Marchisio
Claudio Marchisio (; born 19 January 1986) is an Italian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder.
A product of the Juventus F.C. Youth Sector, Juventus youth system, he spent a large portion of his career ...
and Roma vice-captain Daniele De Rossi
Daniele De Rossi (; born 24 July 1983) is an Italian football manager and former professional player. As a football player, he is known for his long career with hometown club Roma, as well as winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy.
De Ros ...
in his team's opening game of the tournament, a 2–1 victory over England in Manaus
Manaus () is the List of capitals of subdivisions of Brazil, capital and largest city of the States of Brazil, Brazilian state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas. It is the List of largest cities in Brazil, seventh-largest city in Brazil, w ...
. During the match, he was involved in Marchisio's opening goal; after receiving Antonio Candreva's short corner, he passed the ball out wide towards Pirlo, who drew his marker with him. Pirlo let the ball pass in between his legs to Marchisio, leaving him with space to score with a low drive from outside the area. However, Verratti did not appear in Italy's second group match, a 1–0 defeat against Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
; he started in Italy's final group match against Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
, which also ended in a 1–0 loss, and as a result, Italy were eliminated in the first round of the tournament.
Later senior career
On 6 May 2016, it was confirmed Verratti would miss Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe o ...
after a long lasting injury from a sports hernia which would require surgery on 16 May, sidelining him for two months. Upon recovering from his injury, Verratti returned to the team under Italy's new manager Gian Piero Ventura for an international friendly match against France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in Bari on 1 September, making a substitute appearance in the ''Azzurri''s 3–1 loss.
On 26 March 2019, Verratti scored his second international goal in a 6–0 home win over Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...
in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
The UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying tournament was a football competition that was played from March 2019 to November 2020 to determine the 24 UEFA member men's national teams that advanced to the UEFA Euro 2020 final tournament, intended to be playe ...
match.
UEFA Euro 2020
In June 2021, Verratti was included in Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2020
The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's association footb ...
by manager Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini (; born 27 November 1964) is an Italian football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team.
As a player, Mancini operated as a deep-lying forward, and was best known for h ...
.
After initially missing Italy's first two group matches due to an injury to his right knee that he had sustained in training with Paris Saint-Germain on 8 May, he made his first appearance of the tournament in Italy's final group match against Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
on 20 June, setting-up Matteo Pessina's goal from a free-kick in the team's 1–0 victory in Rome; the result allowed them to top their group. On 2 July, Verratti assisted Italy's opening goal of the match, scored by Nicolò Barella
Nicolò Barella (; born 7 February 1997) is an Italian professional association football, footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club Inter Milan and the Italy national football team, Italy national team. Known for his technical abili ...
, in a 2–1 win over Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
in the quarter-finals of the competition.
On 11 July, in the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
against England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
, Verratti was involved in the equalising goal after his header was parried onto the post by keeper Jordan Pickford
Jordan Lee Pickford (' Logan; born 7 March 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Everton and the England national team.
Pickford began his career at Sunderland, and played for their academy, reserve ...
, allowing Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci (; born 1 May 1987) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Considered one of the best defenders of his generation, he was known for his technique, ball-playing skills, tackling and his ability ...
to score from the rebound; following a 1–1 draw after extra-time, Italy prevailed 3–2 in the penalty shootout, to win the tournament for the first time since 1968
Events January–February
* January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously.
* January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
. With a 93% passing accuracy and three assists throughout the tournament (having completed 401 out of 425 passes attempted), Verratti was named the top performer of Euro 2020 in the FedEx
FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate holding company specializing in Package delivery, transportation, e-commerce, and ...
Performance Zone.
Style of play and reception
A quick, creative, agile, and technically gifted central midfield
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a footballer who controls the flow of the team's play, and is often involved in offensively and defensively playing Passing (association football), passing moves which lead to Goal (sport), goals, through ...
, with notable dribbling
In sports, dribbling is maneuvering a ball by one player while moving in a given direction, avoiding defenders' attempts to intercept the ball. A successful dribble will bring the ball past defenders legally and create opportunities to score.
As ...
skills, quick reactions, and close ball control, Verratti is known for his confidence and composure on the ball, as well as his ability to retain possession in tight spaces when under pressure, due to his low centre of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the barycenter or balance point) is the unique point at any given time where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. For a ...
and resulting balance. His excellent vision and range of passing enable him to create chances for teammates with accurate long passes, or control the tempo of his team's play in midfield through precise, short exchanges. Although naturally right-footed, he is capable of playing with either foot. Due to his attributes and playing style, Verratti has been compared to one of his influences, Italy legend Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo (; born 19 May 1979) is an Italian association football, football manager (association football), manager and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest Midfielder (association football)#Deep-lying playmaker, mi ...
, in particular after making the same transition from ''trequartista
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
'' to '' regista'' that the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner had also made earlier on in his career, although he has also been deployed in a new, more advanced role alongside Pirlo on occasion, as a false-attacking midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
, in particular under Cesare Prandelli
Claudio Cesare Prandelli (; born 19 August 1957) is an Italian former football coach and former player.
Playing career
Prandelli was a midfielder who moved from Atalanta to Juventus in 1979. His first game for Juventus was in the 1979–80 Eur ...
's tenure with the Italy national team. He has also been deployed as a '' metodista'' ("centre-half", in Italian football jargon), due to his ability to dictate play in midfield as well as assist his team defensively, or as an offensive minded central or box-to-box midfielder, known as the ''mezzala
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
'' in Italian football jargon, due to his ability to carry the ball and push forward.
Initially regarded as one of the most talented young players of his generation, Verratti quickly developed into one of the best and most complete playmaking midfielders in the world. In 2017, Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta Luján (; born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and spent most of his career at La Liga club Barcelona. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was known ...
labelled Verratti as his "successor", while in 2021, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional Association football, footballer who plays as a forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Major League Soccer ...
stated that Verratti was on the same level as the former's past Barcelona teammates Xavi Xavi () is a Catalan given name, usually used as a nickname for Xavier. Notable people with the name include:
Football
* Xavi Hernández (born 1980), Spanish football manager and former player
* Xavi Andorrà (born 1985), Andorran footballe ...
and Iniesta, describing him as a "huge player, one of the best in the world in his position", and as "a phenomenon". In 2022, Neymar
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (; born 5 February 1992), also known as Neymar Júnior or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a left winger, attacking midfielder or Forward (association foo ...
said: "I knew Verratti was an excellent player, but I didn't know he was so spectacular. A genius. He is one of the best midfielders I have played with, along with Xavi and Iniesta."
In addition to his playmaking skills, he is also a hard-working, dynamic, and well-rounded midfielder, who is known for his aggression, defensive skills, and ball-winning abilities, despite his small physique and diminutive stature, which also enables him to be deployed in a holding role.
Despite his ability, he has also drawn criticism from some in the sport over his disciplinary record, as well as his tendency to commit an excessive number of fouls, argue with officials, and pick up unnecessary bookings. Verratti has also highlighted his offensive qualities and lack of goalscoring as weaknesses in his game. Moreover, he has also often struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Personal life
Verratti was in a relationship since 2009 with a childhood friend, an Italian woman Laura Zazzara, whom he later married and with whom he has two sons, Tommaso and Andrea; the pair separated at the beginning of 2019. On 15 July 2021, four days after Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
's Euro 2020 triumph, Verratti married model Jessica Aidi in Paris.
On 30 October 2018, Verratti was arrested after being caught drunk driving
Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash.
In the United States, alcohol is in ...
on the Boulevard Périphérique
The Boulevard Périphérique (), often called the Périph, is a limited-access dual-carriageway ring road in Paris, France. With a few exceptions (see '' Structure and Layout''), it is situated along Paris's administrative limit.
The spee ...
. He was subsequently fined by Paris Saint-Germain.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Verratti goal.''
Honours
Pescara[
* ]Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
: 2011–12
Paris Saint-Germain[
* ]Ligue 1
Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...
: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23
* Coupe de France
The Coupe de France (), also known in English language, English as the French Cup or less commonly as the France Cup, is the premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in French football organised by the French Football Fed ...
: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21
* Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue (), known outside France as the French League Cup, was a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. The tournament was established in 1993 and, unlike the Coupe de France ...
: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
* Trophée des Champions
The Trophée des Champions (, ) is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super cup, super cups found in many other count ...
: 2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, 2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
, 2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, 2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
, 2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, 2019
This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year.
Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
, 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
Italy
* UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
: 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
* UEFA Nations League
The UEFA Nations League is an international European football competition played by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body. The competition was devised to minimise friendlies a ...
third place: 2020–21, 2022–23
Individual
* Bravo Award
The Bravo Award was an annual award which was handed out by the Italian magazine ''Guerin Sportivo'' to the most outstanding young European Association football, footballer.
The first winner of the award was Englishman Jimmy Case. The first no ...
: 2012
* Serie B Footballer of the Year: 2012
* UEFA U-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
* UNFP Ligue 1
Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...
Team of the Year Team of the Year may refer to:
* BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award
* Canadian Press Team of the Year Award
*GPA Gaelic Team of the Year
* IRB International Sevens Team of the Year
* IRB International Team of the Year
* J.League Team of ...
: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
* UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: September 2013, February 2017
* UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 2013–14
* UNFP Ligue 1 Foreign Player of the Year: 2014–15
* Pallone Azzurro: 2015
*Qatar Stars League
The Qatar Stars League (; abbreviated as QSL), known as Ooredoo Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation wi ...
Team of the Year: 2023–24
Orders
:*
5th Class / Knight: ''Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking honour of the Republic, it is awarded for ...
'': 2021
Notes
References
External links
Marco Verratti
at the Paris Saint-Germain F.C. website
*
AIC profile
FIGC profile
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Verratti, Marco
1992 births
Living people
Footballers from Pescara
Italian men's footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Delfino Pescara 1936 players
Paris Saint-Germain FC players
Al-Arabi SC (Qatar) players
Serie B players
Ligue 1 players
Qatar Stars League players
Italy men's youth international footballers
Italy men's under-21 international footballers
Italy men's international footballers
2014 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2020 players
UEFA European Championship–winning players
European champions for Italy
Italian expatriate men's footballers
Italian expatriate sportspeople in France
Expatriate men's footballers in France
Knights of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Italian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar
21st-century Italian sportsmen