Luca Toni

At 46 years old, Luca Toni has this physical status:

Luca Toni (born 26 May 1977) is an Italian retired professional footballer who played as a striker.

He served as a sports director (director of football) for Verona. Toni, who played for twelve different Italian clubs throughout his career, was something of a footballing nomad at club level.

He spent many seasons in Italian football, as well as countless stints with minor Serie A clubs Vicenza and Brescia before winning the Serie A championship in 2003 and 2004, and was the team's top scorer with 20 goals in Serie A; the following season, he helped the team advance to Europe, scoring 20 goals in Serie A. Toni spent three seasons with Fiorentina, helping the club reach the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 2007, while the club's manager spent three seasons with the team; after losing out on loan with Roma in 2010 and then moving to Genoa and Juventus, he continued to Italy on loan with Roma.

He played for Al-Nasr Dubai SC in the UAE Arabian Gulf League in 2012, but later this year, he returned to Fiorentina for a season.

He retired in 2016 after three seasons with Verona, the last as team captain. He played for the Italian national team on 47 occasions, scoring 16 goals on international level.

He made his international debut in 2004 and competed in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA EURO 2008, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup with Italy; he was most prominent in Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph, scoring twice and being selected to the tournament's All-Star team. Toni, a prolific goalscorer, scored over 300 goals in his career and is currently one of the top-scoring Italians in all competitions; with 322 goals, he is now the fourth-highest scoring Italian player of all time.

In addition to the team medals he has won, he also received multiple individual accolades: during his first season with Fiorentina, he won the Capocannoniere (Serie A top scorer) award, winning him the first Italian player to win the award in the 2014–15 season, in which he became the first Italian player to win the competition for the first time in a Serie A season since 1958–59); he also won the European Golden Shoe, making him

Toni won the 2007–08 UEFA Cup with 24 goals and ten goals, and in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup with 10 goals, finishing as the top scorer in the 2007–08 Bundesliga.

Personal life

Toni said he was Catholic in 2010.

Toni is married to Marta Cecchetto, an Italian model. On June 1, 2012, their son was stillborn. Bianca's daughter was born in June 2013. Leonardo, Leonardo, his second son, was born in Florence on July 30.

German authorities filed a lawsuit against Toni in March 2015 for €1.7 million in outstanding taxes to the Catholic Church. He sued his former tax advisor for the same amount in July, arguing that he was registered as a Roman Catholic in Germany without prior knowledge and was therefore obligated to pay taxes to the Church in violation of his personal convictions. After the court found in his favour in December, he received a €1.25 million payout.

During a rally in Modena in 2019, he said he has center-right political views and that he is a promoter of anti-immigrant activist Matteo Salvini and that he supports him.

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Club career

Toni began his work at Modena. Following this, a number of seasons spent with Empoli, Fiorenzuola, and Lodigiani were followed by a series of seasons in Serie B and Serie C1. He left Treviso in 1999 and joined Vicenza in Serie A for the first time. He then migrated to Brescia, where he spent two seasons under new manager Carlo Mazzone, as well as Roberto Baggio and Pep Guardiola.

He committed to Palermo, the current championship team's most exciting Serie B club, in 2003, after the Rosanero's winning team campaign began in Serie A for the first time in 30 years due to a record 30 goals scored during the season. He earned his first cap for the Italian national team in a friendly match against Iceland in Reykjavka, which also marked Marcello Lippi's debut as the Azzurri's president.

Toni demonstrated his dynamism in Palermo's first Serie A campaign by scoring 20 goals, leading the Sicilian side to a historic first qualification to the UEFA Cup in the following season.

Toni's move to Fiorentina was marred by controversies as Palermo supporters branded him a traitor for his departure. I Viola paid €10 million to sign him.

He scored 31 goals in Florence during his first season as a player, only five shy of the single season record. It was the first time a Serie A player had scored 30 or more goals in the league, establishing his place as one of the league's most consistent strikers in history. Toni was named the European Golden Shoe for his efforts, and he is the first Italian player to win this award. Fiorentina's goal scoring skills helped the team reach new heights since Gabriel Batistuta's days in the late 1990s. They finished fourth in the league and qualified for the Champions League.

During the Calciopoli scandal, however, this league position was withdrawn in the courts. Fiorentina was found guilty of influencing the Italian Referee's Association, which meant starting the 2006–07 season with a 19-point reduction. Toni expressed his desire to leave the team several times in the summer, but club President Andrea Della Valle eventually convinced him to stay. Toni's contributions to 16 goals were plagued by injury during the following season. After promising Della Valle not to sign for any Italian opponents, he will leave during the summer.

After agreeing to a four-year contract with Fiorentina, Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announced on May 30th that Toni had agreed to a four-year deal with the club. Toni and fellow new signing Franck Ribéry were on display in Bayern on June 7th. Toni was given the number 9 shirt.

Toni scored four goals in a 19 December 6–0 home victory over Aris of Greece to help Bayern win their UEFA Cup group. He scored his first Bundesliga hat-trick (a "perfect hat-trick") against Hannover 96, which was the first hat-trick for a Bayern player in the Bundesliga since Hans Dorfner in 1989. Bayern defeated the away fixture 3–0.

Toni scored two spectacular goals in the 115th and 120th minutes of extra time in a game that ended 3–3 and lifted Bayern Munich over Getafe of Spain on away goals. Bayern eventually lost in the semi-finals to Zenit Saint Petersburg. He won the first place with Zenit's Pavel Pogrebnyak on the top scorers list with ten goals in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup.

In a 2–1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final, he scored two goals; his second goal was the winner in extra time, giving Bayern Munich another cup victory. Toni scored 24 goals in the 2007–08 Bundesliga season, finishing as the top scorer. Toni finished the season with 39 goals and 12 assists in 46 games.

Toni maintained his good form for Bayern in the 2008–09 season. He started 13 games in the Bundesliga, with a notable one being a late stoppage-time winner who scored against TSG Hoffenheim. In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, he scored a goal in a 3–0 victory over Steaua București in the group stages, followed by a brace in a 5–0 home win over Sporting CP in the round of 16.

Toni suffered with an Achilles tendon injury for the majority of the second half of the 2008–09 season, but the Bayern's top scorer in league play won with 14 goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances.

He appeared in two games of Bayern Munich II in the 3. He was recovering from his injury. In September 2009, the Liga was born.

After being substituted at halftime, he was fined for leaving the stadium during the game on November 7th.

On DSF Doppelpass, Bayern's president, Louis van Gaal, announced that Toni will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer. Toni was eventually loaned out to Roma, an Italian club.

Bayern Munich reported the transfer of the Italian striker on a six-month loan basis to Roma, which offered him a pre-tax basic salary of €3.1 million. On January 6, 2010, he made his Roma debut against Cagliari against Cagliari. On January 17, 2010 (for 2–0 and 3–0), he scored his first two goals for Roma against Genoa. Toni would post five goals in total for the Giallorossi during the 2009–10 season, including the winner against Internazionale, which cut the Milanese club's lead in Serie A to a single point ahead of Roma.

Toni's deal was terminated on June 16, 2010 by Bayern. Luca Toni had signed a two-year contract with Genoa, reportedly at a net salary of €4 million per season, as reported by club Chairman Enrico Preziosi. On July 1, the player, who was unveiled to the media on 1 July, took on the number 9 jersey.

Luca Toni will join Juventus on a free transfer contract until June 30, 2011, according to a statement on the Juventus official website on January 7th. Toni scored his 100th goal in Serie A with a header from 16 meters against Cagliari, which was also his first goal for Juventus. Toni scored her first goal at the new Juventus Stadium against Notts County on September 8, 2011.

Juventus reported on January 30, 2012, that Luca Toni, an Emirati club Al Nasr, had agreed a January 2012 transfer for him.

Fiorentina completed the signing of Luca Toni on August 31, 2012, during a transfer window, and the firm had been previously associated with a move to Siena. Toni made it a goal-scoring return to La Viola, when he came on as a 64th-minute replacement for Adem Ljaji in a 2–0 victory over Catania in the Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 16, 2012.

Toni signed a one-year deal with newly promoted Serie A side Verona on July 5, 2013. Toni scored his first goal for Verona in a 1–0 win over Palermo in the Coppa Italia on August 17th. Toni scored twice in his Serie A debut for the club on August 24th as Verona defeated Milan 21-0 on the first day of the season. Toni put on fine form for Verona, scoring two goals and assisting a goal in successive games, prompting calls for him to return to the national squad, with Toni saying, "I am thinking about doing well." Cesare Prandelli will make the call. It would be a pleasure and an honor for me to watch the World Cup, but if that occurs, there will be no problem."

He finished the 2013–14 season with 20 goals, making him the second-best goalscorer in Serie A at the age of 37.

In a 2–1 victory over Udinese on December 14, he maintained a high level of output throughout the 2014-15 season, scoring his 300th career goal. He finished the season with 22 goals, putting him and Mauro Icardi at the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts, becoming the oldest Capocannoniere in Serie A. In 2015, France Football named him one of the top ten best footballers in the world under the age of 36.

Toni's third season with the club was less fruitful, due to injuries and rivalries with the club's boss Luigi Delneri, who stifled him from his return to form and playing time. Toni resigned from football after Verona was seen delegated from the 2015–16 season, and has resigned from football on May 4, 2016. He scored his last career goal in his last game from the penalty spot in a 2–1 victory over Serie A champions Juventus, with a Panenka style penalty; later, the game started and Verona's second goal was scored; this was his 23rd match and his sixth goal of the season season. A visibly emotional Toni was substituted in the 85th minute by the fans, who erupted in applause. He had played 48 games for Verona over his three seasons as a head coach in the Italian top division, with 156 goals in 344 league appearances and 306 goals (including 659 goals and 306 goals on the Italian national team) in all competitions (with 659 appearances and 306 goals). Toni defended his decision not to return after the match, saying that he would not be playing in Verona's last game of the season against his old club Palermo because he wanted to play his final match in his team's home stadium.

International career

Toni scored 16 goals in 47 appearances for Italy's national football team. He received his first international call-up under new head coach Marcello Lippi in August 2004 and made his debut for the Italian national team as a replacement against Iceland on August 18, 2004. After coming off the bench in a 2–1 home victory over Norway in a World Cup qualifier match, he scored his first international goal on September 4th.

Toni got off to a 0-1 home win over Finland on November 17th, his first international appearance in the 1–0 friendly home win over Finland. He captained the Italian squad in a friendly match against Ecuador on June 11, 2005, for the first time in his career; he scored Italy's only goal in the eventual 1–1 draw. Toni scored his first international hat-trick in a 4–1 victory over Belarus in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match, becoming the first Fiorentina player to do so.

Toni was selected to Italy's 23-man 2006 World Cup squad and was given the number 9 shirt. As Italy defeated Ghana in their first match against Ghana, he struck the crossbar twice, and two goals in the quarter-finals against Ukraine on June 30th, his only goals of the tournament, as Italy defeated the hosts, Germany, who defeated Germany 3–0. He struck the crossbar with a strong header and later scored another header, but the goal was later disallowed as the attempt was tentatively dismissed offside. Italy eventually defeated France 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw on extra time to win their fourth World Cup title; Toni finished the tournament as Italy's top goal-scorer, along Marco Materazzi, scoring 20 shots and hitting the crossbar twice. Throughout the tournament, he was fouled 28 times, more than any other player. Toni was selected to the 2006 World Cup Team of the Tournament for his efforts.

Toni scored two goals in Italy's 2–0 home victory over Scotland in a Euro 2008 qualifier on March 28. He missed Italy's next two qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania after suffering from an injury to his left foot that he had been trying to recover since the start of the 2006–07 season. Fabio Grosso, who scored Italy's second goal in a 2–0 victory, returned to action for his country's qualification game against Georgia in Genoa on October 13th. Toni won by 2–1 in a qualifying match against Scotland at Hampden Park on November 17, 2007, securing Italy's participation in the final stages of the tournament. With a 3–1 home win, Italy closed off their qualifying campaign four days later, he scored his second goal against the Faroe Islands. With 5 goals in six appearances, he reached the qualifying round as Italy's top-scoringer.

Toni was called up to the 23-man Italian squad for UEFA Euro 2008, but his performance in the tournament was disappointing; he scored in Italy's second group match against Romania, but Italy lost 1–1. Toni's main contribution to the team was winning a crucial penalty kick in the last group match against France, which ended 2–0, and allowed the Italians to advance to the knockout round. Following a 0–0 draw after extra-time, Italy bowed out of the tournament on penalties to eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals.

Despite being downbeat at Euro 2008, Toni was called up by returning coach Marcello Lippi for Italy's first two 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In an international friendly against Greece on November 19, Toni also scored an equalizer in a 1–1 draw in an international friendly, which was his final international goal. He was later selected by Lippi's 23-man Italy squad that competed in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and participated in all three of his nation's group games, however Italy was dissatisfied with the first-round dismissal after being forced to leave first-round. He was no longer called up to the national team nor was he selected in Lippi's provisional 30-man Italian squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup final tournament, and he was not included in the national team's provisional 30-man squad.

Toni's goalscoring work with Verona in 2014 made him a leading candidate for a spot as a reserve in Italy's 23-man 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, but he was later dropped from Cesare Prandelli's final squad for the tournament.

The Italian Football Federation paid tribute to Toni after he retired from professional football at the end of the 2015-2016 season with Verona's mayor, Flavio Tosi, and the town's sports councillor, Alberto Bozza, on June 6th.

Career statistics

Appearances and targets by national team and year compared to previous years.

International goals

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