Fabio Quagliarella - A Lesser Known Italian Star

The serie A is one of the premier competitions in Europe. It has it's heritage. The league of the two Milan clubs and today's Juventus. The weight of this league over the decades and the span of two centuries is immense. Many many great players have graced the fields across Italy. And when to the matter of the best Serie A forwards from the current century, the names of Diego Milito, Hernan Crespo, Alessandro Del Piero, Andriy Shevchenko, Gabriel Batistuta, Francesco Totti, Filippo Inzaghi, Mauro Icardi, Di Natale, Dries Mertens, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne, Edin Dzeko, Samuel Eto'o, Alvaro Morata, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo Lima, Toni, Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain, Edinson Cavani, Vieri, Trezeguet, Cristiano Ronaldo and many more big names if we take the previous millennia into account. These players are not small time at all. In fact these are so big names that don't need to be a serie A follower to know them, they all performed on the big stage.

But still some talents always miss out on the limelight. Yes they're no less of a class, but they're lesser known mostly because they play in lesser known clubs or lesser known countries. One such will a serie A legend in the making, Fabio Quagliarella. Nobody knew him. Untilk he broke into the front row by getting the better of Cristiano Ronaldo to win the serie A golden boot. That toi at the age of 36. And yes he plays for Sampdoria. This feat of his was achieved in the 2018/19 season.

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Quagliarella has been playing top tier Italian football for all most 16 years now. This only proves how consistent he is and how reliable his longevity is. Quagliarella is known for his ability to play at any of fhe attacking positions. And yes he did make the most of that. He has a total of 175 goals to his name. Pretty amazing. His attacking play is overall very good. And this is not made up, numbers are backing him. Fabio Quagliarella is the 14th serie A top scorer of all time. And it's not just the numbers that back Quagliarella. His overall play is eye soothing. He's very used to scoring screamers. Vollyes, overhead kicks, free kicks, headed goals, acrobatic shots, backheels are all under his arsenal. He has done these extraordinary things many times. He has scored a tide too many beautiful goals. His YouTube compilations are a favorite. Why not, who doesn't like to watch good goals. In the 2018/19 season. Fabio scored a total of 26 goals in the league. And not only that, two of his goals that season were contenders for the puskas awards. the two goals were scored against Napoli and Chievo Verona. And the one against Napoli aas nominated as a puskas award contender but yeah he couldn't clinch the award.

Fabio started playing football in the 90's. As he started his career in Turin club Torino only to be loaned to Serie C clubs. And that was for a long time he couldn't hit the big stage untill the millennium turned. In the 2005-06 season he finally got a test if the heritage of the serie A with Ascoli. He later moved to Napoli and Juventus. Where he also collected valuable experience in European football. Today he plays at Sampdoria for around 6 years. And this is arguably the best time in his his footballing career. Fabio Quagliarella also holds the record of being the oldest goal scorer for the Azzuri.

Fabio Quagliarella, doesn't show for his age. He's not rusty, no sign of stopping. In fact he's getting better. As his best ever season was when he's 36 years old, many players retire by this age. He has been Sampdoria's top scorer for many years. Fabio Quagliarella is aging like a fine wine. Keeps getting better. And he deserves some more appreciation. As his consistency is something to admire about.