Roberto Piccoli

Roberto Piccoli (born 27 January 2001) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Lecce on loan from Atalanta.

Roberto Piccoli
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-01-27) 27 January 2001
Place of birth Bergamo, Italy
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Lecce
(on loan from Atalanta)
Number 91
Youth career
2011–2019 Atalanta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019– Atalanta 15 (1)
2020–2021 → Spezia (loan) 20 (5)
2022 → Genoa (loan) 5 (0)
2022–2023 → Hellas Verona (loan) 7 (0)
2023 → Empoli (loan) 15 (2)
2023– → Lecce (loan) 7 (1)
International career‡
2016 Italy U15 3 (0)
2016–2017 Italy U16 14 (4)
2018 Italy U18 3 (2)
2018–2020 Italy U19 22 (5)
2021 Italy U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:14, 23 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:55, 16 November 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Youth

Piccoli began playing football at the age of 10 for Tritium Calcio, which plays in the fourth division of Italian football. At the age of 13, Piccoli made a move to the Atalanta youth academy after being noticed by Maurizio Costanzi, head of Atalanta youth development. He would remain with Atalanta for the entirety of his youth career.[2]

Piccoli had a successful youth career while playing for Atalanta in the Campionato Primavera 1. In the 2018–19 season, Piccoli scored 14 goals in the league which eventually helped his Atalanta side lift the Campionato Primavera 1 trophy. Piccoli had a similar performance in the 2019–20 season where he scored a total of 7 goals in the league which eventually saw his Atalanta side lift the Campionato Primavera 1 title once again.[3]

Atalanta

He made his professional debut in a 0–0 Serie A tie with Empoli on 15 April 2019.[4]

Loan to Spezia Calcio

On 15 September 2020, he joined Spezia on a season-long loan.[5]

Piccoli scored his first goal for Spezia in a 1–2 loss on 20 December 2020 against Inter Milan.[6]

Return to Atalanta

On 21 August 2021, Piccoli came on as a substitute for Atalanta in an away match against Torino and scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute. This was his first goal for the Bergamo club in the top flight.[7] Piccoli made several more substitute appearances for Atalanta throughout the season, and was named in the starting lineup for the first time against Lazio on 22 January 2022.[8] Piccoli has made a total of 15 appearances for Atalanta in Serie A, while only scoring one goal for the Bergamo club.[9]

Loan to Genoa

Piccoli joined Genoa on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season after spending the first half of the season with Atalanta.[10]

Piccoli made his Genoa debut against Roma coming on as a substitute on 5 February 2022 in a 0–0 draw.[11] He made five appearances for Genoa during the remainder of the season, though did not score any goals.[12]

Loan to Hellas Verona

On 30 June 2022, Piccoli joined Hellas Verona on loan for the 2022–23 season.[12][13]

Loan to Empoli

On 31 January 2023, Piccoli moved on loan to Empoli for one and a half seasons, with an option to buy for Empoli and counter-option to buy back for Atalanta.[14]

Loan to Lecce

On 31 August 2023, Piccoli's loan to Empoli was cut short and he moved on loan to Lecce instead, with an option to buy.[15]

International career

Youth

Roberto Piccoli made his first appearance in an international match when he came on as a substitute for the Italy U15 team in a friendly match against England U15 on 24 April 2016, in which the Italians were defeated 2–3.[16]

With the Italy U19 squad he took part in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. While qualifying for the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, Roberto Piccoli scored two goals in a 2–0 victory against the Serbian U19's on 26 March 2019.[17] Piccoli's U-19 side was knocked out in the group stage of the tournament after suffering defeats to both Portugal U19 and Spain U19.[18]

On 3 September 2021 he made his debut with the Italy U21 squad, playing as a starter in the qualifying match won 3–0 against Luxembourg.[19] Roberto Piccoli's last appearance for the Italy U21 squad was on 16 November 2021, playing as a starter in a friendly match won 4–2 against Romania U21.[20]

Senior

Roberto Piccoli has yet to make his senior debut for the Italy national team.

Career statistics
As of match played 23 October 2023[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atalanta 2018–19 Serie A 200000–20
2019–20 100000–10
2021–22 1210000–121
Total 151000000151
Spezia (loan) 2020–21 Serie A 20531––236
Genoa (loan) 2021–22 Serie A 50–––50
Hellas Verona (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 7010––80
Empoli (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 132–––132
2023–24 Serie A 2010––30
Total 152100000162
Lecce (loan) 2023–24 Serie A 71–––71
Career total 6995100007410

Style of play

Regarded as a talented young prospect, Piccoli is a player with good technique and a tall stature of 193 centimeters, while mostly being deployed as a center-forward. His height allows him to be dangerous in the air. Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta's head coach, describes Roberto Piccoli as great young talent who is a harder worker and a player that brings great value to the team.[22][23]

Piccoli describes himself as a center-forward who loves to exploit the depth of the defense, while being technically gifted but also explaining he can still improve in that area. Piccoli has said that he is inspired by the likes of Duván Zapata and Mario Mandžukić.[24]

Personal life

On 22 January 2021, Piccoli met Pope Francis.[25]

Piccoli has a passion for cycling, which he uses to maintain fitness.[26]

Honors

Atalanta

Individual

References
  1. "Roberto Piccoli" (in Italian). Hellas Verona F.C. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  2. "Piccoli, la bicicletta per mantenersi in forma e segnare valanghe di gol". La Giovane Italia (in Italian). 24 August 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  3. "Archivio | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  4. "Atalanta vs. Empoli - 15 April 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway.
  5. "Roberto Piccoli per l'attacco delle Aquile" (Press release) (in Italian). Spezia. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. "Internazionale v Spezia Match Report, 12/20/20, Serie A | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  7. "TORINO – ATALANTA – 2021-2022". Atalanta. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  8. "Serie A, Lazio–Atalanta 0–0, pagelle: Demiral un drago, Luis Alberto invisibile, Gasperini disinnesca Sarri" (in Italian). Eurosport. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. "Player - ROBERTO PICCOLI | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  10. "ROBERTO PICCOLI È ROSSOBLÙ – Genoa Cricket and Football Club – Official Website". Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  11. "Match Report | 2021-22 | 24ª Match Day | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  12. "Verona, ufficiale Piccoli: arriva in prestito dall'Atalanta" (in Italian). 30 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  13. "Un nuovo attaccante per l'Hellas Verona: benvenuto, Roberto Piccoli!" (in Italian). Hellas Verona. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  14. "Roberto Piccoli è un nuovo calciatore azzurro" (in Italian). Empoli F.C. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. "PICCOLI È UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DEL LECCE" [PICCOLI IS A NEW LECCE PLAYER] (in Italian). Lecce. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  16. "Roberto Piccoli of Italy U15 competes with Bukayio Saka of England..." Getty Images. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  17. "Serbia U19 vs. Italy U19 - 26 March 2019 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  18. UEFA.com (27 July 2019). "Under-19 EURO 2019: all the highlights". UEFA.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  19. "Esordio con vittoria per la nuova Italia. Nicolato: "Ho visto un grande impegno, ma dobbiamo lavorare"" (in Italian). figc.it. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  20. "Italy U21 vs. Romania U21 - Football Match Summary - November 16, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  21. "R. Piccoli". Soccerway.
  22. GOLDEN BOY GALA FULL LIVESTREAM, retrieved 4 February 2022
  23. "Atalanta, Gasp lancia Piccoli: "Mi ispiro a Zapata e Mandzukic"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  24. "Atalanta, Gasp lancia Piccoli: "Mi ispiro a Zapata e Mandzukic"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  25. "Roberto Piccoli Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  26. "Roberto Piccoli, l'ultimo talento di Zingonia". Sky Sport (in Italian). 2 May 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  27. "Archivio | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  28. "Supercoppa Primavera TIM on 21/1 in Bergamo". Atalanta. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  29. "Piccoli wins the Italian Golden Boy 2021". Atalanta. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  30. "Golden Boy award: Pedri, Bellingham and Reyna among 20-player shortlist | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
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