Massimo Maccarone

Massimo Maccarone (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmassimo makkaˈroːne]; born 6 September 1979) is an Italian football coach and former player, who played as a striker. He was nicknamed Big Mac during his playing days.^[2]

Massimo Maccarone

Maccarone training with Palermo in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Massimo Maccarone[1]
Date of birth	(1979-09-06) 6 September 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Toulouse, France
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1996–1998	Milan
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2000	Milan	0	(0)
1998	→ Modena (loan)	0	(0)
1998–1999	→ Prato (loan)	21	(4)
1999	→ Varese (loan)	3	(0)
1999–2000	Prato	28	(20)
2000–2002	Empoli	68	(36)
2002–2007	Middlesbrough	80	(18)
2004–2005	→ Parma (loan)	7	(0)
2005	→ Siena (loan)	17	(7)
2007–2010	Siena	113	(40)
2010–2011	Palermo	18	(2)
2011–2014	Sampdoria	38	(6)
2012–2014	→ Empoli (loan)	105	(40)
2014–2017	Empoli	99	(28)
2017–2018	Brisbane Roar	28	(9)
2018–2020	Carrarese	57	(9)
Total		682	(219)
International career
1995	Italy U15	2	(1)
1995–1996	Italy U16	4	(1)
1998–1999	Italy U20	5	(3)
2000–2002	Italy U21	15	(11)
2002	Italy	2	(0)
Managerial career
2022–2023	Ghiviborgo
2023	Piacenza
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early career

Maccarone started his career at A.C. Milan's youth system. In 1998, he went on loan to Modena but did not make a single appearance. In 1999, he was transferred to Serie C2 team Prato (in a co-ownership deal), scoring 20 goals in 28 league matches, finishing the season as the top scorer in the 1999–2000 Serie C2 season. In 2000, he was bought back by Milan and transferred to Empoli F.C., helping the club get promoted to Serie A during the 2001–02 season. In the same period, he was one of the most outstanding players of the Italian U21 team which reached the semi-finals in the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. As a result, he was noticed by several teams.

Middlesbrough

Maccarone was signed by English Premier League team Middlesbrough on 9 July 2002 for £8.15 million (€12.7 million).^[3] He made his debut against Southampton on 17 August 2002. On his second appearance and his home debut the following week he scored twice in a 2–2 draw with Fulham.^[4][5] Another highlight in his first season was scoring twice as Middlesbrough defeated Tottenham Hotspur 5–1.^[6]

Maccarone was an unused substitute when Middlesbrough won the 2004 Football League Cup Final.^[7] Despite showing fine early form in his first few matches for Middlesbrough, the remainder of his spell at the club was a struggle to justify his price tag and during the first half of the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to Serie A club Parma, and in January 2005 to Siena.^[8]

Maccarone returned to Middlesbrough for the 2005–06 season, and despite not being a regular first-team player, endeared himself to the Middlesbrough fans, especially through his work-rate and attitude. The player's spell at Middlesbrough is remembered for two last-minute winners in key UEFA Cup ties in 2006. He scored against Basel in the second leg of the quarter-finals, a tie in which Middlesbrough overturned a three-goal deficit to win 4–3 on aggregate.^[9] In the semi-final of the same competition he came on as a substitute and scored twice in the aggregate 4–3 win over Steaua Bucharest,^[10] scoring one of Middlesbrough F.C's most iconic goals of all time, once again in the 90th minute, taking Boro to the final in Eindhoven, in which he came on as a substitute. Following his exploits in the semi-final, fellow Middlesbrough striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink declared "Massimo, I love him until I die... it's unbelievable".^[11]

Siena

Despite these heroics, he made few appearances for Middlesbrough in the following season and in January 2007, Maccarone moved to Siena in a free transfer, signing a three-year contract.^[12] In February 2007, he made headlines by criticising former Middlesbrough and then-England manager Steve McClaren for his "ineptitude", causing his club's chairman Steve Gibson to call Maccarone "a fool".^[13]

On 11 February 2007, he played his first Serie A match after his Siena return, against Cagliari.^[14] Maccarone scored a brace in the 4–3 defeat against A.C. Milan on 17 February, to register his first goals for Siena.^[15] He finished the season with six goals, and added 13 in the following (club best by a long margin), as Siena achieved two consecutive 13th league places. After the club was relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season, Maccarone agreed a move to Sicilian Serie A club Palermo, signing a three-year deal with the rosanero, for €4.5 million.^[16][17]

Palermo

His stint at Palermo however turned out to be a disappointing one, with only two league goals in 18 games.

Sampdoria

On 24 January 2011, Maccarone signed for Sampdoria for €2.7 million on a 2+1⁄2-year contract.^[18][19][20]

Empoli

From January 2012 to June 2014 Maccarone returned to Empoli in temporary deals.^[21][22][23] His contract was also extended to 30 June 2015 in 2012.^[24] On 17 July 2014 he was allowed to join Empoli on a free transfer.^[25][26]

Brisbane Roar

On 17 July 2017, Maccarone signed a one-year marquee deal with A-League club Brisbane Roar.^[27]

Carrarese

On 25 May 2018, he was signed by Italian Serie C team Carrarese.^[28]

International career

During his time at Empoli, Maccarone made his debut with the Italy Under-21 side under Marco Tardelli. He later earned a place as a starting striker in Claudio Gentile's Italy Under-21 side between 2000 and 2002.^[29] In total, he scored 11 goals with the Under-21 side in 15 appearances, and he took part at the 2002 Under-21 European Championship with Italy, where he finished as the tournament's top scorer, with 3 goals, helping Italy to reach the semi-finals, where they lost out to the eventual champions, the Czech Republic.^[30] During the group stage, he scored two goals in a 2–1 win against the England Under-21 side in Basel.^[31]

In 2002, he played twice for the Italy senior side.^[32] He made his senior international debut on 27 March, in a friendly match against England in Leeds; he came on as a late substitute, with the score level at 1–1. In injury time, Maccarone was fouled in the area by the English goalkeeper David James, allowing Vincenzo Montella to score the winning goal from the penalty spot.^[33] Maccarone had scored a goal in a 1–1 friendly draw in Bradford against the England Under-21 side earlier that week.^[34] It had been over seventy years that a Serie B player had made his debut with the Italy national side before making his Serie A debut.^[35] He made his second and final appearance for the Italian senior side on 16 October 2002, in a 2–1 away defeat against Wales in a European Championship qualifying match.^[32]

Style of play

Maccarone predominantly played as a striker, although he is also capable of being deployed as a supporting forward or as a winger, where he is able to move into the center of the pitch and curl shots towards goal with his stronger foot, due to his striking ability from distance, and his eye for goal. Maccarone is capable of shooting with either foot, and he possesses good tactical intelligence, pace, and technique, as well as a strong mentality and good composure in front of goal; however, he is effective in the air.^[36][37]

Coaching career

Following his retirement, he stayed on at Carrarese as a technical collaborator under his former boss Silvio Baldini for the 2020–21 season, leaving in April 2021 following the appointment of Antonio Di Natale as the club's new head coach.^[38]

In June 2022, Maccarone took on his first role as head coach, accepting a job offer from Tuscan Serie D amateurs Ghiviborgo.^[39] After a single season at Ghiviborgo, Maccarone was named new head coach of Serie D fallen giants Piacenza;^[40] he was however dismissed from his coaching post just a few months later, on 12 November 2023, following a negative start to the club's league campaign.^[41]

Career statistics

Club

As of 28 March 2019^[42][43]

Club	League	Season	League		Cup[44]		Continental[45]		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Prato (loan)	Serie C2	1998–99	21	4	?	?	0	0	?	?
Varese (loan)	Serie C1	1999–00	3	0	?	?	0	0	?	?
Prato	Serie C2	1999–00	28	20	?	?	0	0	?	?
Empoli	Serie B	2000–01	35	16	3	2	0	0	38	18
		2001–02	33	10	4	2	0	0	37	12
	Total		68	26	7	4	0	0	75	30
Middlesbrough	Premier League	2002–03	34	9	0	0	0	0	34	9
		2003–04	22	6	8	2	0	0	30	8
		2004–05	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		2005–06	17	2	5	0	5	5	27	7
		2006–07	7	1	1	0	0	0	8	1
	Total		80	18	14	2	5	5	99	25
Parma (loan)	Serie A	2004–05	7	0	1	0	4	2	12	2
Siena (loan)	Serie A	2004–05	17	7	1	1	0	0	18	8
Siena	Serie A	2006–07	11	6	0	0	0	0	11	6
		2007–08	35	13	0	0	0	0	35	13
		2008–09	30	9	0	0	0	0	30	9
		2009–10	37	12	0	0	0	0	37	12
	Total		130	47	1	1	0	0	131	48
Palermo	Serie A	2010–11	18	2	0	0	8	4	26	6
Sampdoria	Serie A	2010–11	17	3	1	0	0	0	18	3
	Serie B	2011–12	11	3	1	1	0	0	12	4
	Total		28	6	2	1	0	0	30	7
Empoli	Serie B	2011–12	20	7	0	0	0	0	20	7
		2012–13	43	18	0	0	0	0	43	18
		2013–14	42	15	2	1	0	0	44	16
	Serie A	2014–15	34	10	1	0	0	0	35	10
		2015–16	37	13	1	0	0	0	38	13
		2016–17	28	5	1	2	0	0	29	7
	Total		204	68	5	3	0	0	209	71
	Empoli Total		272	94	12	7	0	0	284	101
Brisbane Roar	A-League	2017–18	28	9	1	0	1	1	30	10
Carrarese	Serie C	2017–18	32	7	1	0	0	0	33	7
Career total			647	207	32*	11*	14	10	693*	228*

Managerial

As of 1 November 2023

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Ghiviborgo		1 July 2022	27 June 2023	35	9	16	10	41	43	−2	025.71
Piacenza		4 July 2023	1 November 2023	12	5	1	6	17	16	+1	041.67
Total				47	14	17	16	58	59	−1	029.79

Honours

Club

Middlesbrough^[42]

• Football League Cup: 2003–04
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2005–06

Individual

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Top-scorer: 2002^[46]

References

1. "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 40" [Official Press Release No. 40] (PDF). Lega Serie A. 21 September 2015. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
2. "Big Mac al Parma L'ha deciso lui". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 1 September 2004. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
3. "Maccarone signs in". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 July 2002. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
4. "Boro frustrate Saints". BBC. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
5. "Late Fulham deny Boro". BBC. 24 August 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
6. "Nemeth sparks Boro blitz". BBC. 3 May 2003. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
7. "Boro lift Carling Cup". BBC News. 29 February 2004.
8. "Maccarone makes switch to Siena". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 January 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
9. "Middlesbrough 4–1 Basle (agg 4–3)". BBC. 6 April 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
10. "M'brough 4–2 S B'chrst (agg 4–3)". BBC. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
11. Middlesbrough, Sevilla advance to UEFA Cup final
12. "Maccarone è bianconero". AC Siena (in Italian). 30 January 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
13. Gibson: "Massimo's a fool"
14. "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
15. "Siena 3–4 AC Milan". ESPNSoccernet. 17 February 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
16. US Città di Palermo Report and Accounts on 30 June 2010 (in Italian)
17. "MASSIMO MACCARONE NUOVO ACQUISTO DEL PALERMO" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
18. "MACCARONE CEDUTO ALLA SAMPDORIA" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 24 January 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
19. "Massimo Maccarone alla Sampdoria a titolo definitivo" (in Italian). UC Sampdoria. 24 January 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
20. Relazione sulla Gestione of UC Sampdoria Report and Accounts on 31 December 2010 (in Italian)
21. "Massimo Maccarone ceduto all'Empoli a titolo temporaneo" (in Italian). UC Sampdoria. 26 January 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
22. "Maccarone torna all'Empoli, Scappini va al Pisa" (in Italian). UC Sampdoria. 31 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
23. "Regini torna alla Samp, Maccarone in prestito ad Empoli" (in Italian). UC Sampdoria. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
24. UC Sampdoria SpA bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 31 December 2012 (in Italian)
25. "Rescissione consensuale del contratto di Massimo Maccarone" (in Italian). UC Sampdoria. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
26. "Massimo Maccarone ha firmato" (in Italian). Empoli FC. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
27. Monteverde, Marco (17 July 2017). "Brisbane Roar sign Massimo Maccarone, former Sampdoria and Middlesbrough striker, as marquee". The Courier-Mail.
28. "Colpo Maccarone per la Carrarese". Carrarese Calcio (in Italian). 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
29. Piccardi, Gaia (30 May 2002). "Maccarone vuole consolarsi con i soldi". corriere.it (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
30. "Convocazioni e presenze in campo: Maccarone, Massimo" (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
31. "Magic Maccarone sinks England". UEFA. 20 March 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
32. "Convocazioni e presenze in campo: Massimo Maccarone" (in Italian). FIGC. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
33. "Montella stuns England". BBC. 27 March 2002. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
34. "Nazionel U21: INGHILTERRA – ITALIA 1 – 1". FIGC.it. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
35. Gaia, Piccardi (29 March 2002). "Maccarone, il Cenerentolo azzurro che arriva dalla B". corriere.it (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
36. "Massimo Maccarone, la scheda tecnica" (in Italian). TuttoPalermo.net. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
37. Smith, Rory (25 June 2013). "Edinson Cavani: An exception to the rule". ESPN FC. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
38. "UFFICIALE - Carrarese, lo staff di Di Natale. Via Baldini jr. e Maccarone" (in Italian). Tutto C. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
39. "Ghiviborgo, Massimo Maccarone è il nuovo allenatore del club" (in Italian). SerieD24.com. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
40. "Il Piacenza riparte da Maccarone: sarà l'allenatore in Serie D" (in Italian). Goal.com. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
41. "Piacenza - Esonerato Maccarone. Panchina a Stefano Rossini con Totò De Vitis direttore tecnico" (in Italian). SportPiacenza.it. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
42. "M. Maccarone". soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
43. "Massimo Maccarone – Spieler bei FC Empoli". fussballdaten.de (in German). Fussballdaten Verlags GmbH. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
44. Includes Coppa Italia, FA Cup, League Cup
45. Includes UEFA Europa League
46. "Czech striker Kliment wins Golden Boot award". UEFA.com. 30 June 2015.

External links

• Massimo Maccarone at Soccerbase
• FIGC national team stats Archived 4 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine