Fabrizio Ravanelli is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a striker. He is best known for his successful career in Italy and England, where he played for top clubs such as Juventus, Marseille, Lazio, and Middlesbrough.
Ravanelli started his professional career with Perugia in Italy, before moving to Juventus in 1992. He quickly established himself as one of the top forwards in Italy, his bombastic mix of strength and speed led to him scoring goals regularly for Juventus, helping the Old Lady to several titles. Including a Champions League in which he scored from an unlikely angle in the 1996 final against Ajax.
Not just known for his goal scoring boots and white hair, something that had effected him since a very young age, his infamous shirt above his head goal celebration had already grabbed the imagination of English football up and down the country.
Boro
Whilst many clubs were courting for his signature, Ravenelli surprised many by turning up at Middlesbrough in 1996 for the princely sum of £7M.
His time at Teeside was a mixed bag without a doubt.
A debut hat-trick for Middlesbrough against Liverpool in 1996 is considered one of the more memorable Premier League moments. The side has celebrated staying in the division the previous season by signing a glut of fashionable foreign talent. Indeed how the striker linked up to his fellow new signings got Boro fans purring.
However, as the season continued, many at the club felt that Ravanelli had an arrogance that sometimes rubbed people the wrong way. He was known for making bold statements to the media, and his behavior could sometimes be perceived as egotistical – even having an entourage follow him around, even at training. Despite this, Ravanelli was respected for his talent and dedication to the sport, and he remains one of the most memorable players in Middlesbrough’s history.
The Italian would go on to help Boro claim Fa Cup and League cup final places, only to see the side lose both, Chelsea and Leicester respectively. A relegation soon followed. With the Teesside club unable to pay sky high wages, Ravenelli was shipped off to Marseille.
What’s Ravenelli doing now?
After retiring from professional football, Fabrizio Ravanelli dabbled in fashion modeling. He signed with a modeling agency and participated in several photo shoots and campaigns for fashion brands.
Ravanelli’s modeling work was well-received, as his athletic physique and distinctive look made him a popular choice for fashion brands. He also used his modeling career to raise awareness for various charitable causes, such as supporting organizations that help underprivileged children.
Regarding his professional career, Ravenelli has taken coaching jobs at a handful of jobs, most recently as manager of Ukrainian side Arsenal Kyiv, were he resigned after a string of poor results.