The AC Milan striker has become a vital attacking option for Italy and his performances at Germany 2006 will have a significant bearing on the Italians’ overall performance. The one doubt is that at 24 years of age, Gilardino is not experienced enough to play a dominant role and lead his team-mates to the ultimate prize.

Gilardino is the most complete of the attackers available to Italy coach Marcello Lippi. His talents enable him to lead the line, participate in build-up play and score spectacular goals. His heading may not be as good as Luca Toni’s and his left foot cannot be compared with Christian Vieri’s but Gilardino is a real ‘Jack of all trades’, able to create problems for any defence.

Standing at 1.84m and weighing 79kg, Alberto has scored goals for fun in his first season at AC Milan. His only real difficulties have come in the UEFA Champions League, where the step up from domestic football has found him wanting at times.

Piacenza promise
Gilardino made his Serie A debut in January 2000 for Piacenza at the age of 17. Despite showing great promise from the outset, his first steps in top-flight football were not without their problems. Support from a close family, his own commitment and hard work ensured that Alberto became more than just another player with squandered potential plying his trade in the lower leagues.

Following his exit from Piacenza for Verona, where he stayed for a year, Gilardino was then transferred to Parma to fill the not-inconsiderable hole left by Brazilian striker Adriano’s departure for Inter Milan. He seized his chance and has not stopped scoring goals since.

Gilardino’s exploits in Serie A were not enough to earn a place in the Azzurri squad for UEFA Euro 2004, but they were the springboard for success with the Italian Under-21 team during that same summer. Victory in the final of the UEFA European U-21 Championship was followed by a bronze medal at the Olympic Football Tournament Athens 2004

. His chance with the senior Italian national side came with the appointment of Lippi as coach. Alberto immediately repaid the faith shown in him with goals and outstanding overall performances.

Gilardino is two-footed, quick, good in the air and an excellent team player whose goals may yet prove vital for the Azzurri at Germany 2006. The only downside is his relative inexperience at this level, with some experts suggesting that we will not see the best of him until the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Only time will tell.