Salvatore Bocchetti is on course to break a whole raft of records. A central defender who started out as a full-back, the Naples native and former Ascoli youth player was called up by Marcello Lippi after contesting a mere 25 Serie A matches, including 23 with Genoa at the start of the 2008\/09 season.<\/P>
The defender first began enjoying competitive action on loan at Lanciano in Serie C, but after returning to Ascoli in 2006\/07 he made just two top-flight appearances before being rapidly loaned out again, this time to Serie B outfit Frosinone.<\/P>
His displays nonetheless caught the eye of club officials at Genoa, and the young left-footed player seemed the perfect match for the Rossoblu’s system of play, built upon a trio of central defenders at the back.<\/P>
After joining Genoa in summer 2008, Bocchetti was quick to tie down a starting berth and began to progress at an astonishing rate. “It makes all those sacrifices worthwhile,” he said. “It’s difficult to express my emotion, but I still have everything to prove.” Impressive at the Toulon Tournament for Under-21 sides, he was awarded his senior Italy debut in the Azzurri's penultimate 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifier against Republic of Ireland, when he replaced Fabio Grosso in the second half. Four days later, he was a starter against Cyprus and he has been a fixture in Lippi’s squads ever since.<\/P>","4039037DD85D60421E356E7B3EA31BE5":"","46F0C72A3415188A868170E78E72CF24":"1000000.00","2134628892B06B90":"Salvatore Bocchetti","BFA4903D06441BD5032C18CFE9B50683":"","C94C0D651EC157BC":"81kg","46F0C72A3415188ABA1E996C06156FBC05C24372D6636D63":"1","99B9FE00554E753D0BC6E1E16DA9F791":"","BA50BEB0DB40F3ADF7C4575FF4221F17":"","e_index":9};