David Pizarro

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Pizarro and the second or maternal family name is Cortés.

David Pizarro

Personal information
Full name	David Marcelo Pizarro Cortés
Date of birth	11 September 1979 (1979-09-11) (age 32)
Place of birth	Valparaíso, Chile
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Roma
Number	7
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997–1998	Santiago Wanderers	41	(3)
1999–2005	Udinese	117	(14)
2001	→ U. de Chile (loan)	6	(1)
2005–2006	Internazionale	23	(1)
2006–	Roma	145	(9)
National team
1999–2005	Chile	36	(2)
Honours Competitor for  Chile Men's Football Bronze 2000 Sydney Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 May 2010. † Appearances (Goals).

David Marcelo Pizarro Cortés (born 11 September 1979 in Valparaíso, Chile) is a Chilean football Midfielder. Pizarro. He also plays for the Chile national team, for which he won the Bronze medal at 2000 Summer Olympics, at Sydney. Pizarro is a central midfielder, who can operate in a holding position or an attacking position in the hole behind the strikers.

During the stady of Pizarro in the Italian football, he has won one Serie A title (2005-06), three Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. Pizarro's Italian nickname is "Pek", diminutive of "pequeño", meaning "small" in the Spanish language, because his short height (1.70 meters).

Club career

Early career

Pizarro started his career as a midfielder with the Santiago Wanderers in Valparaiso, Chile.

Pizarro first played European football with Udinese in Serie A. From there, he was loaned to South American team Universidad de Chile where he debuted in the Copa Libertadores.

He played well with Udinese under the guidance of coach Luciano Spalletti.

Internazionale

On 14 July 2005, Pizarro was transfer to F.C. Internazionale Milano on a reported fee of €10.000.000 million (plus half of Goran Pandev rights, which Lazio bought it a year later for €4million) on a four−year deal.^[1] At the time, Pizarro claimed that he wanted to retire in the Nerazzurri shirt. However, Pizarro was on the bench in many occasions, because the competition in the place with the Argentine star Juan Sebastián Verón.

During his only season with Internazionale, Pizarro won the Italian championship (due to the Calciopoli scandal), the Supercoppa Italiana, and the Coppa Italia.

AS Roma

On 19 August 2006, A.S. Roma acquired the 50% of Pizarro's transfer card and he signed a four-year contract with the team of a transfer fee of €6.500.000 million in a co-ownership deal.^[2] In Pizarro's arrival to the team, Pizarro wears the number 7 shirt and he was under his former coach in Udinese Calcio, Luciano Spalletti.

On 12 September 2006, Pizarro scored his official goal for the team in a 4–0 Champions League victory over Shaktar Donetsk at 89th minute. Five days later, he scored his second consecutive goal for the Serie A against AC Siena in a 3–1 victory. He helped to Roma to win the Coppa Italia 2006-07 title, being one of top–scorers of the team with three goals. On 20 June 2007, Roma announced that paid €5.750.000 million to Internazionale over the next three seasons for the remaining of Pizarro in AS Roma, who had played an important role in the club's last season.^[3]

In Roma's next season, Pizarro was a undisputed titular with Daniele De Rossi on Spalletti's squad. He scored his season goal against SSC Napoli in a 4–4 draw for Serie A. After of the qualifying of Roma to the Round of 16 in UEFA Champions League 2007-08, Pizarro scored an important goal against Real Madrid at 24th minute, in a 2–1 Roma's victory. Shortly after, Roma were eliminated against Manchester United F.C. in the quarterfinals. Pizarro proclaimed once champion of Coppa Italia, now in the 2007-08 season, newly beating to Inter Milan.

On 1 February 2009, Pizarro scored two goals in the same match against Reggina Calcio for the Serie A 2008-09. In the end of Roma 2008-09 season, the contract of the player was expired, but he signed a new three-year contract with Roma in October 2009.^[4][5] In the 2009-10 season, Pizarro finished with 2 goals, 8 assists in 31 games. He helped to Roma to finish second behind Inter, with the club in contention for the title through the final matchday of the season. In the next season, Pizarro had a strong discussion with the new coach of Roma, Claudio Ranieri, and the coach put to the player in the transfer window, and clubs as Genoa C.F.C. and Zenit St. Petersburg attempted to sign to Pizarro. Shorlty after, Roma dismissed the departure of Pizarro of Roma. It was reported that Pizarro was "injured" in the official explanation of Pizarro's absent, however after Ranieri was dismissed, Pizarro returned to the starting line-up.

International career

Pizarro began his international career in 1999. After being one of the best players of the South American Youth Championship that year, Chile manager Nelson Acosta gave him an opportunity in the senior team.

He played in the 1999 Copa America and also the 2000 Summer Olympics, where he won the bronze medal. He also participated in the 2002 and 2006 World Cup qualifiers, with Chile failing to qualify on both occasions.

After failing to qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Pizarro announced his retirement from international football, listing several reasons for his decision. He disliked ex-coach Juvenal Olmos and ex-association president Reinaldo Sánchez.^{[citation needed]} Also, he believed the players on the national team played solely to gain popularity. He also said he wished to spend more time with his family.^{[citation needed]}

In early 2009, Pizarro said that he missed playing international football.^{[citation needed]}

Honours

National Team

•  Chile
  • Olympic Games: in Sydney (2000)

Internazionale

Serie A: 2005–06

Supercoppa Italiana: 2005

Coppa Italia: 2005–06

AS Roma

Supercoppa Italiana: 2007

Coppa Italia (2): 2006–07, 2007–08

References

1. ^ "Inter complete Pizarro purchase". UEFA.com. 14 July 2005. http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=317096.html. Retrieved 27 March 2011. 
2. ^ "Pizarro firmó por cuatro años por AS Roma". La Nación.cl. http://www.lanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20060819/pags/20060819165512.html. Retrieved 2006-08-19. 
3. ^ "OPERAZIONI RELATIVE AI DIRITTI PLURIENNALI ALLE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DEI CALCIATORI" (in Italian) (​PDF (25.6KB)). AS Roma. 20 June 2007. http://109.75.174.100/~asroma/downloads/corporate_investor/1287728867.pdf. Retrieved 27 March 2011. 
4. ^ "Perrotta and Pizarro sign new deals". Ontheminute.com, October 30, 2009. http://www.ontheminute.com/news/news.php?news=18600. Retrieved 2009-10-30. 
5. ^ "Prolungamento contratto economico del calciatore Pizarro Prolungamento contratto economico del calciatore Pizarro" (in Italian) (​PDF (15.2KB)). AS Roma. 29 October 2009. http://109.75.174.100/~asroma/downloads/corporate_investor/1290766786.pdf. Retrieved 27 March 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Cortés, David Marcelo Pizarro
Alternative names	Pizarro, David
Short description	Professional footballer
Date of birth	1979-09-11
Place of birth	Valparaíso, Chile
Date of death
Place of death