Daniele Massaro

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Massaro began his career with his local club Monza in Serie B in 1978. In 1981, he was acquired by Serie A club Fiorentina, along with Paolo Monelli, making his Serie A debut on 13 September 1981. He came close to winning the Scudetto during his first season with the club, missing out on the title to Juventus by a single point. After leaving Fiorentina in 1986, Massaro made a name for himself at AC Milan where he played over 300 games between 1986 and 1995 (apart from a loan spell with Roma during the 1988–89 season). He was part of the legendary Milan squad under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello. He scored two decisive goals in the 1994 UEFA Champions League Final against FC Barcelona, which Milan won 4–0. He was also Milan's top scorer in the 1993–94 Serie A season with 11 league goals. After leaving Milan in 1995, he played a year in the Japanese football league with Shimizu S-Pulse, before retiring in 1996. Massaro made his Italy under-21 debut on 23 September 1981. He made his senior debut on 14 April 1982 in a 1–0 loss against East Germany. He was a member of the Italian squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup but did not receive any playing time. He was called up for Italy's 1994 FIFA World Cup squad by manager Arrigo Sacchi. He played in six of Italy's seven games and scored a goal in a 1–1 draw against Mexico in Italy's final match of the group stage on 28 June. This was his only goal for Italy, making him the country's oldest-ever goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup at the age of 33 years and 36 days. In the final loss against Brazil, he missed a one-on-one opportunity and later failed to convert a penalty kick in the shoot-out, which marked his last international appearance.

In Their Own Story

The pinnacle of Massaro's career arrived on 18 May 1994 at the Parc des Princes. Facing FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final, Massaro became the hero for AC Milan under Fabio Capello. In a stunning 4–0 victory, he scored both of Milan's goals in the first half, showcasing his aerial prowess and finishing ability. This performance earned him the nicknames 'Provvidenza' (providence) and 'San Massaro' for his knack of scoring decisive goals in closing minutes or tightly fought matches. Earlier in his international career, on 28 June 1994, he scored Italy's only goal at the World Cup against Mexico to secure their place in the knockout stages as the best third-placed team. However, that tournament ended in heartbreak; in the final shoot-out against Brazil, Massaro missed one of Italy's penalties after also failing to convert a one-on-one opportunity, marking his last international appearance.

Reader's Guide

Massaro was a talented and determined player, gifted with pace and agility, as well as good physical and athletic attributes. Due to his versatility, work-rate and tactical intelligence, he was uniquely capable of playing in many different positions anywhere on the pitch. He began his career as a midfielder, and was capable of playing anywhere in midfield; indeed, he was often used as an offensive, central, or defensive midfielder. Throughout his career, he even played as a makeshift defender, both in the centre, or on the flank as a full-back. During his stint with AC Milan, he was initially deployed as an outside forward on the left, or as a winger under Sacchi. Massaro was only utilised as a true striker later on in his career, under Capello and also at the 1994 World Cup with Italy under Sacchi. He earned the nicknames Provvidenza and 'San Massaro' in the media. Massaro once referred to himself as a 'supersub' due to his penchant for scoring decisive goals after coming off the bench.

Did You Know?

• Massaro scored his only international goal in Italy's last group match against Mexico at the 1994 FIFA World Cup on 28 June, making him the country's oldest-ever goalscorer at the World Cup at age 33 years and 36 days.
• Massaro scored twice in Milan's 4–0 win over Barcelona in the 1994 Champions League final.
• Massaro was a member of the Italy squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup, though he did not make an appearance in the tournament.