Ignazio Abate

Ignazio Abate (Italian pronunciation: [iɲˈɲattsjo aˈbate]; born 12 November 1986) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a full-back for Milan in Serie A. A former winger, he is also capable of playing as a wide midfielder and as a wing-back; he is renowned for his stamina and quick sprints down the right wing, and is one of the fastest players in the top leagues of European football.
Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999. From 2004 to 2009 he spent five years on various loan spells with several Italian clubs, before going back to Milan. He played an important role in helping Milan win their 18th Scudetto during the 2010–11 Serie A season.
Abate has represented the Italian national team and the Italian U21 national team, and also played for the Italian U19 national team and the Italian U20 national team. Prior to starring for the senior team, he represented his country in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2009 European U-21 Championship. He made his senior international debut in November 2011, in a friendly match against Poland, and has since then represented the country in UEFA Euro 2012, winning a runners-up medal, at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning a bronze medal, and at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal against Germany in November 2013.

Abate was born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, the son of former Italian goalkeeper Beniamino Abate, now a coach with the Milan youth academy.

Early career

Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999. During the 2003–04 season, he made his professional debut, playing in a Coppa Italia game against Sampdoria on 3 December. He also made his debut in European competitions, in a Champions League group-stage game versus Celta Vigo on 9 December. In that match he set the record as the youngest Milan player to ever play in the UEFA Champions League, at 17 years and 27 days.

Various loan spells (2004–2007)

For the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to Napoli in Serie C1, where he made 29 appearances and scored 2 goals. In the summer of 2005 he had been set to spend the following season on loan at Serie A side Sampdoria. However, prior to the actual start of the competitions, he was called back and loaned to Piacenza instead, though he only made 13 appearances in his first Serie B season. The following one was more successful for the young winger, who made 38 appearances during his loan spell at Modena.

Serie A debut (2007–2009)

In the 2007–08 season Abate eventually made his Serie A debut, after being acquired by Empoli in a co-ownership deal, for €900,000. That year, he also scored his first goal in Serie A, in a match against Genoa, on 27 April 2008. Following Empoli's relegation, Milan fully purchased him for €2 million as well as Luca Antonini for €2.75M (and sold Nicola Pozzi and Lino Marzoratti for €4.75M total fee) only to send him to Torino in another co-ownership deal, for €2 million. Despite an early injury, he had a good season, appearing in 25 games and scoring 1 goal.

Back to Milan

Abate playing for Milan against Arsenal.

On 24 June 2009, Milan reclaimed Abate for €2.55 million and this time he was included in the team roster for the upcoming 2009–10 season. After serving mainly as a reserve midfielder in the first few games, he later started to be employed as the regular right back by Milan head coach, Leonardo. He made 36 appearances in his first season back at Milan. Due to his good performances, on 11 February 2010 he was offered and signed an extension to his contract until 2014.

New coach Allegri kept him in the same position for the 2010–11 season. His dribbling skills and speed in the right wing allowed him to outrun opponent defenders, his crossing into the center also resulted in goals regularly. His solid defensive play also lent a hand in winning Milan their 18th Scudetto and the Super Coppa Italiana. He made 37 appearances in total in his second season back at Milan. The following season, Abate was again the starting right back at Milan, making 40 appearances in all competitions. In the 2013-14 season, Abate scored his first Milan goal in a 3-3 draw with Bologna on the 25 September 2013

In the 2014-15 season, Abate captained Milan for the first time in his career, the first time in a 2-0 loss to Palermo on the 2 November 2014. Abate made his 200th Milan appearance on the 9 May 2015, in a 2-1 win over AS Roma. On 11 June 2015, Milan announced Abate had signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2019.

Abate plays as a regularly starting right-back in the 2015-16 season. One notable moment for him occurred on 22 February 2016, when he made an excellent sliding tackle on Lorenzo Insigne on the right wing, preventing him from scoring a second goal in a 1-1 away draw against Napoli.

Abate (left) in action for Italy against England in the quarter-final of UEFA Euro 2012

After playing at various levels of youth international football for Italy, at under-19 and under-20 level, Abate made his debut with the Italian under-21 side in a friendly against Luxembourg, coming off the bench during the second half, on 12 December 2006.

With the Olympic national team coached by Casiraghi, he won the 2008 Toulon Tournament, in which he played four games and scored a goal against the United States. He also took part in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He then participated in the 2009 European U-21 Championship held in Sweden, making two appearances as Italy reached the semi-finals.

Abate made his senior international debut for Italy in November 2011, in a friendly match against Poland. Abate was a member of the Italian squad that reached the UEFA Euro 2012 final.

Abate also took part in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup for Italy, making three appearances in the group stage before suffering an injury which kept him out of the semi-finals, as Italy went on to win a bronze medal. Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Germany in November 2013, which ended in a 1–1 draw. He was part of Cesare Prandelli's 23-man Italy squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, making 1 appearance throughout the tournament, in Italy's 1–0 defeat against Costa Rica in their second group match, as Italy were eliminated in the group stage.

Abate warming up with A.C. Milan.

Abate and his wife Valentina have two sons, Matteo (born 19 November 2011) and Andrea (born 14 Match 2013). The couple got married on 18 June 2015.

Club

As of 21 January 2017.

International

As of 31 March 2015

International goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	15 November 2013	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy	Germany	1–1	1–1	Friendly

Club

Milan

• Serie A (1): 2010–11
• Supercoppa Italiana (2): 2011, 2016

International

Italy U-21

Toulon Tournament: 2008

Italy

• UEFA European Championship: Runner-up 2012

• ^ "I. Abate - SW Profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 August 2015. 
• "Italy Under-21s Champions Of Toulon". Goal.com. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2016.