Piermario Morosini

Piermario Morosini

Morosini playing for Livorno
Personal information
Date of birth	5 July 1986(1986-07-05)
Place of birth	Bergamo, Italy
Date of death	14 April 2012(2012-04-14) (aged 25)
Place of death	Pescara, Italy
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
	Atalanta
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2007	Udinese	5	(0)
2006–2007	→ Bologna (loan)	16	(0)
2007–2009	Vicenza	66	(1)
2009–2012	Udinese	0	(0)
2009–2010	→ Reggina (loan)	17	(0)
2010	→ Padova (loan)	14	(0)
2011	→ Vicenza (loan)	15	(0)
2012	→ Livorno (loan)	8	(0)
Total		141	(1)
National team
2001–2003	Italy U-17	16	(1)
2003–2004	Italy U-18	7	(0)
2004–2005	Italy U-19	12	(0)
2005–2007	Italy U-20	3	(0)
2006–2009	Italy U-21	18	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Piermario Morosini (5 July 1986 – 14 April 2012) was an Italian footballer who last played as a midfielder for Livorno, on loan from Udinese.

On 14 April 2012, during a match between Pescara and Livorno, Morosini suffered a cardiac arrest and died.

Biography

Early life

Piermario Morosini was born on 5 July 1986, in Bergamo, Italy. His mother Camilla died in 2001, when he was fifteen years old. His father, Aldo, died in 2003, followed shortly after by a disabled brother, leaving him alone with a handicapped elder sister.

Shortly after his parents' death, Morosini remarked that "these are the things that change your life, but at the same time make you so angry and help you achieve what was also a dream of my parents."

Senior career

Morosini scored twice during his career from 2001 until 2012, which were for Italy U-17 and for Vicenza.

Club career

Morosini started his career at hometown club Atalanta, and was sold to Udinese in a co-ownership deal during 2005.

On 23 October 2005 he debuts in Serie A in the match Udinese-Inter, collecting in total 5 appearances in this league. In this season 2005-06 he debuts also in Coppa UEFA in the match Levski Sofia-Udinese.

Udinese got full ownership from Atalanta in 2006, and loaned him to Bologna in order to gain experience. From 2007 to 2009 half of the registration rights was farmed to Serie B club Vicenza Calcio.

On 31 August 2009, Morosini signed for newly-relegated side Reggina on loan.

On 1 February 2010, he was loaned to Calcio Padova. In June 2010, the club decided not to buy him outright.

In January 2011 he was transferred on loan to Vicenza and played 15 times for this club.

On 31 January 2012 he went on loan to Livorno playing 8 matches.

International career

Morosini made his international debut for the U-17 team in September 2001, at only 15 years old. In September 2006, he made his U-21 debut and was called-up for the 2009 European Championships as back-up.

Death

On 14 April 2012, while representing Livorno, Morosini suffered a cardiac arrest and fell to the ground in the 31st minute of the Serie B match against Pescara. He unsuccessfully tried to get up before receiving medical attention on the field. A defibrillator was used on Morosini, who was conscious when he was taken on the stretcher. The News agency ANSA reported that a city police car was blocking the stadium's exit for the ambulance for nearly a minute, but a heart specialist said that the delay made no difference. After Morosini was taken to the hospital, the match was abandoned with Livorno leading 2–0, and some players reportedly "left the field in tears".

Morosini was rushed to the Santo Spirito hospital, but reports later indicated he died before reaching the hospital. Italian media reports were alerted of Morosini's death after an "explosion of shouts and tears" by his teammates who had gone to the hospital. All of the Italian football league matches for the weekend were suspended. Livorno then decided they would retire the number 25, the number he wore whilst a Livorno player.

Morosini died less than a month after Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest in an English FA Cup match, after which awareness of heart risk had been raised in Italian football. Morosini's sister who is disabled was left with no family and will now be financially supported by the Udinese captain, Antonio Di Natale.

External links

• Profile at Transfermarkt
• Profile at official website of A.S. Livorno Calcio
• Forza Italian Football site