Mauro Emanuel Icardi Rivero (Part 1)

6Xe2...giRQ

20 Mar 2024

Mauro Emanuel Icardi Rivero (Part 1)

Mauro Emanuel Icardi Rivero, born on February 19, 1993, is an Argentine professional footballer renowned for his role as a striker. He currently plies his trade for Süper Lig club Galatasaray.Icardi's footballing journey began in the youth teams of Vecindario, and he later transitioned through La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth system, before embarking on his professional career with Serie A club Sampdoria in 2012. His stellar performances quickly garnered attention, leading to a move to Inter Milan in July 2013.

During his time at Inter, Icardi established himself as one of Europe's most prolific strikers, winning the Capocannoniere award in both the 2014–15 and 2017–18 seasons. His leadership qualities were also evident as he was appointed the club captain at the young age of 22 in 2015. Furthermore, Icardi played a crucial role in Inter's return to the UEFA Champions League after a six-year absence and cemented his place among the club's top goalscorers of all time.
In 2019, Icardi embarked on a new chapter in his career by joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on an initial one-year loan deal. His stint with PSG proved fruitful as he contributed to a domestic treble. Following his successful loan spell, PSG secured his services permanently for €50 million.

However, Icardi later found himself on loan to Galatasaray, where he played a pivotal role in securing the Süper Lig title for the club. His impressive performance led to a permanent transfer to Galatasaray in 2023 for a fee of €10 million.On the international stage, Icardi made his senior debut for Argentina in October 2013. Despite sporadic appearances, he showcased his talent, earning eight caps and scoring one goal for his country until 2018.
On August 25, 2013, Mauro Icardi made his official debut for Inter Milan in a 2–0 home victory against Genoa. He showcased his potential by hitting the crossbar late in the game. His first Serie A goal for Inter came on September 14, 2013, in a 1–1 home draw against Juventus, just minutes after coming on as a substitute.

However, injuries hindered Icardi's progress in the first part of the season, limiting his appearances. Despite this setback, he made a significant impact upon his return to the field. On February 14, 2014, he scored the winner against Fiorentina after a four-month absence. He continued to impress, scoring braces against Bologna and Sampdoria, the latter being particularly memorable as he silenced his former club's fans with a goal celebration.
In May 2014, Icardi played a pivotal role in securing Inter's place in the Europa League play-offs, scoring in Javier Zanetti's farewell match. He ended his first season with Inter with 9 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions.

In the subsequent season, Icardi continued to shine for Inter. He scored his first European goal in a Europa League qualifier against Stjarnan and followed it up with a hat-trick against Sassuolo in Serie A. Despite a brief injury setback, he maintained his goal-scoring form, notably scoring decisive goals against Cesena and Sampdoria.
Throughout the season, Icardi showcased his clinical finishing and ability to influence matches. He scored crucial goals against teams like Hellas Verona, Juventus, and Genoa. Despite facing criticism and conflicts with teammates, he remained focused on delivering on the field. He finished the season as Serie A's joint-top scorer with 22 goals, alongside Verona's Luca Toni.

Despite Inter's failure to secure European qualification, Icardi's performances attracted interest from other clubs. However, he chose to renew his contract with Inter, signifying his commitment to the club's future.
Before the start of the 2015–16 season, Mauro Icardi was appointed as the new captain of Inter Milan, succeeding Andrea Ranocchia. However, his debut as captain was marred by a thigh injury that forced him off the field after just 15 minutes in a league match against Atalanta. Despite this setback, he returned to action shortly after and opened his scoring account for the season in a match against Chievo Verona.

Throughout the season, Icardi showcased his goal-scoring prowess, finding the back of the net in crucial matches for Inter. He scored in his 100th Serie A appearance against Frosinone and netted his 50th goal for Inter in all competitions in a match against Chievo. Despite reports of interest from other clubs, including Manchester United, Inter rejected bids for Icardi, highlighting his importance to the team.
In the following season, Icardi continued his impressive form, scoring goals consistently for Inter. He signed a contract extension with the club, expressing his commitment to winning trophies with Inter. His performances on the field earned him praise and recognition, with The Guardian naming him among the world's best players.

During the 2016–17 season, Icardi continued to lead the line for Inter, surpassing the 15-goal mark for the third consecutive season. He scored a hat-trick against Atalanta, bringing his total tally for the season to 20 league goals, a new personal best. Despite Inter's struggles in the Europa League, Icardi's goal-scoring exploits remained a bright spot for the team.
Throughout these seasons, Icardi's leadership and goal-scoring ability cemented his status as one of Serie A's top strikers, earning him admiration from fans and recognition as one of the league's most prolific goal-scorers.

During the 2018–2019 season, Mauro Icardi continued to showcase his goal-scoring prowess for Inter Milan. He started the season strongly, scoring a brace in the opening match against Fiorentina and repeating the feat a week later against Roma. His early-season performances established him as one of Serie A's top strikers, and he continued to find the back of the net consistently throughout the campaign.
One of the standout moments of the season came in October when Icardi scored a hat-trick against cross-town rivals AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina, becoming the first player to achieve this feat since Diego Milito in 2012. He further displayed his scoring ability by netting four goals against his former club Sampdoria in March, which also marked his 100th goal in Serie A.

Icardi's prolific goal-scoring form played a significant role in Inter's success during the season. His goals helped Inter secure a place in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2012, with Icardi finishing as the joint top scorer in Serie A alongside Ciro Immobile, with 29 goals.
However, despite his on-field success, Icardi faced controversy off the pitch. His relationship with the club's management deteriorated, particularly after his wife and agent, Wanda Nara, made critical comments about Inter's management and players in the media. As a result, Icardi was stripped of the club captaincy in February 2019, leading to a public fallout and his refusal to play in a Europa League match.

Despite returning to action later in the season and continuing to contribute goals, Icardi's future at Inter became uncertain. In July 2019, he was left out of the club's pre-season tour, and the signing of Romelu Lukaku further signaled a change in the club's direction. Eventually, Icardi was assigned a new squad number, and it became evident that his time at Inter was coming to an end.