Edinson Cavani (Part 1)

GdLU...6zz5

27 Mar 2024

Edinson Cavani (Part 1)

Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez, born on February 14, 1987, is a Uruguayan professional footballer renowned as a striker. He currently plies his trade for Boca Juniors in the Argentine Primera División.Cavani initiated his career with Danubio in Montevideo, spending two years before securing a move to Palermo in Italy in 2007. His next destination was Napoli in 2010, where he played a pivotal role in their Coppa Italia triumph in 2012 while emerging as a dominant force in Serie A. Following his impressive spell, Cavani made a high-profile switch to Paris Saint-Germain in France in 2013, commanding a reported fee of 64 million, marking the then-record for the most expensive signing in French football history. With PSG, he clinched numerous Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups, cementing his status as one of the club's top scorers. In 2020, he joined Manchester United, contributing significantly with 17 goals in his debut season, including a crucial strike in the UEFA Europa League final. He later moved to Valencia in 2022.

On the international stage, Cavani made a memorable debut for Uruguay against Colombia in 2008 and has since accumulated 136 caps and scored 58 goals, ranking second only to strike partner Luis Suárez among Uruguayan internationals. He has represented his country in four FIFA World Cups, five Copa América tournaments, and one FIFA Confederations Cup. Notably, he played a vital role in Uruguay's fourth-place finish in the 2010 World Cup and was part of the squad that secured the Copa América title in 2011.
Throughout his career, Cavani has received numerous accolades, including selections in the Serie A Team of the Year and the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year multiple times. He has also claimed individual honors such as Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the 2016–17 season and was the league's top scorer in the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. In 2018, he was honored with the Golden Foot award for his remarkable contributions to football.

After his impressive performance at the 2007 South American Youth Championship, several top teams showed interest in signing Cavani, including Juventus and Milan. However, on 29 January 2007, Palermo chairman Maurizio Zamparini announced the signing of the promising Uruguayan. The deal was officially confirmed on 31 January for €4.475 million. Cavani made his debut on 11 March 2007 in a home league match against Fiorentina. He came on in the 55th minute with his team trailing 1–0 and scored an impressive equalizer only 15 minutes later, a goal reminiscent of Marco van Basten's strike in the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final.

In his second season with Palermo, Cavani had to compete for a spot in the starting lineup with Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri. Following Amauri's departure to Juventus in June 2008, Cavani solidified his place in the team, forming a striking partnership with Miccoli and scoring a total of 14 goals in the 2008–09 season. His composed finishing earned him the nickname "El Matador." He retained his place in the starting lineup for the 2009–10 season under new manager Walter Zenga and later under successor Delio Rossi. Cavani played a crucial role in Palermo's successful Serie A campaign, which saw them qualify for European competitions and come close to qualifying for the UEFA Champions League with two games remaining. In April 2010, he signed a contract extension with Palermo, keeping him at the club until June 2014.

Cavani made a move to Napoli. The transfer was structured as a loan deal worth €5 million with an option/obligation to buy outright for €12 million, making the total fee €17 million. Cavani made an immediate impact, scoring twice in his first start for Napoli against Elfsborg in the UEFA Europa League, helping the team qualify for the main tournament. He continued his scoring form in Serie A, netting a controversial goal against Fiorentina in his league debut, with replays showing the ball landing on the line.
Cavani scored in his first four competitive matches for Napoli, including on his home debut against Bari and a late winner against Sampdoria. In a game against Cesena on 26 September, he came on as a substitute with Napoli trailing 1–0. Cavani assisted the equalizing goal and went on to score two more, with Napoli winning 4–1. This performance put him joint-top scorer in the league alongside Samuel Eto'o of Internazionale.

Forming a formidable attacking trio with Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamšík, Cavani earned the nickname "The Three Tenors" from the Italian media. He continued his scoring spree with crucial goals, including a late winner against Steaua București in the Europa League and a hat-trick against Juventus in a 3–0 victory.
Cavani's impressive form continued throughout the season, with notable performances such as another hat-trick against Sampdoria and braces against Roma and Cagliari. He set a new record for the most league goals scored in a single season for Napoli, netting 25 goals in Serie A. However, his season ended prematurely after receiving a red card and subsequent two-match ban for sarcastically applauding the referee in a match against Lecce.
Despite the disciplinary setback, Cavani signed a new five-year contract with Napoli in May 2011, extending his stay at the club until 2016.

Cavani kicked off Napoli's Champions League campaign with a goal, scoring the opener in their 1–1 away draw against Manchester City. Just four days later, on 18 September, he showcased his scoring prowess by netting a hat-trick against Milan in Napoli's impressive 3–1 home victory.
Continuing his stellar form in Europe, Cavani scored both goals in Napoli's crucial 2–1 home win against Manchester City on 22 November, putting Napoli in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage of the Champions League. He further displayed his knack for late heroics by scoring a 94th-minute equalizer against Atalanta on 26 November.

Cavani's goal-scoring exploits continued in Serie A as well. On 21 December, he bagged a brace in Napoli's resounding 6–1 win over Genoa, helping the team finish the first half of the season on a high note and secure sixth place in the league standings.
In February 2012, Cavani once again came to Napoli's rescue with a brace against Fiorentina, propelling Napoli into fifth place ahead of Internazionale. He then played a pivotal role in Napoli's Champions League campaign, scoring a goal and providing two assists in their 3–1 victory over Chelsea in the round of 16 first leg.

Despite Napoli's eventual exit from the Champions League, Cavani remained instrumental in their quest for success. He scored crucial goals against Udinese and Siena, helping Napoli secure a draw in the league and advance to the Coppa Italia final, respectively.
Cavani celebrated his 200th career league appearance with a goal in Napoli's 2–0 win against Novara on 21 April. He concluded the Serie A season with an impressive tally of 23 goals, tying for third place in the league's scoring charts with Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale.
Cavani's standout performance in the Coppa Italia final on 20 May, where he scored a penalty against Juventus to help Napoli clinch a 2–0 victory, earned him the distinction of finishing as the tournament's top goalscorer with five goals.