Nicola Legrottaglie

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Nicola Legrottaglie (born 20 October 1976 in Gioia del Colle, Italy) is a former Italian footballer who played as a centre back. Over a 20-year career, he appeared for several top clubs in Italy, including Chievo, Juventus, Bologna, Siena, AC Milan and Catania. He also had early spells with Bari, Pistoiese, Prato, Reggiana and Modena. In total, he played 386 senior games and scored 27 goals, with 259 of those in Serie A (22 goals). He won a national league title in 2011 with Juventus.

Legrottaglie earned 16 caps for Italy and scored one goal. He represented the national team from 2002 to 2010 and played at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

After retiring in 2014, Legrottaglie moved into coaching and football management. He began with Bari’s under-17 team, then coached Akragas. He later served as an assistant at Cagliari, then managed Pescara’s under-19s and became head coach there. In 2023, he was named head of performance at Sampdoria.

Known for his strong aerial play, reliability in defense and leadership, Legrottaglie was a versatile defender who could read the game well and contribute to build‑up play. He also sparked controversy in 2009 with comments about homosexuality in his autobiography. He is associated with the Italian Evangelical Alliance and has spoken publicly about his faith and personal beliefs.