1. Early Life and Background
Alessandro Bastoni was born on 13 April 1999, in Casalmaggiore, Lombardy, Italy. His early football career began in his hometown, playing for the local Rivarolo Mantovano youth side, where his father served as coach.
1.1. Youth Career
At the age of seven, Bastoni joined the youth academy of Serie A club Atalanta. He progressed through various age groups at the Bergamo-based club, making nearly 30 appearances for the under-17 side before moving up to the Primavera (under-19) team, where he established himself as a regular starter in the central defense. During his youth, Bastoni also spent time at the Cannatese youth club.
In his childhood, Bastoni resided in Piadena, a town in Cremona province with a population of only 3,000 people. He started playing football with neighborhood children at a church facility. He described himself as a rather quiet child, finding it challenging to join a football team and socialize with peers, so he initially played with school friends at the church. He also developed a fondness for basketball, through which he made many friends, including Amedeo Della Valle, who went on to play for Pallacanestro Brescia.
2. Club Career
Alessandro Bastoni's professional club career began at Atalanta, leading to a significant move to Inter Milan, where he has become a key player, with a loan spell at Parma in between.
2.1. Atalanta
Bastoni was first named on Atalanta's first-team bench on 30 October 2016, for a match against Genoa. He made his full senior debut a month later, on 30 November 2016, in a Coppa Italia game against Pescara, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 victory.
In Serie A, Bastoni remained an unused substitute for six games after the Genoa match until he made his league debut on 22 January 2017. He played the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria. Notably, in this match, Bastoni and his teammate Filippo Melegoni, both born in 1999, started simultaneously, marking a first for two 1999-born players in Europe's top five leagues.
2.2. Inter Milan
On 31 August 2017, Inter Milan announced the signing of Bastoni for 31.00 M EUR. On the same day, he was loaned back to Atalanta for the next two seasons. However, Inter officially recalled him early from his loan on 14 July 2018, and simultaneously renewed his contract until 2023.
Bastoni made his official debut for Inter Milan on 28 September 2019, starting in a match against Sampdoria. Despite the presence of experienced defenders such as Milan Škriniar, Diego Godín, and Stefan de Vrij, Bastoni earned the trust of coach Antonio Conte and became the fourth-choice center-back in the team's three-man defense. Towards the end of the 2019-20 season, he displaced Diego Godín and established himself as a regular starter. He concluded the season with 25 league appearances, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
In the 2020-21 season, Bastoni played as the left-sided center-back in Inter's three-man defense alongside De Vrij and Škriniar. He made 33 league appearances and contributed three assists, playing a crucial role in Inter's Serie A title win. For his performances, he was named in the Serie A Team of the Year. The 2021-22 season saw him play 31 league matches, scoring one goal and registering three assists. On 5 July 2023, Bastoni extended his contract with Inter until the end of June 2028.
In the 2022-23 season, he appeared in 29 league matches, providing two assists. He also recorded three assists in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, contributing to Inter's run to the final, where they finished as runners-up. His strong performances earned him a place in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season.
During the 2023-24 season, Bastoni made 28 league appearances, scored one goal, and provided three assists. His goal in the 24th round against AS Roma, during a challenging run of matches, was particularly notable. He contributed to Inter's second Serie A title during his tenure, and for his consistent displays, he was named the Serie A Best Defender for the season.
Bastoni has collected numerous club honors with Inter, including two Serie A titles (2020-21, 2023-24), two Coppa Italia titles (2021-22, 2022-23), and three Supercoppa Italiana titles (2021, 2022, 2023). He was also a runner-up in the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League and the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
2.2.1. Loan to Parma
On 7 August 2018, Bastoni joined Parma on loan until 30 June 2019. He made his debut for Parma on 7 October 2018, in a league match against Genoa, which Parma won 3-1 away from home.
3. International Career
Alessandro Bastoni has represented Italy at various youth levels before making his mark on the senior national team, participating in major international tournaments.
3.1. Youth National Teams
Bastoni has been capped by Italy at every youth level from U-15 to U-19. He scored his first international goal for the U-16 team in a 4-0 win over Norway. In August 2016, he received his first call-up to the U-18 side by coach Paolo Nicolato, and in his second game, a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, he was made captain. On 9 August 2017, at the age of 18, he was called up to the U-19 team by Paolo Nicolato.
He made his debut with the Italy U-21 team on 11 October 2018, in a friendly match that ended in a 1-0 loss against Belgium. He quickly became a starter for the U-21 team and participated in the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship held on home soil, though Italy was eliminated in the group stage. He also played in the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, where Italy was eliminated in the group stage.
3.2. Senior National Team
Bastoni received his first call-up to the senior Italy squad from manager Roberto Mancini for the UEFA Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands in September 2020. He made his senior debut for Italy on 11 November 2020, starting in a 4-0 friendly win against Estonia in Florence.
In June 2021, Bastoni was included in Italy's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He made his sole appearance of the tournament in Italy's final group match on 20 June, starting in a 1-0 victory against Wales in Rome, which ensured Italy topped their group. On 11 July, Bastoni won the European Championship with Italy after a 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory over England at Wembley Stadium in the final, following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
On 14 June 2022, in Italy's fourth group match of the UEFA Nations League, Bastoni scored his first international goal in a 5-2 away loss to Germany. In June 2024, Bastoni was again included in Italy's final squad for UEFA Euro 2024 by manager Luciano Spalletti. In Italy's opening group match of the tournament against Albania on 15 June, he scored Italy's temporary equalizer in the 10th minute from a cross by Lorenzo Pellegrini, as Italy came from behind to win the match 2-1. Italy was eliminated from the tournament in the round of 16 following a 2-0 loss to Switzerland.
4. Style of Play
Alessandro Bastoni is a left-footed defender who began his career as a full-back but has increasingly been deployed as a centre-back, a role in which he has excelled. Standing at 75 in (190 cm) tall and weighing 165 lb (75 kg), he possesses significant physical presence.
He is primarily known for his exceptional passing ability and ball control. His height and ability to exploit spaces make him effective in the air, allowing him to be a goal threat from indirect set-pieces. Bastoni is praised for his calmness under pressure and well-timed tackles, which contribute to his overall defensive solidity. In 2020, he was recognized as one of "Fifty for the future: UEFA.com's ones to watch," and in 2024, he was included in 90min.com's list of "the 25 best centre-backs in world football."
Under Simone Inzaghi's management at Inter Milan, Bastoni became a starting left center-back in the team's 3-5-2 formation. He has formed a formidable partnership with left wing-back Federico Dimarco, a dynamic duo that has also been replicated in the national team. Despite his nominal role as a defender in a back-three, Bastoni frequently makes overlapping runs on the left side, linking up with Dimarco or other teammates in close proximity. He is capable of delivering bending crosses into the opposition's penalty area, which has led to him assisting many of his team's goals.
Bastoni also demonstrates strong technical skills with his feet, allowing for accurate feeds and clever dribbling in build-up play, which significantly impacts the team's attacking phases. He has shown rapid improvement in his one-on-one defending, particularly under Antonio Conte. He is adept at moving out of his nominal position to defend and often recovers the ball in the opposition half immediately after a turnover. While his physique may appear somewhat slender, he is not averse to aerial duels and performs well in them. Due to the high presence of other left-footed center-backs in the national team, such as Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Riccardo Calafiori, Bastoni has also played in the middle of a back-three or even as a right-sided center-back in a back-four. When operating in these roles, his ability to provide accurate long passes from the back often draws comparisons to Leonardo Bonucci.
5. Personal Life
Alessandro Bastoni's father, Nicola, was also a footballer, who played as a left-back for Cremonese.
Bastoni married Carolina on 14 June 2023. The couple has a daughter named Azzurra, born on 21 January 2022. The choice of Azzurra's middle name, Agnese, was a tribute to a close friend of Bastoni's, whom he had known since kindergarten and who passed away when he was 15 years old, during an Italy U-16 trip to Norway. He has stated that he often thinks of her before going to sleep and makes a gesture dedicated to her before stepping onto the pitch.
Bastoni wears the jersey number 95. He chose this number in honor of his older brother, who was born in 1995. He had promised his brother that his first jersey number would be based on his birth year.
On 7 October 2020, Bastoni tested positive for COVID-19 while with the Italy U-21 team. He was reported to be asymptomatic.
6. Honours
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2020-21, 2023-24
- Coppa Italia: 2021-22, 2022-23
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2021, 2022, 2023
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2022-23
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2019-20
Italy
- UEFA European Championship: 2020
- UEFA Nations League third place: 2020-21
Individual
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2022-23
- Serie A Player of the Month: March 2024
- Serie A Best Defender: 2023-24
Orders
- 5th Class / Knight: Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2021
7. Career Statistics
This section provides detailed statistical data for Alessandro Bastoni's professional career, covering his appearances and goals for both club and national teams.
7.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | Coppa Italia | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atalanta | 2016-17 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 4 | 0 | ||
| Atalanta (loan) | 2017-18 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | |||
| Parma (loan) | 2018-19 | Serie A | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 24 | 1 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2019-20 | Serie A | 25 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 33 | 2 | |
| 2020-21 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 41 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 | ||
| 2022-23 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2023-24 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 | ||
| 2024-25 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| Total | 171 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 237 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 202 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 270 | 6 | ||
7.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 33 | 2 | |
Italy score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bastoni goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 June 2022 | Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany | 15 | Germany | 2-5 | 2-5 | 2022-23 UEFA Nations League A |
| 2 | 15 June 2024 | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany | 24 | Albania | 1-1 | 2-1 | UEFA Euro 2024 |