Dani Osvaldo

1. Overview

Pablo Daniel "Dani" Osvaldo (Italian pronunciation: Pablo Daniel Osvaldo_{ˈdaːni oˈzvaldo}^Italian) is a former professional footballer who primarily played as a striker. Born in Argentina, he acquired Italian citizenship through ancestry and represented the Italy national team internationally. His club career spanned various prominent European clubs including Roma, Southampton, Juventus, Internazionale, and Porto, in addition to stints with Argentine clubs Huracán and Boca Juniors.

Osvaldo was known for his dynamic playing style, marked by physical strength, technique, and goal-scoring ability. However, his career was frequently punctuated by controversies stemming from disciplinary issues and conflicts with teammates and managers. He retired from professional football in 2016 to pursue a music career but made a brief return in 2020 before concluding his playing days later that year. In 2024, Osvaldo publicly shared his struggles with depression and addiction, highlighting the personal challenges he faced.

2. Early Life and Background

3. Club Career

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's professional club career was extensive, marked by numerous transfers across Italy, Spain, England, Portugal, and Argentina, often accompanied by significant goal-scoring periods and notable incidents.

3.3. Roma

On August 25, 2011, Osvaldo was transferred to Roma for an initial fee of 15.00 M EUR, plus additional bonuses tied to goals, appearances, and potential UEFA Champions League qualification. He returned to Italy after a year and a half. On September 22, 2011, he scored his first goal for Roma against Siena in a 1-1 home draw. On October 16, he opened the scoring in the Derby della Capitale against Lazio, though Roma ultimately lost 2-1. By November 5, he had scored his fifth goal against Novara.

On November 25, following a 0-2 defeat to Udinese, Osvaldo allegedly punched teammate Erik Lamela for not passing the ball to him, resulting in a fine and a suspension from the club. In February 2012, he was sent off for kicking midfielder Luca Cigarini during a match against his former club Atalanta, resulting in a two-match ban. On March 19, 2012, after a three-month goal drought, he scored in a 1-0 victory over Genoa. He also scored in a 2-1 loss against Milan and a week later in a 5-2 win over Novara, as well as the opening goal in a 3-1 victory over Udinese.

He began the 2012-13 Serie A season with a goal against Catania in a 2-2 draw. On September 2, 2012, he scored his second goal of the season against Internazionale at the San Siro, leading Roma to a 3-1 victory. He converted a penalty for his third league goal in a 4-1 defeat to Juventus. He scored a brace in a 4-2 win over Genoa and his sixth goal of the season in a 4-1 victory against Palermo on November 4. He also scored against his former club Fiorentina in a 4-2 win for Roma.

On April 28, 2013, Osvaldo scored his first hat-trick in Serie A in a convincing 4-0 home victory against Siena. He concluded the domestic season as Roma's leading scorer with 16 goals, surpassing teammate Erik Lamela's 15, as Roma finished sixth.

However, his time at Roma was also marked by controversy. In the 2013 Coppa Italia final against Lazio, which Roma lost 1-0, Osvaldo reportedly insulted caretaker manager Aurelio Andreazzoli for only giving him 15 minutes of playing time and refused to attend the awards ceremony. He then criticized Andreazzoli on Twitter.

3.4. Southampton and Loan Spells

Osvaldo signed for Southampton on August 18, 2013, on a four-year deal for a fee of 12.80 M GBP plus bonuses up to 2.00 M EUR. This move reunited him with manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had previously coached him at Espanyol. He debuted on August 24 in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, coming on as a substitute. His first goal for Southampton came in a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in September. He scored his second in early December during a 3-2 home loss to Aston Villa, and his third three days later in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, a goal described as an "exquisite lob."

On January 3, 2014, Osvaldo was fined 40.00 K GBP and banned for three matches by the FA for violent conduct during a touch-line fracas against Newcastle United on December 14. Three weeks later, Southampton suspended him for two weeks after an undisclosed training ground incident, which was later revealed to be a fight with teammate José Fonte, instigated by Osvaldo. Following his departure from Southampton, he admitted that he struggled to adapt to the highly physical nature of English football. Southampton officially terminated his contract on July 1, 2015.

3.4.1. Juventus (loan)

On January 31, 2014, Osvaldo returned to Italy, signing a free loan deal with Juventus for the remainder of the 2013-14 Serie A season. The agreement included an option for Juventus to purchase his rights for 19.00 M EUR by May 31, 2014. Manager Antonio Conte noted that Osvaldo willingly accepted a pay-cut to join the club. He debuted for Juventus on February 9, replacing Fernando Llorente in the 65th minute of a 2-2 draw against Hellas Verona. In the Europa League Round of 32, Osvaldo scored in both legs as Juventus defeated Trabzonspor 4-0 on aggregate. On May 11, in the final away game against Roma, he scored the only goal of the match in the fourth minute of added time, securing a 1-0 victory. This was his sole goal in 11 league appearances during his loan spell, and Juventus did not exercise their buy option.

3.4.2. Internazionale (loan)

On August 4, 2014, Osvaldo returned to Italy again, signing a free loan deal with Internazionale for the 2014-15 Serie A season, as part of a swap deal that saw Saphir Taïder move to Southampton. He scored his first goal for Inter on August 28, the third in a 6-0 win over Icelandic club Stjarnan, which secured Inter's qualification for the Europa League group stages. Three days later, he made his Serie A debut for the club as a substitute in a goalless draw against Torino. On September 14, in his second league match, he scored twice as Inter defeated Sassuolo 7-0 at the San Siro. He scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on November 27, ensuring Inter topped their Europa League group. On January 21, 2015, Inter suspended him for failing to attend training for two days without reason, following earlier reports of a falling out with strike partner Mauro Icardi.

3.4.3. Boca Juniors (loan)

On February 13, 2015, Osvaldo returned to Argentina, joining Boca Juniors on loan until the end of June. He expressed that playing for Boca Juniors "was always a lifelong dream." He scored on his debut for the club against Montevideo Wanderers in a Copa Libertadores match on February 26. He added two more goals against Zamora on March 11, also in the Copa Libertadores.

4. International Career

Osvaldo qualified for Italian citizenship through his great-grandfather, who was born in Filottrano, Marche, and later emigrated to Argentina in the 19th century.

He initially represented the Italy U21 national team, making his debut against Azerbaijan on November 16, 2007. He was part of the squad that won the 2008 Toulon Tournament, where he was named Man of the Match and scored the only goal in the 1-0 victory over Chile in the final.

On October 5, 2011, due to injuries to regular strikers Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini, Osvaldo received his first call-up to the Italy senior national team for UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Serbia and Northern Ireland. Addressing criticism from Lega Nord politicians regarding his decision to play for Italy, Osvaldo stated that he found the criticism "ridiculous," emphasizing his Italian wife, children, and family, his career in Serie A, and his previous experience singing the national anthem for the U21 team. He added that he would have no issue facing Argentina in the future, as it would mean he was part of the Italian national team. He made his senior debut on October 11, 2011, in a 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland. He was not selected for the UEFA Euro 2012 squad.

National team manager Cesare Prandelli dropped him from the squad after reports surfaced of Osvaldo shouting at his Roma coach, Aurelio Andreazzoli, during Roma's 1-0 defeat to Lazio in the 2013 Coppa Italia final. Osvaldo also skipped the awards ceremony and publicly criticized Andreazzoli on Twitter.

He was later recalled by Prandelli for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Malta. On September 7, 2012, he netted his first two international goals for the Azzurri within four minutes against Bulgaria, bringing Italy into the lead after falling behind early in the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw. He scored two more goals in the qualification campaign: one against Armenia on October 12, 2012, and another against Denmark on October 11, 2013. In the home qualifier against Denmark on October 16, 2012, at the San Siro, Osvaldo received a straight red card early in the second half for an elbow on Nicolai Stokholm.

Despite his contributions to the qualification campaign, Osvaldo was not selected by Prandelli for the squad that competed in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, nor for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

5. Style of Play

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo was known as a "modern," quick, tenacious, and physically strong striker, possessing good technique and dribbling skills. His intelligent movement, positional sense, and ability to make attacking runs allowed him to play anywhere along the front line, including as a centre-forward, second striker, or winger.

He was primarily recognized for his accuracy in heading, his acrobatic abilities in the air, and his powerful and accurate striking ability with both feet, whether inside or outside the penalty area. Beyond his goal-scoring prowess, Osvaldo was also capable of using his strength and control to link up with other forwards and hold up the ball with his back to goal, laying it off for teammates and providing assists. His former coach Zdeněk Zeman once described him as "a force of nature."

Despite his talents, Osvaldo frequently drew criticism throughout his career for his inconsistency, aggressive character, and lack of discipline. These behavioral issues often led to confrontations with managers, opponents, teammates, and match officials, impacting his public image and career trajectory.

6. Controversies

Throughout his career, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo was frequently involved in various controversial incidents, which often led to disciplinary actions and negatively impacted his relationships with clubs and national team management.

One notable incident occurred on November 25, 2011, during his time at Roma, when he was accused of punching teammate Erik Lamela in the face after not receiving a pass during a 0-2 defeat to Udinese. This led to a fine and suspension from the club. In February 2012, he was sent off for kicking midfielder Luca Cigarini during a match against his former club Atalanta, resulting in a two-match ban.

In the 2012-13 season, on February 10, 2013, during a match against Sampdoria, Osvaldo controversially took a penalty kick instead of the designated taker, Francesco Totti, and missed. Following the match, he was reportedly involved in an altercation with fans at the airport. His most significant controversy at Roma came after the 2013 Coppa Italia final loss to Lazio. He reportedly insulted caretaker manager Aurelio Andreazzoli for his limited playing time, refused to attend the awards ceremony, and then publicly criticized Andreazzoli on Twitter. This conduct led Italy national team manager Cesare Prandelli to drop him from the squad selected for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

After moving to Southampton, Osvaldo continued to be involved in disciplinary issues. On January 3, 2014, he was fined 40.00 K GBP and banned for three matches by the FA for violent conduct during a touch-line fracas in a match against Newcastle United in December 2013. Three weeks later, Southampton suspended him for two weeks following a training ground incident where he was found to have instigated a fight with teammate José Fonte, resulting in Fonte sustaining an injury.

During his loan spell at Internazionale in January 2015, Osvaldo was suspended by the club for missing training for two days without providing a reason. This incident followed an earlier public spat with strike partner Mauro Icardi during a match, further alienating him from the squad.

His final major club controversy occurred in May 2016 during his second stint at Boca Juniors. He was reportedly caught smoking in the dressing room, leading to an argument with coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto, which resulted in the termination of his contract. These repeated disciplinary problems and conflicts marked a significant aspect of his professional career.

7. Personal Life

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's personal life has attracted public attention, particularly concerning his relationships and his candid revelations about mental health.

He met Argentine actress Jimena Barón via telephone, reportedly at the suggestion of actress Eugenia Tobal. At the time, Osvaldo was playing in Italy. He returned to Argentina to meet Barón under the guise of a legal issue. Subsequently, Barón left her acting role in Sos mi hombre and moved to Italy with Osvaldo, leading to his separation from his then-wife, Elena Braccini, and their two daughters. Osvaldo and Barón had a son together. Both returned to Argentina when he signed for Boca Juniors. Their relationship ended in 2015 under controversial circumstances.

Beyond football, Osvaldo has a strong passion for music, particularly rock and roll. He has cited "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones as his favorite song and is known for his interest in playing the guitar. His favorite rock bands include The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Doors, AC/DC, and Guns N' Roses. His post-retirement venture into a music career as a rock band vocalist underscored this deep interest.

In March 2024, Osvaldo openly disclosed his struggles with depression, which had led to addictions to alcohol and drugs. He publicly shared his journey of undergoing treatment for these mental health and addiction issues, highlighting a personal side previously not widely known.

8. Honours

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo achieved several team titles and individual accolades throughout his professional football career.

Atalanta

• Serie B: 2005-06

Roma

• Coppa Italia runner-up: 2012-13

Juventus

• Serie A: 2013-14

Boca Juniors

• Argentine Primera División: 2015
• Copa Argentina: 2014-15
• Supercopa Argentina runner-up: 2015

Italy U21

• Toulon Tournament: 2008

9. Career Statistics