Mattia Destro

 ( Living People ) 

Destro had struggled with injury during his first season at Roma, and these problems continued into the 2013–14 season. He did not make his first appearance until 8 November 2013, when he came on as a substitute early in the second half against ACF Fiorentina. He made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal in the 67th minute in a 2–1 victory. Destro then started playing regularly, showing the goalscoring form from earlier in his career. As the season progressed, he scored twice in a 3–0 win over Sampdoria in February and a hat-trick in a 3–1 win over Cagliari Calcio in April 2014. Controversy followed the Cagliari game, during which Destro had punched defender Davide Astori but was not punished at the time by the referee. However, the league authorities later imposed a three-match ban on Destro (which became four matches for accumulated yellow cards). Despite this, Destro scored 13 league goals for Roma, finishing the season as the club's top scorer and helping his side to a second-place finish in Serie A, behind Juventus FC. He was ranked as one of the best strikers in Serie A. Only Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi had a better goal-per-minute ratio than Destro across Europe's top five leagues.

Destro was the subject of intense transfer speculation during the summer of 2014, being heavily linked by the media with moves to Chelsea and Real Madrid. VFL Wolfsburg offered €30 million, which was rejected by Roma choosing to keep him. He scored his first goal of the 2014–15 Serie A season on 20 September as Roma won 2–0 against Cagliari. He scored his second of the season in the 2–0 victory over Hellas Verona, a 40-yard half volley to seal the victory after Alessandro Florenzi's earlier strike.

Destro made his debut for the Italy under-16 team in the international Val-de-Marne tournament. He was the member of under-17 team in 2008 Euro qualification along with then-Inter teammates Davide Santon, Luca Caldirola, and Michele Rigione,) scoring one goal in two appearances. Destro started all three matches of the elite qualification and scored one goal. He was also called up to the 2008 Minsk under-17 International Tournament where he scored a goal in a 1–1 draw with Moldova and a goal in the 3–0 win against Belarus. Eventually the Azzurrini lost 0–1 to Russia (line-up unavailable) and finished third after winning 1–0 against Belgium. (line-up unavailable).

On 17 December 2008, Destro scored a goal in his under-19 debut, a 3–1 win against Romania. Destro scored the only goal in the following match in March 2009, a 1–0 defeat of Norway. He also capped once for the Italian under-18 team in January 2009, scoring a goal in the 3–0 win over Denmark. Due to the early exit of Italy under-19 team in the 2009 season, the Italy under-18 team (players born 1991) was de facto the same team as under-19 (also with players born in 1991). Destro was a regular member of the under-18/19 team, receiving a call-up against Ukraine, but did not play and missed a friendly tournament in Slovakia due to injury. He then scored a goal in the 4–1 friendly win against Denmark in September 2009, and five goals in three appearances in the qualification in November. Teammates Luca Caldirola and Luca Tremolada were also in the starting line-up. Destro then scored a hat-trick against Turkey in January 2010, the opening goal against Germany in March and three goals in two appearances at the elite round in May 2010. Only in the friendly match against Switzerland in April 2010 did Destro not score.

He played all three matches of 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship for Italy's U19 team. The team failed to score any goal and finished at the bottom of Group B (equal 7th).

When striker Alberto Paloschi was about to miss the final qualification match of 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification due to injury, Destro received his first under-21 call-up and substituted Stefano Okaka in the 80th minute. That Azzurrini won against Wales 1–0 and went on ahead of Wales as the group champions by winning the head-to-head record. On 8 October 2010, he started the play-off match and partnered with Okaka up front in a 4–4–2 formation, scoring the opening goal by converting a Diego Fabbrini pass with a left-foot shot. He was substituted by Luca Marrone in the 53rd minute as the coach changed to a 4–3–3 formation. The Azzurrini eventually defeated Belarus 2–0. However, after losing winger Ezequiel Schelotto and fullback Lorenzo De Silvestri, Italy lost 0–3 to Belarus in Barysaw. Destro was substituted by winger Guido Marilungo at half-time. He scored against Turkey in a 1–0 win for the under-21 Championship qualifier.

On 15 August 2012, he made his debut with the Italy national team, starting in a 1–2 friendly loss to England at Wembley Stadium. He was substituted off for fellow debutant Diego Fabbrini in the 84th minute. In Destro's third appearance, on 11 September, he scored his first international goal in the first five minutes of Italy's 2–0 win against Malta at the Stadio Alberto Braglia in Modena, in Italy's second 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

Destro was named in the provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 World Cup, but was one of seven players cut from the final squad.

In September 2020 he tested positive for COVID-19.

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Destro goal.

• Torneo di Viareggio: 2008
• Campionato Nazionale Allievi: 2008
• Campionato Nazionale Giovanissimi: 2006

Roma

• Coppa Italia runner-up: 2012–13

Individual

• Torneo di Viareggio Best Youngster Award: 2008
• Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2012–13

• Italian Footballers Association profile
• FIGC National Team data