Former Italy striker Ciro Immobile has announced his retirement from professional football at age 36 after scoring 320 career goals, transitioning immediately into a role as head delegation manager for the Italy Under-16 national team, according to a recent interview reported by Corriere della Sera.
From Torre Annunziata to European Champion
Immobile’s journey in football began at age ten in Torre Annunziata, kicking footballs in the countryside under a hazelnut tree while wearing an Atalanta jersey gifted by an uncle. As documented across sports reports, his professional club career spanned spells with Juventus, Pescara, Genoa, Torino, and Bologna before he established himself as a club legend at Lazio. Abroad, he played in Germany, Spain, Turkey, and France, securing a winners’ medal at UEFA Euro 2021 with the Italy national team under manager Roberto Mancini. Along the way, he turned down lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and tore up a proposed €40 million contract with a Chinese club before officially hanging up his boots.
Evaluating the Physical Reality of Retirement
Reflecting on his decision to stop playing last summer, Immobile explained to Corriere della Sera that elite athletes must recognize when their bodies can no longer match their ambitions. When you have a Rolls Royce and you realize it no longer runs as fast as before, you have to surrender,
Immobile stated, adding that he wanted to step away before leaving a diminished impression on the pitch.
Complementing those details, Il Pescara noted that Immobile finished his professional career with 306 goals in 601 total club appearances, alongside winning multiple Capocannoniere titles as Serie A’s top scorer during his time with Torino and Lazio, plus a European Golden Shoe in the 2019-20 season.
Stepping Into the National Team Hierarchy
Tasked by FIGC president Giovanni Malagò with supporting the Under-16 squad coached by Giovanni Costantino, Immobile has embraced his new administrative and mentorship duties at Coverciano. Il Pescara reported that Malagò praised the appointment, stating that putting a veteran champion alongside developing youngsters provides an authentic example of professionalism, discipline, and respect for the Azzurri shirt.
Immobile expressed aspirations of eventually managing the senior Italy national team, setting a ten-year horizon for that coaching ambition.
Praising Simone Inzaghi and Addressing the Lazio Exit
Discussing his past managers, Immobile highlighted current Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi as the most influential figure of his career from a human standpoint, noting that their families maintained close personal relationships. By contrast, regarding his time at Borussia Dortmund under Jürgen Klopp, Immobile admitted he was too young and Klopp was at the end of his cycle, remarking that he owes his former German coach an apology.
Addressing his departure from Lazio, Immobile clarified to Corriere della Sera that he chose to walk away when he felt management was nudging him toward the exit, despite maintaining a strong father-son relationship with club president Claudio Lotito right up until his departure.
Immobile Praises Roberto Mancini for Unifying the National Team
In comments corroborated by FC Inter 1908 and Il Napolista, Immobile praised the leadership of Roberto Mancini, describing the national team manager’s approach as a unifying force that avoids overcomplicating tactical instructions in the locker room. He has the ability to create a group, he doesn’t arrive in the dressing room or in training to mess up your head,
Immobile said, emphasizing that current squad selections prioritize moral qualities alongside technical ability without accommodating prima donnas.
