Paolo Cannavaro

Most recently head coach of Serie C side Pro Vercelli, Paolo Cannavaro has carried a lifetime of football knowledge from the pitch to the technical area. Born in Naples on 26 June 1981, he is the younger brother of World Cup-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro, and his post-playing career has included spells as his brother’s assistant at Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese Super League (2017–2021), Benevento in Serie B (2022–2023), and Udinese at the close of the 2023–24 season before stepping into the Pro Vercelli hot seat himself.

His playing story began at 17, when he debuted for his hometown club Napoli in Serie B during the 1998–99 season. A move to Parma followed in 1999, where he shared a dressing room with Fabio and came on as a substitute for his brother in a 4–1 win over Lecce. A loan at Verona in 2001–02 brought 25 appearances and his first professional goal, and by 2004–05 he was a fixture in Parma’s run to the UEFA Cup semi-finals.

In 2006 he returned to a Napoli side in crisis, and became captain of one of the great Italian revivals. He led the club to promotion to Serie A in his first season back, UEFA Cup qualification in 2008, a Champions League spot in 2011, and the 2012 Coppa Italia — the club’s first trophy in over 20 years. After eight seasons and more than 300 appearances for the Partenopei, he closed his playing career at Sassuolo between 2014 and his retirement in 2017.

Capped 18 times by Italy’s under-21 side and called up once to the senior national team in 2007, Cannavaro remains a respected voice on Neapolitan football and the city’s cultural resurgence, with football running in the family: his son Manuel and nephew Christian are both professional players.