Davide Moscardelli

Davide Moscardelli (born 3 February 1980) is a Belgian-born Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

A dynamic forward, Moscardelli possesses good technical ability and strength.

He is famous for his acrobatic goals, as well as his iconic beard.

Moscardelli was born in Mons, Belgium, on 3 February 1980, as his father, along with his family, was working in Belgium for the Italian Air Force.

Moscardelli then moved to Rome, Italy, his parents' city of origin, where he took his first steps as a footballer.

Starting from the Promozione—the seventh tier in Italian football—in 1997, Moscardelli climbed the Italian football league system and reached the Serie C2, the fourth tier, in 2002.

Moscardelli started his career with an Italian amateur club from Maccarese, Fiumicino, Lazio, which played in Promozione Lazio (1997–2000, seventh level) and Eccellenza Lazio (2000–01, sixth level).

He scored 20 league goals in 27 league games with his new team Guidonia Montecelio in 2001–02 Eccellenza Lazio season.

However, he also caused the team to be deducted 10 points, after he was made to play despite being disqualified.

The team still got promoted despite the heavy penalty, as the club defeated Umbrian side Deruta in the Eccellenza national promotion play-offs, as one of the 7 winners.

His efficiency attracted the interest of Serie A side Chievo who offered him a professional contract, but farmed him to Serie C2 side Sangiovannese in a co-ownership deal.

With the Tuscany based team, he scored an average of 0.5 goals per league games.

Between 2003–04 and 2009–10, Moscardelli played seven consecutive seasons in the Serie B, for Triestina, Rimini, Cesena, and Piacenza.

In June 2003, Sangiovannese bought him outright, but sold him to Serie B side Triestina in a co-ownership deal for €250,000 fee, on a 4-year contract.

With the Venezia Giulia based team, he partnered with Denis Godeas and they scored 26 goals in total, exceed half of the team scored.

Moscardelli himself netted 16 times in 42 Serie B games.

In June 2004 Triestina acquired the remaining 50% registration rights of Moscardelli, for an additional €500,000 fee.

In the next season he played less regularly (36 games) and scored 7 Serie B goals, while his partner Godeas scored 14 times and substitute Alessandro Tulli scored 5 times.

Triestina finished just above the relegation zone and enter the play-off for relegation tie-breaker and the team won 4–0 to Vicenza in aggregate.

Moscardelli substituted Tulli in the second half of the first leg of the play-off and he did not play the second leg.

At the start of 2005–06 season, Eder Baù partnered with Godeas in 2005–06 Coppa Italia first match, and Moscardelli replaced Dino Baggio in the second half, that match the Trieste based team lost 0–3 to Padova.

He was sold near the start of Serie B first round, co-currently the team signed Isah Eliakwu from Inter Milan.

Moscardelli joined Serie B newcomer Rimini on 27 August 2005.

In his first season with Rimini, he rotated with Simone Motta and Sergio Floccari for the 2 strikers place until January Floccari departed.

He scored in his club debut on 10 September, that match he partnered with Motta and Moscardelli scored 1 goals; after Moscardelli was substituted by Floccari, Motta scored 2 more goals in 85 and 95 minutes and made Rimini won 4–2 against Catanzaro.

He scored 6 goals in 31 games.

At the start of 2007–08 Serie B season, he played twice for Rimini at 2007–08 Coppa Italia, scored 1 goal.

He played both matches as second-half substitutes.

However, in August 2007 he was sold to fellow Serie B team Cesena (and regional rival, both in Romagna) in another co-ownership deal, for €650,000 in 4-year contract.

At Cesena, Moscardelli played 40 Serie B matches as starter.

He partnered with Andrea Ferretti, Milan Đurić and Daniele Paponi (since January) and scored 15 goals, but Cesena finished bottom and relegated, with the fewest goal scored.

In June 2008, Rimini bought him back for €550,000 and re-sold to Piacenza in another co-ownership deal (also another Emilia–Romagna team) for an undisclosed fee.

He signed a 3-year contract and to replace the void of Daniele Cacia.

With the Emilia side, Moscardelli secured a place in the forward role, and partnered with Emanuele Ferraro, Mattia Graffiedi, Tomás Guzmán and/or Jonathan Aspas in 3 strikers role, which Moscardelli mainly as centre forward and other mainly as wing forward/supporting strikers.

In 2010–11 Moscardelli debuted in the Serie A with Chievo, with whom he stayed three seasons, before playing for fellow top-tier side Bologna for two seasons, his last in the Italian top division.

In the next season, Rimini signed keeper Samir Handanovič, strikers Jeda and Alessandro Matri (which later all became regular in Serie A), the team made a breakthrough, finished as the 5th, while Moscardelli and Matri mainly as backup, made 11 and 10 start respectively.

Despite only making 11 starts, he scored 9 goals and Matri 4.

Between 2014 and 2019, Moscardelli spent his career in the Italian third division, before playing his last season, 2019–20, with Pisa in Serie B.

Moscardelli scored 77 goals in eight Serie B seasons, and 61 goals in six Lega Pro/Serie C seasons.

He played over 700 games in all competitions, scoring over 200 goals.