Ignazio Abate

Ignazio Abate (born 12 November 1986) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a full-back and the current head coach of AC Milan's under-19 side.

On early stage deployed as a winger, he was also capable of playing as a wide midfielder or as a wing-back, and was even used as a centre-back on occasion; he was renowned for his stamina, quick sprints, and ability to make attacking runs down the right flank.

In his prime, he was considered one of the fastest players in the top leagues of European football.

Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining Milan's youth system in 1999 and making his professional debut for the club in December 2003.

Abate started playing football with amateur club Rescaldina, before joining AC Milan's youth system in 1999.

During the 2003–04 season, he made his professional debut, playing in a Coppa Italia game against Sampdoria on 3 December.

He also made his debut in European competitions, in a Champions League group-stage game versus Celta Vigo on 9 December.

In that match he set the record as the youngest Milan player to ever play in the UEFA Champions League, at 17 years and 27 days.

From 2004 to 2009, he spent five years on various loan spells with several Italian clubs, before going back to Milan.

For the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to Napoli in Serie C1, where he made 29 appearances and scored 2 goals.

In the summer of 2005 he had been set to spend the following season on loan at Serie A side Sampdoria.

However, prior to the actual start of the competitions, he was called back and loaned to Piacenza instead, though he only made 13 appearances in his first Serie B season.

The following one was more successful for the young winger, who made 38 appearances during his loan spell at Modena.

In the 2007–08 season Abate eventually made his Serie A debut, after being acquired by Empoli in a co-ownership deal, for €900,000.

Prior to starring for the senior team, he represented his country in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2009 European U-21 Championship.

That year, he also scored his first goal in Serie A, in a match against Genoa, on 27 April 2008.

Following Empoli's relegation, Milan fully purchased him for €2 million as well as Luca Antonini for €2.75M (and sold Nicola Pozzi and Lino Marzoratti for €4.75M total fee) only to send him to Torino in another co-ownership deal, for €2 million.

Despite an early injury, he had a good season, appearing in 25 games and scoring 1 goal.

On 24 June 2009, Milan reclaimed Abate for €2.55 million and this time he was included in the team squad for the upcoming 2009–10 season.

After serving mainly as a reserve midfielder in the first few games, he later started to be employed as the regular right back by Milan head coach, Leonardo.

He made 36 appearances in his first season back at Milan.

During the 2010–11 Serie A season, Abate contributed to Milan winning their 18th Scudetto as a first-choice in the right full-back position.

Due to his good performances, on 11 February 2010 he was offered and signed an extension to his contract until 2014.

New coach Allegri kept him in the same position for the 2010–11 season.

His dribbling skills and speed in the right wing allowed him to outrun opponent defenders, while his crossing into the centre also resulted in goals regularly.

He made his senior international debut in November 2011, in a friendly match against Poland, and has since then represented the country in UEFA Euro 2012, winning a runners-up medal, at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning a bronze medal, and at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Nearly two years after his debut, Abate scored his first international goal against Germany in November 2013.

Abate was born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, the son of former Italian goalkeeper Beniamino Abate, now a coach with the Milan youth academy.

In the 2013–14 season, Abate scored his first Milan goal in a 3–3 draw with Bologna on 25 September 2013

In the 2014–15 season, Abate captained Milan for the first time in his career, the first time in a 2–0 loss to Palermo on 2 November 2014.

Abate made his 200th Milan appearance on 9 May 2015, in a 2–1 win over Roma.

On 11 June 2015, Milan announced Abate had signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2019.

Abate played as a regularly starting right-back in the 2015–16 season.

One notable moment for him occurred on 22 February 2016, when he made an excellent sliding tackle on Lorenzo Insigne on the right wing, preventing him from scoring a second goal in a 1–1 away draw against Napoli.

His solid defensive play also lent a hand in winning Milan their 18th Scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiana.

He made 37 appearances in total in his second season back at Milan.

The following season, Abate was again the starting right back at Milan, making 40 appearances in all competitions.

After ten consecutive seasons with Milan and 306 competitive appearances for the team, Abate became a free agent in July 2019 and announced his retirement as a player in 2020.

In 2021, he returned to the club as a youth coach.

Abate has represented the Italy national team and the Italy U21 national team, and also played for the Italian U19 national team and the Italian U20 national team.