Edinson Cavani can be considered a very modern centre forward. The Uruguayan scores for fun, is skilful and quick, but crucially is ready to get his hands dirty in the midfield engine room, often dropping deep to defend and regain possession.
The 24-year-old was born in Salto, Uruguay, on 14th February. As a child, Cavani was nicknamed “Botija”, meaning “ceramic pot” due to the fragility of his physique. Cavani’s ancestors heralded from Maranello, where Ferrari has its headquarters.
The young Cavani supported Uruguayan side Nacional Montevideo, but his first team at the age of 12 was Danubio, the side of the legendary Ruben Sosa, a player admired by the hopeful; Sosa enjoyed spells in Italy with Inter and Lazio – it did not take long for Cavani to follow in his idol’s footsteps.
After just two years in Danubio’s first team (2005 and 2006) the striker moved to Palermo in the 2007 January transfer window. The Italian side’s owner Maurizio Zamparini was convinced that he had a top class talent on his hands, and one able to reach the very pinnacle of the game.
Cavani took his first steps in Italian football in March 2007, coming on as a substitute against Fiorentina. He made an instant impact, scoring his first goal with a splendid volley that drew Palermo level.
In his first and second season at the Stadio Renzo Barbera, Cavani had to duel with Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri for a first team spot. But from the summer of 2008, when Amauri moved to Juventus, the Uruguayan began to properly impose himself at the centre of the Rosanero attack, scoring prolifically in the process.
For the 2009/10 campaign, Cavani retained his place in the first team with initially Walter Zenga and then Delio Rossi serving as coach. The season was the striker’s most impressive yet as he reaffirmed his status as one of Serie A’s most deadly marksmen and helped Palermo to finish fifth after a season-long struggle with Sampdoria for the fourth and final Champions League spot.
As the summer of 2010 dawned, Cavani flew to South Africa with Uruguay to contest the World Cup – his first. The team, managed by Oscar Washington Tabarez, was perhaps the biggest surprise of the tournament, finishing fourth, although Cavani had competition for a starting berth from Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Sebastian Abreu. The Palermo man scored in the third-place playoff match against Germany, a game lost by La Celeste 3-2.
When Cavani landed back in Italy following the end of the World Cup, the Uruguayan was a “Botija” no more, but instead was dubbed “El Matador”; Cavani was a mature and dangerous hitman, ready to play for a top class side. In fact, that very July, Napoli’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis snapped up the Uruguayan to form a lethal attacking trio with Slovak schemer Marek Hamsik and Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Cavani picked up where he had left off in the World Cup, enjoying a fine 2010/11 campaign with Napoli, scoring 26 goals in Serie A and being kept off the top of the goalscorers’ chart only by Toto Di Natale. The Uruguayan also netted three hat-tricks, against Cesena, Sampdoria and Lazio respectively. He has become a leader in Naples and the fans have now taken him to their hearts, growing certain that he can deliver another Scudetto, the first since the Diego Maradona era.
This summer the striker was once again in international action, heading to dispute the 2011 Copa America in Argentina. While the tournament was not a personal success for Cavani – the striker picking up an injury in his second match – Uruguay advanced to lift the trophy and become continental champions. And while Diego Forlan’s face might have adorned magazine covers in Montevideo, Cavani remains a key performer for Tabarez’ side.
Following a break, Cavani was back to terrorise Serie A defences once more. Europe too was getting a taste of the player’s power and Manchester City saw the Uruguayan hitman hand his side the lead at Eastlands in their Champions League clash, even though Roberto Mancini’s men did eventually cancel it out for a 1-1 draw. The following Sunday, Cavani practically destroyed reigning champions AC Milan in Serie A, grabbing a hat-trick and making it a 90 minutes to forget for Rossoneri goalkeeper Christian Abbiati.
Admirers are already queuing up to take Cavani from Napoli, but president De Laurentiis has vowed to keep hold of the Uruguayan as he seeks to build a team capable of winning the club’s first Scudetto for 21 years.
