Davide Moscardelli

Early career

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. 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.

Serie B teams

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…

A left-footed forward, Moscardelli is both mobile and physically strong, and possesses excellent individual technique. Also capable of playing as a central striker, Moscardelli is mainly a second striker, who is able to play in all of the attacking area starting from the distance. Moscardelli is known for his acrobatic goals. He was nicknamed Battigol as he was compared with Gabriel Batistuta during his stay with Serie B teams.

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.

Moscardelli has an older brother, who has played football as a forward at amateur level. He is married to Guendalina, with whom he has two children. The two got married on 5 December 2011 in Verona. His wedding witness, as well as his friend and former teammate at Rimini, was Francesco Valiani. In addition to his football qualities, Moscardelli is widely known for his beard, which has been dubbed the "most famous beard in football". Indeed, he has refrained from shaving his beard since 2 February 2013. In May 2019 a YouTube video showcasing highlights of Moscardelli's plays—titled Davide Moscardelli Is Too Good For Ballon d'Or—went viral, amassing over 5 million views in less than two weeks.