Davide Santon

Inter Milan

At the age of 14, Santon joined Inter Milan's youth system from Ravenna. He started out as a winger before moving into a defensive role. After helping the Inter Milan under-20 side win the 2006–07 Campionato Nazionale Primavera and reaching the final play-off for a second consecutive season, he was called up to join the first team for the 2008–09 pre-season training in South Tyrol and training sessions during the first half of the season. José Mourinho first named Santon in the line-up for a September Champions League match against Panathinaikos and the next three games, but did not use him. On 21 January 2009, Santon made his debut in the Coppa Italia quarter-final win against Roma, playing the entire match. Four days later, he made his Serie A debut in a 1–0 victory against Sampdoria. He made his European debut in the home draw against Manchester United, tasked with marking Cristiano Ronaldo. Santon garnered praise for his performance prompting Ronaldo to comment, "I was impressed by Santon, he is a really interesting lad and a great footballer." Mourinho praised Santon for his personality and tactical versatility and Santon was handed the starting role for the next game. He started 13 league games and made two substitute appearances, thus winning his first senior honour, the Serie A title. Santon had also become the subject of praise by former Italy national team head coach Marcello Lippi in 2009, who described Santon as, "A predestined player that…

Santon played for Italy from under-16 level and made his goal-scoring debut in April 2007 in a 3–1 win over Slovenia. On 31 March 2009, he made his debut for the under-21 squad in a friendly against the Netherlands, played at Parkstad Limburg Stadion, Kerkrade, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Santon made his debut with the senior Italian team at age 18, on 6 June 2009 in a friendly match against Northern Ireland, played in Pisa. On the same night future Newcastle United teammate Shane Ferguson made his debut as a substitute for the visitors. He played the whole match and his solid performances in Italy's 3–0 win earned him praise from his peers as well as coach Marcello Lippi. Lippi was impressed enough to name him in the roster for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, but Santon did not manage to make an appearance in the tournament as Italy went out in the first round. After some strong performances since signing with Newcastle, Santon was recalled to the national team under manager Cesare Prandelli for the friendly against France in November 2012, however he did not come off the bench in the 1–2 home defeat. He started his next game for Italy, earning his eighth international cap on 6 February 2013, in a 1–1 draw against the Netherlands. Shortly after rejoining Inter Milan, Santon was recalled to the national team under manager Antonio Conte for the friendly against England in March 2015, where he was an unused substitute.

Although Santon was usually deployed as a left-back, he is naturally right-footed and started his youth career as a right-sided attacker or winger, later reverting to an attacking full-back or wing-back who could play on both sides of the pitch; he was known in particular for his pacy, energetic runs up and down the flank. Santon also possessed significant physical strength, good dribbling technique, and defensive awareness. Regarded as a promising player in his youth, his precocious displays for Inter and Italy in 2009 led his coaches at the time, José Mourinho and Marcello Lippi respectively, to describe him as a "predestined player", also comparing him to legendary Italian left-backs such as Paolo Maldini and Giacinto Facchetti. In 2010, he was included in the Don Balón list of the best young footballers in the world, born after 1989.

In 2020, Santon married his long-term partner, Chloe Sanderson. The couple have two children together.