Fabiano Santacroce

Como

Santacroce was a youth product of Calcio Como SpA. He finished as the losing side in the round 16 of 2004 Primavera Reserve League. He was in the starting lineup alongside future Serie A players Marco Parolo, Giuseppe Greco and Daniele Padelli. Parolo and Santacroce were promoted to the Como first team in 2004, as the club had faced financial difficulties as well as relegation from Serie B in 2004. Santacroce remained with the club in the whole 2004–05 Serie C1 despite being declared bankrupt on 22 December 2004. Santacroce was in the starting XI in Como's relegation "play-out", which the playoffs matches Como losing to Novara in 1–2 aggregate. Como folded at the end of the season, as a takeover bid was denied.

Brescia

Santacroce moved to Brescia as a free agent and played for their Primavera team before making his first team debut for the rondinelle in a Serie B game on 23 April 2006, against Cesena. He played at Brescia from 2005 to 2007, also ensuring a place in the Italian U-21 team due to his impressive performances with the Lombardian side.

Napoli

During the January 2008 transfer window, Serie A club Napoli completed the signing of Santacroce in a permanent move, for €5.5 million, becoming the third Brescia player to join the azzurri that year, the other two being Marek Hamšík and Daniele Mannini. He quickly established himself in Napoli's regular lineup, forming a valid defence duo with team captain Paolo Cannavaro, and playing very…

Santacroce has been a member of the Italy U-21 national team from 2007 to 2009. In 2008–09, Santacroce was confirmed as a Napoli regular, and his performances were quickly noted by new Italy head coach Marcello Lippi, who on 5 October 2008 called him to join the azzurri squad for the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualification matches against Bulgaria and Montenegro. Santacroce dedicated his senior call-up to his former Como youth team coach Stefano Borgonovo, who was battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at the time, succumbing to the disease in 2013.

However, he was an unused substitute during these matches, and never played a senior international match.

Club

Statistics accurate up until 16 May 2012