Antonio Croce

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Antonio Croce
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-06-09) 9 June 1986 (age 37)
Place of birth Foggia, Italy
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Gelbison
Number 20
Youth career
Vis Pesaro
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Vis Pesaro 7 (0)
2005Internazionale (loan) 0 (0)
2005–2006 Fermana 14 (0)
2006–2007 Riccione 28 (3)
2007–2008 Cologna Paese 20 (11)
2008–2010 Padova 0 (0)
2008–2009Carpenedolo (loan) 31 (7)
2009–2010Cassino (loan) 14 (3)
2010Pro Vasto (loan) 12 (4)
2010–2011 Villacidrese 26 (9)
2011–2012 Celano 38 (12)
2012–2013 Messina 13 (2)
2013 Melfi 14 (6)
2013–2014 Bisceglie 14 (2)
2014 Torre Neapolis 13 (9)
2014 Brindisi 9 (2)
2014–2016 Monopoli 35 (13)
2016–2017 Teramo 16 (2)
2017–2018 Andria 39 (4)
2018 Gravina 6 (3)
2018–2019 Taranto 16 (3)
2019–2021 Team Altamura 29 (17)
2021–2022 Francavilla 32 (16)
2022–2023 Team Altamura 32 (10)
2023– Gelbison 8 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:13, 13 November 2023 (UTC)

Antonio Croce (born 9 June 1986) is an Italian footballer who plays as a forward for Gelbison.

Career[edit]

Vis Pesaro[edit]

Born in Foggia, Apulia, Croce started his career at Marche club Vis Pesaro and was a member of its Berretti under-20 team.[1] In the next season Croce made his debut in the first team, in 2004–05 Serie C1. He was spotted by F.C. Internazionale Milano in January 2005. He was the member of Primavera under-20 team, scoring 4 goals in 2005 Torneo di Viareggio, as topscorer (Premio "Miglior Cannoniere del Torneo").[2][3] Eventually Inter was the fourth.[4] However, he only scored once in the Primavera League. In the playoffs round, Croce was the starting forward along with Matteo Momentè. He scored once in the round of 16.[5] In that rebuild season of Inter Primavera, the regular season top-scorer was Matteo Lombardo with 5 goals. and Dino Marino was the playoffs top-scorer of the team with 2 goals only. Inter was eliminated by Empoli in quarter-finals. Inter did not purchase Croce and promoted players from its own youth system instead.

Modena and fell to Serie D[edit]

On 31 August 2005, Croce was signed by Serie B club Modena but immediately farmed to Marche club Fermana in a co-ownership deal. In June 2006 Croce was re-signed by Emilia club Modena but he was released to Serie D team Riccione. The team also located in Emilia–Romagna region. Croce once again failed to score, with 3 goals. Croce then went to Abruzzo region for Cologna Paese. This time Croce scored 11 goals in 2007–08 Serie D.[6]

Return to Lega Pro 2nd Div.[edit]

Croce earned a professional contract from Padova, in 2008.[7] He played in the pre-season friendlies.[8][9] In August, he left for Carpenedolo, a Lega Pro Seconda Divisione team.[10][11] Finally Croce opened his account in the Italian fourth level, with 7 goals. In the next season he was signed by another fourth level team Cassino,[12] and left the club 6 months before the club was expelled from the league due to financial difficulty. However his new club Pro Vasto faced the same fate. In July 2010, his contract with Padova was terminated by mutual consent, as there is no place for Croce in its 2010–11 Serie B campaign.[13]

In 2010–11 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, Croce was signed by Villacidrese. However Croce faced another relegation. In 2011–12 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, Croce was signed by Celano.[14] However the team again relegated.

In July 2012 Croce was signed by Serie D team Messina[15] which the club aimed to promote back to professional league in recent seasons and recently acquired by a new owner. In January 2013 he returned to the fourth level again for Melfi. He became the eldest player of the team suppressing Giancarlo Improta. Both Croce and Improta were the goalscorers of the team.

Return to Serie D[edit]

In 2013–14 and 2014–15 season, Croce had played for four Serie D teams, which since 2014–15 season Serie D became the four level again, due to Lega Pro merged their two divisions.

Monopoli[edit]

In December 2014 he was signed by another Serie D club Monopoli.[16] On 15 July 2015 Croce renewed his contract with the club.[17] The club won promotion to 2015–16 Lega Pro as a replacement of bankrupted teams on 1 September.

Teramo[edit]

In June 2016 Croce was signed by Teramo.[18]

Andria[edit]

On 30 January 2017, Croce was transferred to fellow Serie C club Andria.[19]

Later career[edit]

In July 2018 Croce was signed by Serie D club Gravina.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Berretti" (PDF). Comunicato Ufficiale (in Italian). 2003–04 (54/TB). Lega Calcio Serie C. 25 February 2004. Retrieved 27 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "57.o Torneo Mondiale di Calcio 2005". Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  3. ^ "CARNIVAL CUP: INTER THROUGH TO SEMIS". inter.it. FC Internazionale Milano. 3 February 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  4. ^ "FOURTH PLACE FOR INTER IN VIAREGGIO". inter.it. FC Internazionale Milano. 7 February 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  5. ^ "OTTAVI PRIMAVERA: PALERMO-INTER 1-2". inter.it (in Italian). FC Internazionale Milano. 7 May 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  6. ^ Full Soccer Archived 18 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)
  7. ^ "ANTONIO CROCE INGAGGIATO DAL COLOGNA PAESE PER LA PROSSIMA STAGIONE" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  8. ^ "18 GOL NELLA PRIMA SGAMBATA DEL PADOVA A VILLABASSA" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 20 July 2008. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  9. ^ "PADOVA – MUNICIPAL VALCEA 0-1" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  10. ^ "Nuovo attaccante dal Padova" (in Italian). AC Carpenedolo. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  11. ^ "CROCE IN PRESTITO AL CARPENEDOLO, ZANE ALL'ESTE" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  12. ^ "ALIBERTI E CROCE CEDUTI A TITOLO TEMPORANEO" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 11 August 2009. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  13. ^ "Risoluzione contrattuale per Antonio Croce" (in Italian). Calcio Padova. 11 July 2010. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  14. ^ "MERCATO: IN ATTACCO COLPO CROCE" (in Italian). Celano FC Marsica. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  15. ^ "UFFICIALE: l'ex Celano Antonio Croce al Messina in D" (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Grande colpo di mercato: l'attaccante Croce è del Monopoli" (Press release) (in Italian). S.S. Monopoli 1966. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  17. ^ "Il Monopoli riconferma Croce, Castaldo, Pinto e Difino" (Press release) (in Italian). S.S. Monopoli 1966. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Firmato l'attaccante Antonio Croce" (Press release) (in Italian). S.S. Teramo Calcio. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  19. ^ "Barbuti e' ufficialmente biancorosso" (Press release) (in Italian). S.S. Teramo Calcio. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  20. ^ "UFFICIALE - Gravina, colpo ad effetto in avanti: preso Croce". tuttocalciopuglia (in Italian). 19 July 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.

External links[edit]