Davide Astori Profile

Davide Astori was an Italian professional football player who had a successful playing career that was unfortunately cut short by his untimely death at the age of 31. He was a versatile defender who could play in central defence, as well as on the left side of defence. Astori was known for his leadership qualities, his technical ability, and his calm demeanour on the pitch.

Astori began his professional football career at AC Milan, where he played for the club's youth teams from 2001 to 2006. However, he was never able to break into the first team and was eventually loaned out to Serie C1 side Pizzighettone for the 2006-07 season. Astori impressed during his loan spell and was subsequently signed by Serie B side Cremonese on a permanent basis.

After two successful seasons with Cremonese, Astori was signed by Cagliari in 2008. It was at Cagliari that he really made a name for himself, becoming a regular starter in central defence and helping the club to achieve mid-table finishes in Serie A. Astori's performances caught the eye of Italian national team manager Cesare Prandelli, who called him up to the national team for the first time in 2011.

Astori continued to impress for Cagliari and was eventually signed by Fiorentina in 2015 for a reported fee of €5.5 million. He quickly established himself as a key player for the club and was named captain for the 2017-18 season. Unfortunately, tragedy struck on March 4, 2018, when Astori was found dead in his hotel room ahead of Fiorentina's scheduled match against Udinese. The cause of death was later determined to be cardiac arrest.

Astori's death sent shockwaves through the footballing world, with tributes pouring in from all corners of the globe. He was remembered not just for his on-field abilities, but also for his leadership qualities and his kind and humble personality off the pitch. The Italian football federation retired his number 13 jersey in his honour, while several Serie A teams also retired the number 13 for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Astori's death was a tragedy for the footballing world, but his legacy will live on.