Ricorrenze Azzurre

Best wishes to Andrea Belotti and Jorginho as they turn 26 and 28 respectively!

The Torino forward and Chelsea midfielder are celebrating their birthdays today

Friday, December 20, 2019

Best wishes to Andrea Belotti and Jorginho as they turn 26 and 28 respectively!

Born in Calcinate in the province of Bergamo on 20 December 1993, Andrea Belotti came through Albinoleffe’s youth ranks. He went on to make his Serie B debut for the same side in the 2011/12 season at the age of 18 and finished the campaign with two goals from eight games. The following year, he netted twelve times in 32 appearances in the Lega Pro and Coppa Italia. In 2013, he moved to Palermo on loan (a buyout clause was included) and won Serie B with the Sicilians after having scored ten goals in 24 appearances. The Rosanero subsequently signed him on a permanent basis. In he summer of 2015, he joined Torino, the side he’s currently plying his trade for. So far, he’s bagged 60 goals in 126 appearances for the Granata. As for Italy, after playing for the Under-19s and Under-20s, he scored on his Under-21 debut in August 2013 in a friendly against Slovakia (4-1) and was involved in qualifying for the 2015 European Championship. He received his first senior call-up on 27 August 2016 with Gian Piero Ventura at the helm. Up to this point, he’s netted nine times in 27 appearances for the Azzurri.

Jorge Luiz Frello Filho, better known as Jorginho, was born in Imbituba (Brazil). A midfielder who is particularly adept at directing play in the middle of the park, he came through Hellas Verona’s youth ranks before being given his Serie B debut by Mandorlini on 4 September 2011 after a year spent in the Lega Pro. On 24 August 2013, he played in Serie A for the first time as the Gialloblu came up against Milan, while he then scored his first goal in the Italian top flight on 25 September 2013 against Torino. In January 2014, he moved to Napoli where he stayed until the summer of 2018, when he signed for Premier League side Chelsea. In his first season in London, he won the Europa League. In 2012, he acquired Italian citizenship. As regards his international career, he was called up to Mangia’s Under-21 side for their game against Spain on 13 November 2012. On 19 March 2016, he was named in Head Coach Conte’s squad for the Azzurri’s friendlies against Germany and Spain, with his debut coming against the latter on 24 March. So far, he’s won 22 caps and scored four goals for Italy.