Who Is Gianluigi Donnarumma?
Quite possibly the best PSG goalkeeper in the club’s history, Gianluigi Donnarumma has enjoyed a 2021 like few others.
A Euros winner and recipient of a mammoth deal from PSG, Donnarumma is taking the fight to fellow goalkeeping greats for the crown to be considered best in the world.
Born in February 1999 near Naples, Donnarumma age is low for an elite goalkeeper.
It’s not far-fetched to suggest he’s got two decades left at the pinnacle of the sport, particularly if the longevity of his idol Gianluigi Buffon is anything to go by.
Donnarumma Career So Far
Gianluigi Donnarumma was in the academy of ASD Club Napoli from a very young age. He was obviously doing something right for his hometown club, as Milan swooped in 2013 when Donnarumma was just 14 years old.
The San Siro-based outfit spent €250,000 on a teenage Donnarumma, as he joined his older brother up north.
He progressed through the academy, albeit at a different pace to most. Always playing a year above his age group, Donnarumma earned his first senior call-up a few days before his 16th birthday.
The club needed special dispensation to include him on the bench, though he was an unused substitute.
March 2015 saw a three-year contract signed with Milan. Only a few months later, Siniša Mihajlović promoted Donnarumma to the first team squad, where he was a backup to Diego Lopez and Christian Abbiati.
It didn’t take long for the teenage Donnarumma to climb the pecking order, earning a start ahead of Lopez in October. Aged just 16 years and 242 days, he became the second-youngest goalkeeper to start a Serie A match.
Within a matter of weeks, Donnarumma was recognised as the future of Milan by teammates and media alike. He put in a spectacular performance against Atalanta, and as 2016 rolled round, he was undisputed first choice.
The Italian kept a clean sheet in his first derby against Inter and started in the Coppa Italia final.
On a relatively short deal, speculation swirled about Donnarumma’s contract. Reports had broken that he was going to leave the club, but he eventually penned a new deal worth €6 million until 2021.
European experience in the Europa League added to his glowing CV, and he became the youngest ever player to reach 100 appearances for Milan. A few months later, he was the youngest player in Serie A history to play 100 league matches.
Milan cycled through managers as they searched for a winning formula once again. So much changed, but Donnarumma was the reliable force between the sticks. He reached 200 appearances for the club in 2019-20 and captained the team for the first time.
Named Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2020, Donnarumma’s stock continued to rise around world football and there are plenty of football fans with PSG kits with the Italian’s name on the back.
He was an established Italy international, but Milan and Donnarumma’s agent Mino Raiola were unable to agree a new contract. The club announced he would leave at the end of 2020-21.
Donnarumma penned a five-year deal worth €12 million per season with PSG in the 2021 summer transfer window. In November of that year, he won the Yashin Trophy.
- AC Milan (2015-2021) – 251 appearances
- PSG (2021-present) – nine appearances
Euro 2020
Having played at various youth age groups, Gianluigi Donnarumma received his first Italy call-up in 2016.
He was the youngest player to be called up to the national team since before the First World War, and he made his full debut in that international break.
Donnarumma became the Azzurri’s first choice following Gianluigi Buffon’s retirement in 2018.
Behind an experienced central defensive partnership, Donnarumma was part of a rock-solid Italy defence heading into Euro 2020.
His tournament started off strongly with a clean sheet against Turkey, but it was his heroics in the knockout rounds that really cemented his place in Euros history.
Donnarumma saved Alvaro Morata’s spot kick in the semi-final shootout to help Italy through to the final. He didn’t have much to do in the final, but when his time came, he stepped up once again.
First saving from Jadon Sancho to give Italy the upper hand, Donnarumma then stopped Bukayo Saka’s effort from 12 yards to win the Azzurri their first European Championship since 1968.
His performances at the tournament saw him named Player of the Tournament, becoming the first goalkeeper to win the award.
Donnarumma Age
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s age is 22 years old at the time of writing. He was born on 25th February 1999 in Castellammare di Stabia, between Naples and Sorrento.
Already the owner of numerous goalkeeping records due to his age, Donnarumma is poised to create his category in the record books. Only a handful of ‘keepers are playing at a world class level in their early-twenties.
Donnarumma is already among the elite. None of the upper-echelon of goalkeeping talent are anywhere near Donnarumma age, however.
Jan Oblak and Ederson are 28, Edouard Mendy and Thibaut Courtois are 29, and Manuel Neuer is 35. Donnarumma is the exception.
While it’s not unusual for teenagers to make an impact at the senior level, it’s extremely rare for a goalkeeper. It’s no surprise he’s the youngest goalkeeper to play for Italy.
Honours
- Supercoppa Italiana – 2016
- European Championship – 2020
- Italian Golden Boy Award – 2019
- Serie A Team of the Year – 2019-20
- Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year – 2020
- Serie A Best Goalkeeper – 2020-21
- IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper – 2021
- IFFHS Men’s World Team – 2021
- European Championship Player of the Tournament – 2020
- European Championship Team of the Tournament – 2020
- Yashin Trophy – 2021
- Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic – 2021