Marco Ballotta (born 3 April 1964) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
His professional career spanned a quarter of a century, but he was never capped for the Italy national team. He also held the distinction of being the oldest player ever to appear in both the Serie A and the Champions League.
During 15 Serie A seasons, Ballotta appeared in 138 games for six clubs, mainly Modena and Lazio.
Career
Early years Born in Casalecchio di Reno, Emilia Romagna, Ballotta emerged through Bologna's youth system before starting out as a senior with hometown club Boca San Lazzaro. In the 1984 summer he joined Modena, where he remained for the next six years. In January 1991 he transferred to Cesena, but only stayed for six months before being purchased by Parma also in Serie A.
Ballotta was in top form during 1992–93, as Parma won the UEFA Cup Winners' CupParma outgun brave Antwerp ; UEFA.com, 17 August 2001 and finished third in the league. However, his momentum did not continue into the next season and he only made three league appearances. He did start both legs in the team's 2–1 aggregate win over AC Milan in the UEFA Super Cup,European Super Cup 1993/94; at Footballsite but was benched in favor of Luca Bucci for the 1993–94 Cup Winners' Cup, as Parma reached the final for the second consecutive year, only to be defeated by Arsenal.Arsenal frustrate Parma's "double hopes"; UEFA.com, 17 August 2001
Rise to success Ballotta signed with Brescia in 1994, being relegated in his sole season. He then spent the following campaign in Serie B with Reggiana, achieving promotion at the first attempt. After being immediately relegated, he left for Lazio for 1997–98, initially as third-choice.
After three seasons with the Biancocelesti, Ballotta enjoyed a brief stint with Inter Milan, who acquired the player as part of Angelo Peruzzi's multi-billion lire move to Lazio. Inter claimed the transfer fee for Ballotta and Peruzzi were 7 billion and 40 billion respectively (thus 33 billion plus Ballotta), while La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed the transfer fee of Peruzzi was 35 billion plus Ballotta. During this timeframe he was also loaned to Modena, helping them gain promotion to the top flight in 2002 and subsequently signing permanently for free.
Ballotta remained at the Stadio Alberto Braglia until the club's relegation at the end of 2003–04, spending the following season with Treviso in the second tier. Despite a fourth-place finish, they were promoted in place of Genoa after the latter were demoted to Serie C1 following a match-fixing scandal, and he was once again back in the top level after rejoining Lazio as a replacement for Fabrizio Casazza as third goalkeeper.
Winning records and retirement
Ballotta made eight starts during the 2005–06 campaign, as an injury replacement for both Peruzzi and Matteo Sereni. On 23 October 2005, he set the record as the oldest player to have played in the first division when he started in Lazio's lineup against Roma at the age of 41 years and 203 days, beating the previous record set on 7 May 1983 when Dino Zoff played his last game at the age of 41 years and 34 days.
Due to Peruzzi's ongoing injury problems the following season, Ballotta made eleven league appearances as Lazio finished third behind Inter and Roma. They subsequently clinched a berth in the UEFA Champions League.
Ballotta started the first two matches of 2007–08, until the gloves were handed to new acquisition Fernando Muslera for the next five rounds. Following the 5–1 home loss against Milan on 7 October 2007, he regained the starting spot, which he kept until the end of the season. He also started in all Champions League matches, in which he also became the oldest player ever to play in the competition during a 1–1 draw with Olympiacos on 18 September 2007, at the age of 43 years and 168 days, beating the previous record held by another Italian, Alessandro Costacurta, who was 40 years and 211 days in Milan's loss to AEK Athens on 21 November 2006.Ballotta sets new European record; UEFA.com, 18 September 2007Age no barrier for Ballotta; UEFA.com, 26 October 2007
Ballotta retired after his contract with Lazio expired at the end of the season, expressing an interest in continuing his career, before eventually signing a deal as general manager at former club Modena. This experience was however short-lived and, after just 35 days, he decided to stop working at the club.
In late 2008, Ballotta returned with Prima Categoria (eighth level) side Calcara Samoggia, but in another position: forward.Marco Ballotta torna in campo, stavolta da attaccante (Marco Ballotta returns to the pitch, this time as a forward) ; Calcio Blog (in Italian)
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsModena1984–85Serie C117000——1701985–86Serie C1340140——4801986–87Serie B23050——2801987–88Serie B38050——4301988–89Serie C134070——4101989–90Serie C134010——3501990–91Serie B8040——120Total1880360——2240Cesena1990–91Serie A50———50Parma1991–92Serie A1070——501992–93Serie A2905070—4101993–94Serie A30800020130Total3302007020620Brescia1994–95Serie A32020——340Reggiana1995–96Serie B38030——4101996–97Serie A34020——360Total72050——770Lazio1997–98Serie A103010—501998–99Serie A301010—501999–2000Serie A908040—210Total13012060—310Inter Milan2000–01Serie A60400010110Modena (loan)2001–02Serie B36030——390Modena2002–03Serie A34000——3402003–04Serie A18020——200Modena total88050——930Treviso2004–05Serie B35000—20370Lazio2005–06Serie A8040——1202006–07Serie A11030——1402007–08Serie A2902080—390Total4809080—650Career total5200930210506390
Honours Modena Serie C: 1985–86, 1989–90
Parma Coppa Italia: 1991–92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1992–93 UEFA Super Cup: 1993
Lazio Serie A: 1999–2000 Coppa Italia: 1997–98, 1999–2000 Supercoppa Italiana: 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99 UEFA Super Cup: 1999
Records Serie A: Oldest player to play in a game, at 44 years and 38 days (for Lazio, vs. Genoa, 11 May 2008) UEFA Champions League: Oldest player to play in a game, at 43 years and 252 days (for Lazio, vs. Real Madrid, 11 December 2007) Oldest debutant for Inter
See also List of goalscoring goalkeepers
References
External links
Gazzetta dello Sport profile