This article offers a detailed look at the life of Roberto De Zerbi. It tells the story of a young boy from Mompiano, Italy, whose parents made a living selling Rotowash and floor-cleaning equipment. Roberto’s father, Alfredo De Zerbi, was well-known in Brescia for his talent in rallying support at the Mario Rigamonti Stadium. This narrative explores how these early influences shaped Roberto’s journey in football.
We’ll share the story of a former professional footballer who was profoundly inspired by Pep Guardiola to become an exceptional coach. Roberto De Zerbi has openly acknowledged to SkySport that Guardiola’s influence was a key factor in his decision to pursue coaching.
As soon as De Zerbi started his coaching career, he made it a priority to seek guidance from his mentor, meeting Guardiola at Bayern Munich for valuable coaching lessons. The image below, which once went viral online, revealed an unexpected and fascinating detail about the strong friendship between Roberto De Zerbi and Pep Guardiola, a fact that surprised many football fans.
Our biography of Roberto De Zerbi provides an in-depth look at his childhood, early life, and family background, including details about his father, Mr. Alfredo De Zerbi, his wife Elisa, and their children.
We also explore his Italian heritage, hometown, education, and religious background. Additionally, we delve into his lifestyle, net worth, personality, and salary breakdown, offering a comprehensive view of this rising football manager.
This article covers the history of Roberto De Zerbi, the football coaching genius who made a significant impact on the Premier League following his arrival in 2022. We’ll explain why De Zerbi’s unique footballing philosophy sets him apart from other managers.
Preamble:
We begin Roberto De Zerbi’s Biography by unfolding facts about his boyhood years. Next, we’ll takes you through important events that summarize his playing career journey with Napoli and other Italian Clubs. Then finally, our article delves into the events that made him become one of Italy’s most respected football Managers.
Again, we hope to whet your autobiography appetite as we engage you with reading Roberto De Zerbi’s Biography. To begin doing that, let’s show you this photo gallery that tells the story of his Early Life (as an AC Milan academy student) and Rise (as a Manager). Yes, the little boy from Mompiano has come a long way in his amazing Football Journey.
Yes, everyone knows De Zerbi’ for his adventurous coaching approach and studious nature. He made heads turn during the 2022/2023 season when he led Brighton to their inaugural Europa League qualification – a historic first for the club. Following this achievement, De Zerbi became a hot topic among football pundits. Even the renowned Pep Guardiola was effusive in his praise for him.
As we continue our series on the life stories of Premier League managers, we’ve discovered some gaps – certain untold chapters. Surprisingly, not many football enthusiasts have delved into the compelling biography of Roberto De Zerbi. Given its captivating narrative, it’s a story that merits attention. So, let’s not delay any further and dive right in.
Roberto De Zerbi Childhood Story:
To kick off our exploration of his biography, it’s worth noting that De Zerbi is affectionately nicknamed “Robi”, “Robo”, and “The little genius.”
The Italian professional football coach was born on the 6th day of June 1979 to his Father, Mr. Alfredo De Zerbi, and little-known Mother, in Brescia, Italy. Now, let’s introduce you to one of Roberto De Zerbi’s Parents. Alfredo was more than a Dad; he was Roberto’s first coach, mentor, and strongest advocate.
Growing-Up Years:
Roberto De Zerbi spent his childhood years at Mompiano (in Val Camonica), his quaint hometown in Italy. As a young boy, he was captivated by the football prowess of Diego Maradona, whose on-field wizardry sparked De Zerbi’s passion for the sport.
It’s important to recall that during the mid-1980s, when De Zerbi was still in his formative years, football legends like Maradona, Michel Platini, and Gary Lineker were at the pinnacle of the sport, leaving indelible impressions on young enthusiasts like De Zerbi.
Roberto’s early interaction with football began at his family residence in Mompiano, where he first started playing with a soccer ball. An important aspect of his upbringing was his parents’ decision, particularly his father’s, to live in proximity to the Rigamonti stadium, home to Brescia Calcio. It’s also essential to note that each family member is a passionate supporter of Brescia, a well-known Italian football club.
Roberto De Zerbi Early Years:
During his childhood, he nurtured a particular fondness – regularly accompanying his father, Alfredo, to the Mario Rigamonti Stadium. It was there that Alfredo De Zerbi was tasked with coordinating fan support for the home games of Brescia Calcio, which created a vibrant environment that young Roberto found irresistible.
In the De Zerbi household, weekends – particularly Saturdays and Sundays – held a special significance. Alfredo, the patriarch of the family, held the esteemed position of President at the Brescia club coordination centre. Observing his father’s influence and the respect he commanded from football fans, a young Roberto found himself increasingly drawn to the sport.
Away from the fanfare at the Mario Rigamonti Stadium, young Roberto could frequently be found honing his football skills on the dusty pitches of Mompiano. His aspiration to become a professional footballer was evident (early on) and was far from a fleeting childhood dream. Alfredo De Zerbi often recollects a time when Roberto was just two years old. In the words of the fond father;
Robi was unstoppable. He was jumping all over the place and always with his ball; he never stopped.
Roberto De Zerbi Family Background:
Being the President of the Brescia Club coordination centre wasn’t the main job of Alfredo. In fact, Roberto De Zerbi’s Dad took that responsibility solely out of a passion for the sport and a deep love for Brescia Calcio. Outside his duty of coordinating fan support, Alfredo is a businessman.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Father owned and operated a house cleaning business to support his family. For house cleaning, Alfredo’s work came in handy as he sold Rotowash and floor-cleaning machines to many Italian families. The hardworking Dad, supported by his wife (Roberto De Zerbi’s Mother), was greatly appreciated by his many customers in Mompiano, Val Camonica and other Brescian environments.
If there was any day Roberto De Zerbi’s Parents were most proud of, it was when their son made his debut for Brescia, their hometown club. That date was February 2nd 2008 when Alfredo was proud to see his son debut with his city’s shirt. Here is a picture of Roberto De Zerbi’s Dad (circled) standing with fellow Brescian supporters on the day his son debuted for Brescia in 2008.
In the words of Guido Franchi, a historic Brescian fan;
On the day of De Zerbi’s debut, we made him a banner. I remember the happiness in his father’s eyes that we dragged around the bend with us.
Alfredo De Zerbi is an exquisite person: he organized the cheering and loved Brescia so much that sometimes he couldn’t even see the match.
Roberto De Zerbi Family Origin:
You might have noticed that the Italian professional football coach is a proud Brescian, and he holds Italian nationality. Regarding where Roberto De Zerbi’s Parents come from, our research points to Mompiano (in Val Camonica). Mompiano is a district of Brescia, which is formerly an independent municipality until the year 1880. Now, here is a map of Roberto De Zerbi’s Origins.
Roberto De Zerbi Ethnicity:
Because the Italian football manager hails from Mompiano, he is seen as a Northern Italian. Roberto De Zerbi would also identify himself as a Brescian (because his family hails from the city of Brescia). Also, he sees himself more broadly as a Lombard (because his household is from the Italian region of Lombardy).
Education:
Roberto De Zerbi had his early schooling at Mompiano (in Val Camonica), where he grew up. The later part of his education came at Milan during his stay with the Associazione Calcio Milan Primavera. Education (from a footballing perspective) continued after his playing career as he studied and successfully achieved his Coaching Licence – the UEFA Pro.
Roberto De Zerbi Biography – Football Story:
Early on, he began the quest to become a professional football player at the dusty fields of San Gaudenzio Parish – Mompiano Oratory. The likes of Sandro Tonali (DM), Manuel Locatelli and Wilfried Gnonto had similar beginnings. Thereafter, De Zerbi started his professional career at AC Milan after successfully graduating form their academy.
At the start of his career, he got limited playing opportunities. So the future football coach went on to spend four seasons on loan to lower divisions clubs (Serie B to Serie C2). He spent the 1998-1999 season on loan with Monza. He then moved on to join Padova (on loan), where he (an attacking midfielder) scored five goals in 23 appearances.
From the year 2000 to 2006, Roberto De Zerbi continued his journeyman football life. He went on to play for six other clubs (two on loan). Having attained success in the last three (Foggia, Arezzo and Catania), he finally got a dream transfer to a top Italian team, Napoli.
Sadly, Napoli’s €2.5 million signing didn’t make much impact. However, Robi was proud to have played in the club that had his Idol, Diego Maradona. Following his poor performance with Napoli, the club allowed him to accept two more loan moves (to Brescia and Avellino). De Zerbi, at this time, decided to try his luck in another country.
The Attacking Midfielder accepted an offer from CFR Cluj. This is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. Research has it that De Zerbi’s stay in Romania was short leaved. He returned to Italy and witnessed the final stages of his playing career. In 2013, the Baller, who had begun aspiring to be a coach, decided to retire with A.C. Trento in 1921.
Roberto De Zerbi Bio – Early Managerial Days.
Three years after his retirement from professional football, he found himself a decent coaching job. Precisely on the 6th day of September 2016 (aged 37), De Zerbi was named head coach of Serie A club Palermo. The appointment came after the club’s coach, Davide Ballardini, was sacked following a disagreement with Palermo’s board.
Sadly, Roberto De Zerbi did not perform well in his first managerial job. His time with Palermo turned out negative, as he recorded 0 points at home in three months, including seven defeats. With such poor performance, Robi got sacked less than three months after his appointment. His sack came after Serie B club Spezia defeated his Palermo side via penalties.
Following the sack, the young coach took almost a year’s break from management. During that time, he developed his coaching skill by learning possession-based attacking football. Do you know?… It was during this time that De Zerbi visited Pep Guardiola, and he became a student of the former Bayern Munich coach.
On the 23rd of October the following year (2017), Serie A newcomers Benevento approved his appointment as head coach. De Zerbi put his new knowledge (including that learned from Pep Guardiola) into good use with his new club. Severally, he was praised for his smart transfer business implementation and possession-based attacking football. On the 13th of June the following year (2018), Sassuolo appointed him as their head coach.
Under his tenure with Sassuolo, the club experienced a rise. Roberto De Zerbi was praised for his footballing style coupled with his act of overachieving results. Again, he was able to increase the popularity of Rising Star players (Gianluca Scamacca, Domenico Berardi and Manuel Locatelli) whom he managed at Sassuolo. Also in this list is Domenico Berardi.
Roberto De Zerbi Biography – Managerial Rise:
Under his tenure with Sassuolo, the club became known (globally) for its unique footballing style and the overachieving of positive results. After three seasons with the club, De Zerbi (in May 2021) decided he would open a new chapter in his career. He felt the need to leave his comfort zone (Italy) for international coaching experience.
A year before the Ukraine invasion by Russia, Roberto De Zerbi signed a contract as the head coach of the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk. While at the club, he worked with notable names like Mykhailo Mudryk, Burkina Faso star Lassina Traoré and David Neres. The Italian tactician guided the team to win the 2021 Ukrainian Super Cup.
By winning the above trophy, Roberto De Zerbi achieved the rare honour as the first Italian manager to do so. Unfortunately, Russia’s war in Ukraine limited his stay at the club. In July 2022, De Zerbio painfully left the club at the time his team topped the table in the Ukrainian Premier League. Before leaving Ukraine, Robi was frightened by the sight of the war from the TV in his Kyiv hotel room. He once had this to say;
“The days were 24 hours long,”
De Zerbi told Radio 105 about the experience of his final weeks in Ukraine. He continued.
The days felt incredibly long, partly because sleep was elusive. At night, every sound was amplified. Some people slept in bunkers, while others stayed in their rooms. I chose to stay in my room to stay aware of what was happening outside the hotel. But as soon as I heard an explosion, I quickly ran to the bunker.
Getting a new job:
The Italian coach, who had unfinished business abroad, waited for the right offers to come his way. Less than four months after leaving Shakhtar Donetsk, Roberto got a job with the English club Brighton. He succeeded Graham Potter, who Chelsea had just recruited after the club sacked Thomas Tuchel.
Roberto De Zerbi’s tactics with Brighton caused a Premier League revolution. Working with young talents like Kaoru Mitoma (LW), Moisés Caicedo (DM), Julio Enciso (AM), Evan Ferguson (CF), Alexis Mac Allister (CM) etc., he guided the club to the semi-final of the FA Cup. Unluckily, his Brighton side lost out on penalties to Man United after a goalless 120 minutes.
Putting the penalty disappointment behind them, Roberto De Zerbie ignited his players’ passion in their pursuit of a European position. To the shock of football fans, his Brighton side finished 6th position in the Premier League, qualifying them for the UEFA Europa League (the first time in the club’s history). The rest, as we say, is now history.
Elisa – Roberto De Zerbi’s Wife:
The Italian professional football coach is like Dragan Stojkovic, who is a complete family man. Roberto is married to his wife, who goes by the name Elisa De Zerbi. Given their confidentiality and the fact that the football manager has no social media profiles, little is known about Roberto De Zerbi’s Wife.
However, there was once a time Elisa De Zerbi was mentioned by her husband. It happened when the Italian Manager joked about how he handles a transfer target in his team in repose to transfer requests from other clubs. Here are Robi’s words according to Gazzetta dello Sport a few years ago;
Do I take care of transfer market operations?
Let’s say, when I like a player to stay, I then try to make him feel important.
Even My wife says I’ve never courted her as I do with a transfer target.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Children – A Son and Daughter:
The union between Elisa and her husband, which happened in the 2000s, has bore fruit. Research has it that Roberto De Zerbi has a daughter as his first child. About two years down the line, Elisa, his wife, welcomed a baby boy – their first son.
Find here a 2006 photo of Roberto De Zerbi’s Son (around his right arm) and his beautiful Wife (Elisa) holding their daughter. At that time, the Italian Football Coach had just joined Napoli, and De Zerbi was between 26 to 27 years old. For privacy’s sake, Elisa and Roberto agreed to blur the face of their children.
Judging by the time the above photo was taken (the year 2006), it is clear that the couple must have had their kids almost around the mid and late mid-2000s. Elisa and Roberto De Zerbi’s Son should be an adult now (above 18), and the same goes for their daughter.
Personality:
Who is Roberto De Zerbi?
Permit us to draw upon a parallel from the legendary Game of Thrones Series. Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton Boss) has emerged from the mists like the determined Stannis Baratheon. As I write this Bio, he challenges the reign of an established King, the person of Pep Guardiola.
Unlike Game of Thrones, De Zerbi’s Game is about his coaching passion and strategy. His war drums beat in the heart of Brighton & Hove Albion fans. The battle of qualifying for the Europa League cried echo in the roars of the crowd, especially during matches played at the Amex Stadium. Indeed, the EPL will never be the same without Roberto De Zerbi in it.
People doubted him:
When the Italian coach was named Graham Potter’s successor at Brighton, his appointment got questioned, notably by Graeme Souness, a television pundit. The Liverpool legend made his criticism known to talkSPORT as follows;
“If you check the Coach up on Google, you’ll notice that he had seven jobs in a total of nine years.
There is a saying that If you’re an exceptional coach, clubs would want to hold on to you…”
The truth is, those criticism were of little concern to De Zerbi as he has been trained to deal with sceptics. Even a few seasons ago, his footballing philosophy became a huge subject of debate in Italy. Despite making his Sassuolo side play an attractive brand of football, pundits questioned his side’s defensive deficiencies.
Imitating the Guardiola Philosophy:
De Zerbi has attested to the fact that the was heavily influenced by Pep Guardiola, whom he visited in the past. Roberto paid a visit to the Spanish Manager at the time he was in charge of Bayern Munich. De Zerbi once said to the Italian told La Repubblica in 2015;
Pep’s Bayern and Barcelona sides were models that inspire me.
Despite learning from the Man City Boss, Roberto De Zerbi has also memorised concepts and has made them his own idea of football. This is the reason Guardiola rates him as one of football’s most influential managers in the last 20 years. According to the Man City Boss,
When De Zerbi arrived, I had a strong sense that he would make a significant impact in the Premier League. However, I didn’t anticipate that he would achieve so much in such a short period of time.
Not Afraid:
Also, on a personality note, De Zerbi is like Jose Mourinho and Ralf Rangnick, who is not afraid to speak his mind. As soon as the news of a European Super League broke a few years ago, the Italian manager was enraged, labelling the breakaway league as;
“a coup d’état”.
In addition, Roberto De Zerbi initially disobeyed Italian Football Authorities following the announcement of the Super League. He refused to allow his players to enter the field and play a Sassuolo’s game against AC Milan, one of the European Super League members.
Experience with the Ukraine War:
At the start of the war, Roberto De Zerbi and his Shaktar Donetsk coaching staff were all held up in Ukraine, precisely in a Kiev hotel. The Ukranian Football Federation had suspended their league, and De Zerbi stayed in a hotel, experiencing the terrible moments of the war (on TV) that had just broken out.
Recounted the dark hours that marked the beginning of the Ukraine/Russia war, De Zerbi told Italpress;
“I was staying in my room; it was a bad day. I didn’t move because I’m here to play sports, and I couldn’t turn my back on the championship.
I have thirteen Brazilian boys, and my staff.
We could have gone home at least until there was security, but we waited and explosions always woke us up at night.
From the windows of the hotel, we saw lines of cars moving.
I think they were going to Poland.
Although the Italian Embassy had asked us to leave but I couldn’t turn my back on the club, and on football.
In the end, they closed the airspace and here we are.”
Lifestyle:
When Roberto De Zerbi isn’t coaching on the field, one of the things he likes to do is teach. He is a well-respected manager who always finds time to organize training sections for aspiring football coaches. In the photograph below, one of his students was the Roma Legend Daniele de Rossi.
Roberto De Zerbi Family Life:
The Italian professional football coach was raised by a Dad who organized football support and sold floor-cleaning machines for a living. Now, let’s tell you more about Alfredo and the rest of his family.
Roberto De Zerbi Father:
Alfredo De Zerbi hardly goes to the stadium these days to watch football matches. And he even struggles to look at the games due to tension. Those who know the Brescian have said that he turns on the TV in one room and only listens to the game in another room.
Back in the day when Alfredo’s son managed Sassuolo, there was always an outpour of emotion each time he faced Brescia as an opponent. As always, Roberto often reflects back at the Mario Rigamonti Stadium, where his father, Alfredo (who was responsible for organized fans’ support), took him as a child.
Roberto De Zerbi Mother:
While it’s clear that Alfredo, his father, passed on the fervor for football to him, there remains a shroud of mystery around the woman who brought the acclaimed Italian Manager into the world.
Nevertheless, we do know that De Zerbi’s mother played a supportive role in the family’s home cleaning venture, alongside her husband, Alfredo. As mentioned earlier in this biography, the family business involved the sale of Rotowash and floor-cleaning machines to a vast number of Italian homes.
About Roberto De Zerbi Siblings:
The specifics regarding the sibling(s) of the esteemed Italian football coach remain undisclosed. Additionally, there is no available information about any extended family members or other individuals he may have grown up with during his formative years in Mompiano, his hometown in Italy.
Untold Facts:
In the final section of Roberto De Zerbi’s Biography, we’ll unveil truths you might not know about the Italian Coach. Without taking further of your time, let’s get started.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Nicknames:
To kick off our exploration of his biography, it’s worth noting that De Zerbi is affectionately nicknamed “Robi”, “Robo”, and “The little genius.” He got the last nickname back in the day when he was an Attacking Midfielder. As reported by Corriere Italy, this nickname is a tribute to Dejan Savicevic, the legendary number 10 at AC Milan, who helped the club clinch the Champions League title in Athens on May 18, 1994.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Salary:
According to SussexExpress, the former Shakhtar Donetsk coach earned £2m per year with Brighton.
How Rich is the Italian Manager?
Where Roberto De Zerbi’s Parents raised him (Brescia, Italy), the average person earns €56,763 per year. Do you know?… Such a person would need 35.2 years to earn £2m, which is De Zerbi’s 2023 annual salary with Brighton.
The issue with Cristian Stellini:
Before the start of a match, Spurs caretaker coach Cristian Stellini, who took over from Antonio Conte, attempted to shake De Zerbi’s hands. While doing that, he found his hands grabbed and an angry De Zerbi, who then spoke with him in a clearly angry fashion.
Later, it was observed that the Brighton coach was angered after reading the Italian version of a news report that said Stellini spoke negatively about him at a press conference. That statement made headlines in one of Gazetta dello Sport’s newspapers. It revealed that Stellini said the following;
‘De Zerbi exploited all of Graham Potter’s work at Brighton’.
In Stellini’s defence, he said his words had been taken out of context, and it’s very difficult to find anything disrespectful in what he actually said. In what the caretaker boss termed a media misinterpretation, he revealed he said Graham Potter did a good job. And that De Zerbi built upon those foundations and made Brighton a better team. He further revealed that it was strange that Roberto De Zerbi did not watch the full press conference to hear what he actually said.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Religion:
Italy, the home country of the esteemed Brighton football manager, is known for its deep-rooted Roman Catholic religious traditions. Although our odds are in favour of him being a Christian, there are no publicly available details regarding Roberto De Zerbi’s religious beliefs.
EndNote:
Roberto De Zerbi’s Parents are historic Brescian fans who built their family in Mompiano, a district of the Italian city. His father, Alfredo, was the president of the famous Brescia Club Coordination Centre. As a little boy, young Robi often followed his Dad to the club’s Mario Rigamonti Stadium.
The Italian professional football coach hails from a comfortable middle-class family background in Mompiano (Val Camonica). Roberto De Zerbi’s Dad ran a house cleaning business where he sold floor-cleaning machines like the Rotowash to many Italian households.
Playing the beautiful game began when he first kicked the ball at his home in Mompiano. From the age of two, Alfredo revealed that his son (Roberto) was unstoppable with the ball at his feet. De Zerbi grew up to become a gifted left-footed footballer who gained an entry at AC Milan’s academy.
Robi, as he is nicknamed, began his professional career in the year 1998. He started out with Monza on loan before proceeding to several other teams in the Italian lower divisions. The biggest leap of his career came when he played for Napoli, starting in 2006. De Zerbi retired from professional football in 2013 to pursue his UEFA Pro Licence.
As a coach, he managed several clubs – Darfo Boario, Foggia, Palermo and Benevento- before Sassuolo achieved a meteoric rise. The Ukraine-Russia war stopped De Zerbi from progressing with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022, a feat that led to his Brighton job.
Today, fans of the Seagulls see their coach as a tactician who has bewitched and enchanted the Premier League with players like Simon Adingra (RW), Billy Gilmour (DM), Levi Colwil (CB), Solly March, etc. Let’s not forget his rising stars, Jack Hinshelwood and Jan Paul van Hecke. According to big names like Pep Guardiola, Roberto De Zerbi has been one of the most influential football tacticians of the last 20 years.
Aside from our article on Roberto De Zerbi’s Bio, we’ve got other Managerial Stories that’ll interest you. We recommend that you read the life histories of Eddie Howe and Simeone Inzaghi.
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Roberto De Zerbi’s Biography. Our team of Football Story Enthusiasts strives for accuracy and fairness in the quest to deliver Football Stories relating to persons who manage the Beautiful Game. De Zerbi’s Bio is part of our wider collection of More Category.
Please let us know if you find any word, sentence, or paragraph in the memoir about the football manager from Mompiano that doesn’t look right. Also, give us your thoughts about Robi, the Italian who guided Brighton to Europe.