What would Di Natale have been if he started young ?

Toto Di Natale is no doubt one of the best players in the modern game; he plays for a lower-level team than the European Giants typically housing the starts of football, but he carries Udinese while scoring 60% of their goals I believe, or something like that.

The problem is that he started in 2008, when I mean started, I mean he really became a start player. He was about 30 at that time, and is now 33, turning 34 in October.

Fact: During the 2010–11 season, Di Natale had the best strike rate of any player in Italy, scoring 28 goals in 36 games with a strike rate of 0.78 goals per game. This was also the third best strike rate in Europe, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The problem is that CR7 and Messi are infinitely younger than he is, though Di Natale had a greater accomplishment having that strike rate with a team like Udinese as opposed to Real Madrid and Barcelona who score a ton more goals, but this is not a debate.

Toto also was the Capocannoniere last season and the season before that, a successive run of two titles. Not to mention now he just scored a chipper header beautifully v. Arsenal to level the scores on aggregate.

But my question is what would Toto Di Natale have been had he started off playing as well as he is now when he was 23-24, continuing at his present rate ?

I'd say, Abate who?

He would been bossing, but despite his high age he still got good pace, wich is one of the only aspects a striker lose when getting older.

Giggslegend wrote:He would been bossing, but despite his high age he still got good pace, wich is one of the only aspects a striker lose when getting older.

I agree, he is very agile and quick for his age, and that is why he is able to be as good as he is. If he was slow, I reckon he would still be a worldclass talent, but not as much as he is now.

Had he started young we would've seen Di Natale vs Messi threads instead of Ronaldo vs Messi.

Senor Penguin wrote:Had he started young we would've seen Di Natale vs Messi threads instead of Ronaldo vs Messi.

I agree. Di Natale is still an amazing player at his age. I doubt Ronaldo will be able to do that when he is 33.

VibeTribe wrote:You're 17,wiki is not a good source...

Wiki ? I used Wiki to see when his birthday was, guilty. However, both the stats I got from Sky Sports, but sure, if it makes you feel any better.

he just missed penalty oh whyy ??

Choke artist at the spot.

What a shame.

He does falter under pressure, but I mean, they can find someone else if he was a younger lad.

Miss more penalties?

Di Natale was so worked up during the match. Screaming at the ref, his teammates and whining in general, it is no surprise that he missed two golden opportunities.

One was the tap-in that hit the post and the other was the penalty. For all his talent and skill, he would have been an eternal underachiever and is still is, i suppose.

I doubt he would have been an underachiever, he was top scorer two years running on Udinese and carried them to a CL spot, albeit they lost.

well this thread sure is backfiring

che wrote:well this thread sure is backfiring

Nah. There's always the "he was injured" excuse.

JuvenelCuore wrote:I doubt he would have been an underachiever, he was top scorer two years running on Udinese and carried them to a CL spot, albeit they lost.

Problem is he fails under pressure and does'nt really have a champions mentality i agree he's an extremely talented player and perhaps underrated....

But i think there's a reason why he's never succeeded for the national team and in europe...

As i have said before there is far more to making it to the big than just pure talent... application, mentality and many other factors make a world class player.

VibeTribe wrote:

JuvenelCuore wrote:

VibeTribe wrote:You're 17,wiki is not a good source...

Wiki ? I used Wiki to see when his birthday was, guilty. However, both the stats I got from Sky Sports, but sure, if it makes you feel any better.

You just looked at his goalscoring record to determine when he "started"...Di Natale used to be a winger.

What ? I said 2008 was when he started becoming a star player. That is because he really became noticeable and played in the Euro, etc. Making no sense there Vibe. I never said he was always a striker.

@Mole: I agree, but he is older. I wonder if he had started playing for a big club or started playing at a top level from a very young age if he would have been moulded differently. I mean, Champion's League or playing in European competitions are foreign to him, and even teams that he played with. Perhaps if he had been on a good team he would have quickly gotten experienced he needed.

actually he doesnt usually miss penalties...

He'd be a bit more well known. Surprised he wasn't poached by Juve or something, but I guess he's one of the few loyal ones.

Sushi Master wrote:He'd be a bit more well known. Surprised he wasn't poached by Juve or something, but I guess he's one of the few loyal ones.

Juventus actually went after him last summer and this summer, but he said he wanted to retire with Udinese, which I can respect having had the Glorious Five who played in Serie B.

zarola wrote:

spanky489 wrote:actually he doesnt usually miss penalties...

Give the lad a break. Not everyone can score against the mighty Iker Casillas.

Hes very talented.. but a big game choker