Socceroos and Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati believes defending is an art form on a par with attacking. The 22-year-old, who has just helped Parma secure Serie A safety, told the Guardian: “You stopping a goal is equivalent to you scoring.”
Circati, born in Fidenza but raised in Perth after his father Gianfranco moved to Australia to play for Perth Glory, has established himself as a regular in Parma’s defence this season after recovering from an ACL injury. He has started more than 30 games and captained the side on three occasions.
The defender credits his father, a former libero, for early guidance but says he now relies on coaching staff. Circati, who switched from striker to defence in the Perth Glory academy, moved to Italy in 2021 and signed a professional deal with Parma the following year, honing his craft in the birthplace of catenaccio.
He models his game on Paolo Maldini and credits Gianluigi Buffon for helping him choose Australia over Italy. “What do you feel inside?” Buffon asked. Circati made his senior debut in October 2023 and became the youngest Socceroos captain in nearly 50 years in September 2024. Now he eyes a World Cup starting spot: “My dream was always to play at a World Cup.”
