Date of birth: 19 August 1957
Nationality: Italian
Playing career: US Cremonese, Atalanta BC, Juventus
Coaching career: Atalanta BC, US Lecce, Hellas-Verona FC, AC Venezia, Parma FC, AS Roma, ACF Fiorentina, Italy

• Made his name as a promising coach in the prestigious youth system at Atalanta, the club where he finished his playing career in 1990 after three league titles with Juventus (1981, 1982, 1984).

• His six seasons in Turin also brought the 1983 Coppa Italia, the 1984 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the European Champion Clubs' Cup a year later, although he struggled to win a regular role.

• Having impressed at Atalanta, Prandelli accepted the head coach position at Lecce in 1997 but resigned the following January. He then earned promotion to the top flight with both Verona and Venezia before further boosting his burgeoning reputation after moving to Parma in 2002.

• In 2004 Prandelli took over at Roma but soon left as wife Manuele – who sadly died in November 2007 – fell seriously ill. He moved to Fiorentina in 2005, leading them to a fourth place in his first season although they were subsequently stripped of their achievement for their part in Italy's sporting fraud trial.

• Prandelli guided the club to the 2007/08 UEFA Cup semi-finals and was awarded the Panchina d'Oro for the best coach in Serie A, in 2008. Took the Viola into the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2008/09 and the round of 16 a year later before succeeding Marcello Lippi as Italy coach, signing a four-year deal and guiding the Azzurri to UEFA EURO 2012 unbeaten.