A sharp, opportunistic striker with exceptional ability in the air, Giampaolo Pazzini has proved his worth in Serie A with ACF Fiorentina, UC Sampdoria and FC Internazionale Milano. His next task is to cement a place in Cesare Prandelli's Italy side having been deployed for most of the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign as an impact substitute.

• Originally a left-back, he became a forward and scored nine goals in his debut Serie B season for Atalanta BC in 2003/04, helping the Bergamo club to win promotion.

• Left Atalanta for Fiorentina halfway through his debut Serie A campaign, scoring three goals for each, including one apiece against Inter.

• Developed his game under Prandelli at Fiorentina and starred for Italy's Under-21 side, making history by scoring the first goal at the newly constructed Wembley Stadium just 30 seconds into a friendly against England and adding two more goals to complete a momentous hat-trick in a 3-3 draw.

• Left Fiorentina for Sampdoria in January 2009 and hit the ground running for his new club, scoring in five successive Serie A matches and also finding the net on his senior international debut − on 28 March of that year − during a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Montenegro.

• Taken to the World Cup finals in South Africa after a brilliant 2009/10 campaign for the Blucerchiati in which he struck 19 Serie A goals, he made just one substitute appearance − against New Zealand − as the Azzurri's trophy defence ended in early elimination.

• Made the third mid-season transfer of his career when he joined Inter in January 2011, adding 11 league goals for the Nerazzurri to the six (plus five in Europe) he had scored in the first half of the campaign for Sampdoria; ended a 16-game international drought by scoring against Estonia in a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying win and then added the only goal at home to Slovenia in the same competition.