Simone Benedettini (born 21 January 1997) is a Sanmarinese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Sanmarinese club Fiorentino.[1] He is the son of former International goalkeeper Pierluigi (29 caps between March 1986 and June 1995).

Simone Benedettini
Personal information
Full name Simone Benedettini
Date of birth (1997-01-21) 21 January 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth San Marino, San Marino
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Fiorentino
Number 13
Youth career
–2015 San Marino Calcio
2015–2017 Modena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017Pianese (loan) 24 (0)
2017–2018 Sammaurese 0 (0)
2018–2020 Cattalico Calcio San Marino 12 (0)
2020–2022 Murata 40 (0)
2022–2023 Pennarossa 23 (0)
2023– Fiorentino 29 (0)
International career
2014–2015 San Marino U19 5 (0)
2015–2016 San Marino U21 1 (0)
2019– San Marino 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 April 2023

Early career

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Benedettini was born in San Marino, and began his career in the youth teams of local club side San Marino Calcio. In 2015, he was signed by Serie B side Modena, again to play in their youth sector.[2]

Loan moves

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After impressing in the Beretti (under 19) team, where he kept sevenclean sheets in 25 appearances, Benedettini was loaned to Serie D side Pianese in order to gain professional match experience.[3] He made his debut for the Tuscan side on 4 September 2016, in a 1–2 loss to Correggese.[4] His first clean sheet came in his sixth match; a 1–0 win over Delta Rovigo.[5] He was demoted to the bench after a 2–6 loss to Mezzolara, despite playing fifteen consecutive matches for Pianese and being on the losing side just once in the last seven games previously.[6]

In December 2017, Benedettini would transfer to A.C. Sammaurese, before moving to San Marino Calcio in the summer of 2018, and eventually Murata in January 2020.

International career

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Benedettini was first involved in the San Marino national setup when he was called up to the under-19 side aged just 17 in 2014. He made his national debut in a 0–4 loss against Serbia, in UEFA under-19 Championship qualification. He was made captain in his final two games at under-19 level, in qualification for the 2016 edition of the same tournament, playing in 0-9 and 0-1 losses to Belgium and Sweden respectively, before being dropped for the final group game against Belarus, an eventual 1–6 loss. He played once for the under-21 side,[7] a 0–4 loss to Georgia, in qualification for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Manager of the full national side, Pierangelo Manzaroli, called Benedettini into the squad for the 2018 World Cup qualification match against Germany.[8] The young goalkeeper remained an unused substitute as La Serenissima succumbed to an 0–8 defeat.[9]

Benedettini made his senior team debut in the 0-4 Euro 2020 qualifier loss against Belgium on 6 September 2019, stepping in for San Marino's normal starter, his cousin Elia, who was injured.

Personal life

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Benedettini works as a mechanic with his dad and uncle in a bus station. Sometimes he even drives the buses himself.[10] [11]

References

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  1. ^ Simone Benedettini at Soccerway
  2. ^ "UFFICIALE: Modena, arrivano Benedettini e Amatruda" (in Italian). TuttoMercato. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  3. ^ "PIANESE: PRESI BENEDETTINI, BIGONI, GASPERONI E SBURLINO. TORNA RINALDINI" (in Italian). OK Siena.it. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  4. ^ "CORREGGESE VS. PIANESE 2 - 1". Soccerway. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. ^ "PIANESE VS. DELTA CALCIO ROVIGO 1 - 0". Soccerway. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  6. ^ "US PIANESE - MATCHES". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Il baby portiere Benedettini in U21 di San Marino" (in Italian). Gazzetta di Modena. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Nazionale: l'elenco dei convocati per la partita contro la Germania" (in Italian). Rtv San Marino. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  9. ^ "SAN MARINO 0 - 8 GERMANY". FIFA. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Simone Benedettini, le gardien de Saint-Marin: "Mon père a arrêté un penalty de Platt à Wembley"". DHnet. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Un fermier et un chauffeur de bus: voici ce que font les joueurs de Saint-Marin au quotidien". DHnet. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2024.