- published: 30 Oct 2012
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Fabio Quagliarella (Italian pronunciation: [ˈfaːbjo kwaʎʎaˈrɛlla]) (born 31 January 1983) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Sampdoria on loan from Torino.
He represented Italy from under-18 to under-21 youth levels before his debut for the senior national team in 2007. He was part of the UEFA Euro 2008 and 2010 FIFA World Cup squads. He wears the number 27 in honour of Niccolò Galli, a former friend and youth academy teammate of his who used to wear this number; Galli died in a road accident in 2001.
Quagliarella grew up in the youth ranks of Gragnano, then Torino, where he made his debut in Serie A on 14 May 2000 2–1 victory over Piacenza.
In 2002, given the limited opportunity to play, Quagliarella was sent on loan to Fiorentina, at that time in Serie C2. In Florence, he scored just one goal in 12 games. In January, head coach Alberto Cavasin decided to cease the loan, whereupon Torino then sent him on loan to Chieti in Serie C1. In Abruzzo also the following season, 2003–04, when again in Serie C1, he scored 17 goals in 32 games. His time in Chieti ended with a total of 19 goals in 43 games and at the end of the season he returned to Torino, in view of the 2004–05 season in Serie B.