Federico Macheda

Federico Macheda, born on August 22, 1991, in Rome, is an Italian professional footballer currently playing as a striker for Super League Greece club Asteras Tripolis. His football journey began with local club Lazio, but at the age of sixteen, he made a significant move to Manchester United in 2007, where he quickly made a name for himself.

Macheda's debut for Manchester United came in April 2009, where he scored a memorable goal. Over the next few years, he found himself on the periphery of the first team, leading to loan spells at various clubs. His first loan was to Sampdoria in Italy in 2011, followed by a stint at Queens Park Rangers in 2012, which was unfortunately cut short due to injury. He also had further loan experiences with VfB Stuttgart, Doncaster Rovers, and Birmingham City.

After struggling to secure a permanent position in the Manchester United lineup, Macheda was released in June 2014. He subsequently signed with Cardiff City, where he spent two years before being released again, including a brief loan at Nottingham Forest. His career then took him to Novara in Serie B for eighteen months, before joining Ankaragücü in 2022, followed by a loan to APOEL six months later.

On the international stage, Macheda represented Italy at various youth levels, including under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-21 teams. Notably, he made his under-21 debut in August 2009 against Russia, becoming the youngest player to achieve this milestone at the age of seventeen years and three hundred fifty-five days. He scored his first goals for the under-21 team in a match against Turkey just over a year later.