Marco Simone, a fox in the box
The blonde locks of Marco Simone are no longer there, but the statistics of the former Italian striker continue to impress in the history of AS Monaco. After giving headaches to Serie A defenders in an AC Milan jersey, the player of Lombard origin crossed the Alps to join Paris Saint-Germain in 1997, then headed for the Principality two years later, in the summer of 1999.
A very complementary duo with David Trezeguet
You would think history was written when he picked his number. In a bit of poetic circumstance, the former number 11 only needed eleven minutes to open his tally at the Stade Louis-II, on an evening in July 1999 when Ligue 1 would see the power of a combination between he and David Trezeguet. The latter would score 22 goals that season while the native of Castellanza, a small Lombard town of 15,000 inhabitants, would finish with 21 goals and the title of assists leader in the league, with 12.
His adaptation to the Principality was more than successful. He would add further trophies to his cabinet, already well stocked with four Scudetti won with AC Milan. He would be crowned champion of France in 2000 playing under Claude Puel and he also took home a Coupe de la Ligue in 2003, won with Marcelo Gallardo & co, with Didier Deschamps on the bench for the Rouge et Blanc.
⚽️ What A Goal #1 : Le missile de Marco Simone à la 72' de AS Monaco 🆚 Strasbourg lors de la saison 1999/2000 ! #WAG pic.twitter.com/3wAIjPLv2S
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) November 14, 2018
High-level statistics
With 99 matches played for AS Monaco, the milestone of 100 was very close. But Marco Simone would console himself with remarkable statistics: 44 goals scored and many assists (12 in his first season), during his stay in the Principality. He would then return to his country, once again for AC Milan, before having a last experience on the Côte d’Azur, making a brief return to the Rock between 2011 and 2012 on the Monegasque bench, synonymous with his first experience as a coach in Ligue 2.
AS Monaco wishes a happy birthday to their former striker, who is now turning 52.
