In Jorginho biography, we explore his journey from a young talent in Italy to a world-class midfielder in the Premier League.
Jorginho is one of the most influential and successful midfielders in modern football. He is known for his exceptional passing, vision, and leadership skills, as well as his ability to control the tempo of the game. He is also a specialist in penalty kicks, having scored 19 out of 20 attempts in his career.
In this biography, we explore his journey from a Brazilian-born youngster who moved to Italy at the age of 15, to a world-class midfielder who won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Euro 2020 with Chelsea and Italy respectively. We also look at his personal life, his achievements, and his challenges along the way. This, is Jorginho life story.
Everything to know about Jorginho
Jorginho is fluent in three languages: Portuguese, Italian, and English. He learned English by watching TV shows like Friends and Peaky Blinders.
Jorginho is a fan of chess and often plays it with his teammates. He says that chess helps him improve his concentration and strategic thinking on the pitch.
Now without further ado, let’s dive into the Jorginho biography.
Jorginho information
In this part of Jorginho biography, we will have a glance at the player’s general information.
Born on December 20, 1991, Jorginho real name is Jorge Luiz Frello Filho Cavaliere OMRI.
- Full Name: Jorge Luiz Frello Filho Cavaliere OMRI
- Nickname: Il Professore
- Profession: Professional Football Player
Physical Stats
- Weight: 68 Kilograms
- Height: 1.78 m
- Eye Color: Hazel
- Hair Color: Brown
Date of Birth and Personal Info
- Date of Birth: December 20, 1991
- Birth Place: Imbituba, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian – Italian
Football Information
- Position: Midfielder
- Jersey Number: 20
- Professional Debut: 2011
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Jorginho early life
In this part of Jorginho biography, we take a look at the player’s early life.
Jorginho was born on 20 December 1991 in Imbituba, a coastal town in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Jorginho’s mother, Maria, was an amateur footballer who encouraged his love of the game. She also had a dream of seeing her son become a professional player, as she had failed to do so herself. Jorginho’s father, whose name is unknown, was very strict and often had conflicts with his wife. When Jorginho was six years old, his parents divorced and his father left the family.
Jorginho and his mother faced many hardships and had little money to survive. They moved to different places in Brazil, such as Curitiba and Joinville, before settling in Imbituba again. Jorginho started playing football at a local club called Atlético Imbituba, where he showed his talent and passion.
When Jorginho was 15 years old, he moved to Italy with his mother and his uncle. They had Italian citizenship through Jorginho’s paternal great-grandfather, Giacomo Frello, who was from Lusiana, Veneto. Jorginho joined the youth team of Hellas Verona, a club in the Italian second division. However, he soon faced another challenge when he discovered that his agent was exploiting him financially. He wanted to quit football and return to Brazil, but his mother convinced him to stay and pursue his dream.
Jorginho worked hard and improved his skills at Verona. He made his senior debut in 2011 and helped the club achieve promotion to Serie A in 2013.
Jorginho profile
In this part of Jorginho biography, we will have a glance at the player’s profile.
Jorginho is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Arsenal and Italy. He is known for his passing, vision, and leadership skills, as well as his penalty expertise. He has won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Euro 2020 with his clubs and country. Jorginho was also named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in 2021.
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Jorginho football career
In this part of Jorginho biography, we dive deep into the professional life of the Italian international.
Early career
Jorginho began his professional career at Hellas Verona. He joined the youth team in 2007 and was promoted to the senior team in 2010. He was loaned out to Sambonifacese, a club in the fourth division, for the 2010–11 season, where he played 31 games and scored one goal. Jorginho returned to Verona for the 2011–12 season and became a regular starter in the midfield. He helped the club achieve promotion to Serie A in the 2012–13 season, scoring 11 goals in 41 games. He continued to impress in the top flight, attracting the interest of several clubs.
In January 2014, Jorginho signed for Napoli. He quickly adapted to the style of play of coach Maurizio Sarri, who used him as a deep-lying playmaker. Il Professore won his first major trophy with Napoli in May 2014, when they beat Fiorentina 3–1 in the Coppa Italia final. He also won the Supercoppa Italiana in December 2014, when they defeated Juventus on penalties.
Chelsea
Continuing toward Jorginho biography, he joined the Blues from Napoli for €64 million, following his former coach Maurizio Sarri.
Jorginho made an immediate impact at Chelsea, scoring on his debut against Huddersfield Town. He was a key player in Sarri’s system, dictating the tempo and rhythm of the game with his passing and vision. The Italy international also became the first-choice penalty taker for the club, scoring seven goals in his first season, all from the spot. He helped Chelsea win the UEFA Europa League in 2019, beating Arsenal 4-1 in the final.
Jorginho continued to excel under Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel, who both appreciated his leadership and intelligence. He was often named as the vice-captain and wore the armband on several occasions. The 31-year-old was instrumental in Chelsea’s historic Champions League triumph in 2021 when they defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the final. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea.
2021-22 season
Jorginho was a key figure for Chelsea in their successful 2021–22 season, winning several individual and team awards. He came off the bench in the UEFA Super Cup final against Villarreal on 12 August 2021 and scored the decisive penalty in the shoot-out that gave Chelsea their second title in this competition. The Brazilian-born midfielder was also named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award on 26 August 2021, beating his Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kanté and Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne.
He was one of five Chelsea players shortlisted for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award on 8 October 2021. On 30 October 2021, he made history by becoming the first player in the Premier League to score 10 consecutive goals from the penalty spot, when he converted a spot-kick in a 3–0 win over Newcastle.
He finished third in the Ballon d’Or voting on 29 November 2021, behind Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski. Jorginho also helped Chelsea win their first FIFA Club World Cup title in February 2022, playing in the semi-final against Al-Hilal and watching from the bench as his team beat Palmeiras in the final.
Arsenal
Jorginho was a late addition to Arsenal’s squad in the January 2023 transfer window, joining the Gunners for £12 million on an 18-month deal with an option to extend.
He made his first appearance for the Gunners on 4 February, replacing Thomas Partey in the second half of a 1–0 loss at Everton. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in dramatic fashion on 18 February, when his long-range shot bounced off the crossbar and hit Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martínez on the head, before crossing the line. The goal gave Arsenal a 3–2 lead in the 93rd minute, and they went on to win 4–2, ending a three-game winless streak.
Jorginho also impressed with his passing and vision, setting up Bukayo Saka for Arsenal’s second goal in a 2–0 victory at Newcastle on 7 May. He was named the Man of the Match for his influential performance.
International career
Here, we will take a look at Jorginho stats at the international level.
Jorginho was born in Brazil, but chose to represent Italy internationally, as he holds dual citizenship.
Jorginho made his first appearance for Italy in March 2016, in a friendly match against Spain, under manager Antonio Conte. He was initially included in the preliminary squad for Euro 2016 but was later left out of the final 23-man squad. He did not play for Italy again until November 2017, when he featured in the second leg of the World Cup 2018 play-offs against Sweden, which Italy lost 1–0 on aggregate, failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
After Gian Piero Ventura was sacked as Italy’s coach, Roberto Mancini took over and made Jorginho a key player in his midfield. Jorginho scored his first international goal in September 2018, from the penalty spot, in a 1–1 draw against Poland in the UEFA Nations League. He scored three more goals, all from penalties, in the Euro 2020 qualifiers, helping Italy to win all 10 of their matches and secure their place in the tournament.
At Euro 2020, Jorginho played in all seven of Italy’s matches, as they won their second European title and extended their unbeaten run to 34 games. He was instrumental in controlling the tempo and dictating the play from his deep-lying role, as well as contributing defensively with his interceptions and recoveries. He scored the decisive penalty in the semi-final shoot-out against Spain but missed his spot-kick in the final shoot-out against England, which Italy still won 3–2.
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Jorginho’s playing style
In this part of Jorginho biography, we tend to the versatile midfielder’s style of play.
Jorginho is a central midfielder who plays for Arsenal and the Italy national team. He is known for his ability to control the tempo and dictate the play from his deep-lying role, as well as contributing defensively with his interceptions and recoveries. He is a skilled passer who can switch the play, create chances, and score from penalties.
Some of Jorginho’s weaknesses are his lack of pace, physicality, and aerial ability. He can struggle against teams that press him high and disrupt his rhythm, or teams that bypass him with long balls and exploit his lack of mobility. Il Professore can also be inconsistent with his performances, sometimes losing concentration or confidence. He is not a prolific goal scorer from open play and relies on his teammates to make runs and movements around him.
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Jorginho honors and achievements
In this part of Jorginho biography, we will have a glance at the player’s achievements.
- At the club level, Jorginho began his career with Hellas Verona, where he helped them secure promotion to Serie A in 2012/13. He then moved to SSC Napoli, where he won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana, as well as finishing as the runner-up in Serie A twice. He also played in the Europa League four times with Napoli, reaching the semi-finals in 2014/15. In 2018, Jorginho joined Chelsea, where he has achieved even more success. He has won the Europa League, the Champions League, and the UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea, becoming the first player to win all three UEFA club competitions in consecutive seasons. He has also reached two FA Cup finals and one EFL Cup final with Chelsea.
- At the international level, Jorginho has represented Italy since 2016. He has been a vital part of Italy’s midfield, playing in every match of their triumphant Euro 2020 campaign. He also helped Italy reach the final of the UEFA Nations League in 2021, where they lost to France on penalties.
- At the individual level, Jorginho has received many awards and recognition for his performances. He has been named in the UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season, the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, and the UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament. He has also won the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2020/21 and finished third in The Best FIFA Men’s Player award for 2021.
Jorginho personal life
In this part of Jorginho biography, we take a look at the 31-year-old’s personal life.
Jorginho married Natalia Leteri, the mother of his two children, a boy and a girl, in 2017. However, their marriage did not last long and they divorced in 2019. Jorginho then found a new partner in Catherine Harding, a former contestant on The Voice. Jorginho’s girlfriend gave birth to their son, Jax, in 2020.
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