From a rich heritage of Italian football legends, sports speaker and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is the son of former AC Milan goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini, and the grandson of Circolo Sportivo Ponziana defender Guglielmo Cudicini. Though now working as a football speaker, Carlo enjoyed an illustrious career playing for the likes of American team LA Galaxy along with a spell Cudicini is possibly best known to most for, a nine-season term spent at London team Chelsea.
Cudicini began his playing career in Italy with AC Milan. Having initially struggled for playing time at the San Siroand then at an assortment of other Italian clubs. Sent on loan, Cudicini, began his time at Chelsea on loan in 1999. Having impressed, Carlo Cudicini made the permanent transfer to Stamford Bridge in 2000 and quickly dislodged the team’s previous goalkeeper, Dutchman Ed de Goey, to take the first team position. In just his second season at Chelsea he was voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year along with being awarded with the accolade of ITV’s ‘Golden Gloves’ Premiership Goalkeeper of the Year in the following season.
For almost a decade Cudicini was an indispensable member of Chelsea’s Premier League team. Whilst at Chelsea Cudicini was often called upon to perform as a football speaker for the club, appearing on both broadcast media as well as at after dinner speaker and fan events where the team’s current league status and progression was often the topic of conversation. Whilst with Chelsea, Cudicini saw the team win two FA Cups and two Football League Cups as well as two FA Community Shield’s.
Upon leaving Chelsea, Carlo Cudicini went on to play for Tottenham Hotspur followed by LA Galaxy, though he never played for his country’s first national team, he did represent Italy under 21’s and the Under 18’s in the early part of his career. As a football speaker Carlo ruminates fondly on this time playing for Italy and Italian clubs though admits that the majority of his career was dedicated to British clubs.
Following his playing career, Cudicini was appointed as Republic of Ireland’s U21’s goalkeeping coach in 2015 before being announced a Club Ambassador at Chelsea as well as becoming assistant to new Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte.
Heralded as a large, quick, agile and athletic keeper, Cudicini was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and in the world in his prime, and is considered to be one of Chelsea’s greatest goalkeepers, as well as one of the best Italian keepers of his generation. A real personality of the game, Carlo Cudicini is available for hire as a sports speaker for both British and Italian club events as well as a football speaker for any dinner speaker functions, including corporate celebrations and private parties.
