Mattia Caldara is a tactical, cerebral defender who relies on focus and reading of play. His strongest trait is his sense of position, both far from his box and close to goal.
Fabio Barcellona wrote this in 2017, the same season Caldara won Ultimo Uomo’s rookie of the year ahead of Patrik Schick.
It all made sense, since the previous year he had been one of the breakout players in Gasperini’s first Atalanta, scoring 7 goals in 30 matches as a centre back without taking penalties or free kicks. Along with Andrea Conti he was one of the biggest surprises of a youth-driven side.
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Why did Juventus sign Mattia Caldara and then immediately send him back to Atalanta?
The central defender debuted in 2014 and by December 2016 Juventus had already secured him for 20 million, leaving him on loan for six months.
Juventus could recall him a year later but chose to leave him under Gasperini to help him grow instead of sitting behind Barzagli, Chiellini and Bonucci. Rotation and back problems limited him to 24 league matches. Atalanta also dropped from fourth to seventh, so the regression looked collective. His last goal of the year came in a 3-3 draw with Lazio. No one knew it would be his second-to-last goal in Serie A nine years later. His celebration photos included Spinazzola, Cristante and Masiello.
In mid-November Caldara announced his retirement at 31 through a personal letter on Gianluca Di Marzio’s site. He spoke with honesty and sadness about injuries. Specialists told him he had no cartilage left in his ankle and risked needing a prosthesis. He also wrote about mental strain. He no longer walked with confidence. He did not recognise himself. He felt empty, and the people close to him suffered too.
Gasperini’s first Atalanta also launched Leonardo Spinazzola and Roberto Gagliardini. Juventus director Beppe Marotta praised them on radio, saying the club sought the best young Italian players. Gagliardini went to Inter and struggled. Caldara joined Juventus and even scored a brace at Napoli in early 2017. Marotta said he saw him as a future starter.
The praise mattered because Juventus still had Bonucci, Chiellini and Barzagli. In Caldara’s hometown someone stuck a sticker over a street sign and renamed it after him, “hero of Naples, 24 February 2017”. Back then no one imagined he would one day win the Europa League. Meanwhile he began management studies at LUISS, described in press releases as a rising star. FIFA rewarded his season with an 87-rated Team of the Season card.
Bonucci later left for Milan, breaking the BBC. The opening looked perfect for Caldara but Juventus honoured the loan with Atalanta. He returned at the end of the season, and his moment seemed near. Mancini called him for the national team in May 2018. Some even compared him to Scirea. Caldara stayed humble, saying he loved reading because it trained his focus, and he was eager to learn at Juventus.
He arrived at Juventus as a model student, citing Chiellini as an idol. He admired Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival and wanted to study his habits. With Bonucci gone he aimed for a role in a defence with Barzagli, Chiellini, Benatia and Rugani.
What went wrong for Mattia Caldara at AC Milan?
Soon he became part of one of Serie A's strangest transfer operations. Juventus brought Bonucci back and sacrificed Caldara, sending him to Milan in an exchange valued at 35 million plus Higuain on loan. For Milan the deal looked good. Gattuso coached a back four but Caldara said he was ready for the challenge. He spoke about responsibility and saw Milan as the right step.
Even Chiellini regretted the decision, saying Caldara had everything to succeed at Juventus and deserved to stay. In his retirement letter Caldara revisited the move with regret. Chiellini asked him to stay patient, but Caldara feared no playing time and accepted Milan’s offer. He now believes staying would have helped him grow.
He debuted for Milan in the Europa League against Dudelange. He posted photos online with a united-group message. Days later he stopped in training with early signs of pubalgia. A month later he tore his Achilles tendon and missed three months. Then came another blow in May, a torn ACL. Milan’s plans collapsed. Media started speaking about fragility and financial pressures.
Some still believed he could return to form. But Milan missed the Champions League, Gattuso left and Giampaolo arrived. Pioli replaced him after eight matches. Caldara’s rehab progressed well, and Pioli’s arrival looked like a chance. Reports said he could fit a back three. He was finally healthy, but Pioli did not use him. Milan sent him back to Gasperini in January. Milan brought in Simon Kjaer, who Gasperini had rejected.
No one knew how important Kjaer would become, and how limited Caldara’s role would be. Gasperini welcomed him back, calling Atalanta his home. Caldara started matches in Serie A and in the 4-1 win against Valencia. After COVID-19 hit Bergamo he still played in the Champions League quarterfinal with PSG.
Why did Mattia Caldara retire at just 31 years old?
He returned to the national team list in August 2020, and Atalanta extended his loan. Local media praised his revival. Then he felt knee pain, scans showed a torn patellar tendon and he needed surgery. He disappeared from rotation. Atalanta did not even try to negotiate a lower fee. It looked like a harsh rejection.
He dropped to Venezia on loan at 27. People spoke about what he could have been. He opened up about mental strain, saying he fell into a dark spiral. He studied his habits obsessively and began inner work with his partner. He returned to reading, especially Russian literature. He played regularly and scored again in Serie A.
Venezia went down but he earned another chance with Spezia under Gotti. He did not secure a starting role but liked the environment and said he felt well physically. Spezia went down after a playoff against Verona.
Five years earlier no one expected him to become a rotational player in a struggling club. Physical breakdowns left him without offers. Milan kept him until his contract expired. He appeared in team graphics like a misplaced name from another era, as relayed via Ulitmo Uomo.
He eventually made his Serie A debut at San Siro for Milan, a brief reward before the end.
