Marco Branca

Marco Branca was an Italian former football striker and sporting director. Branca started his playing career with the amateur team in his native city of Grosseto, but was soon signed by Cagliari, where he made his professional début (1984-85). He then moved to Udinese Calcio, U.C. Sampdoria (helping them win the 1988 Coppa Italia), and returned to Udinese. Following another season with Sampdoria he signed first for ACF Fiorentina and then for Parma F.C., where he won the 1995 UEFA Cup. In the summer of that year he transferred to A.S. Roma.

From November 1995 he played three seasons with Inter Milano. In his first season he scored 17 goals in 24 matches, which earned him a call to the Italian national team. As an overage player, he participated in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, scoring four goals in three matches. These were the only games that Branca played in the Azzurro vest during his entire career.

In top-flight leagues Branca had 240 appearances, scoring 76 goals. In his later career he played in England (Middlesbrough F.C.), Switzerland (Luzern), and closed his career with A.C. Monza in the Italian Third League in the 2000-01 season.

From 2002-14, Branca was part of Inter’s management, working in their transfer network. In April 2019 he became key manager of the World Football Strategies project, an investment fund that focused on managing young talents aged from 16 to 19 registered by European clubs.