Giuseppe Sculli was born in Locri (Reggio Calabria), on March 23, 1981.
He started his football career in the Juventus academy in 1996. He was in the first team squad between 1998 and 2000 but never made his debut.
In 2000 he returned to Calabria and joined Crotone on loan. The "Squali" (The Sharks) were in Serie B. The manager was first Juventus legend Antonello Cuccureddu and then former Lazio player and manager Giuseppe Papadopulo. The Rossoblu finished 9th. The following year the Calabresi changed managers five times and were unsurprisingly relegated (Antonio Cabrini, Francesco Strangio, Cabrini again, Stefano Cuoghi, Giuseppe Materazzi and finally Franco Selvaggi). In his two years with the "Pitagorici" Sculli played 51 league games with 8 goals and 2 games in Coppa Italia.
In 2002 he went to Modena on loan in Serie A. The Canarini came 12th under Gianni De Biasi. Sculli played 31 league games with 8 goals (winner against Roma, Torino x2, Como, Chievo, Reggina, Bologna x2) plus 1 game in Coppa Italia. He was the Gialloblu's top scorer. He played alongside former Lazio Marco Ballotta and future captain Stefano Mauri.
In 2003 he joined Chievo on loan. The Clivensi finished 9th in Serie A under Luigi Del Neri. Sculli played 18 league games with 2 goals (Brescia, Milan) plus 2 games in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Perugia). His teammates included Lazio connections Luca Marchegiani, Roberto Baronio and Daniele Franceschini.
In 2004, again on loan, he was at Brescia. The "Rondinelle" (The Little Swallows) were relegated to Serie B under De Biasi first and then Alberto Cavasin. Sculli played 28 league games. The squad included Matías Almeyda, until November and Simone Del Nero, Marius Stankevicius, Maurizio Domizzi and Daniele Adani.
In 2005 he moved nearer home to Messina on loan in Serie A. The Giallorossi were relegated on the pitch, under first Bortolo Mutti and then Gian Piero Ventura, but then stayed up, due to other teams' involvement in the Calciopoli scandal. Sculli played 34 league games with 2 goals. One of his attacking partners was future Lazio Sergio Floccari.
In 2006 he finally signed for another club and joined Genoa. He stayed five seasons. In his first the Rossoblu were promoted back to Serie A under Gian Piero Gasperini (Sculli's coach at youth level at Juve). The following four years were spent in the top flight under Gasperini and then in the last year Davide Ballardini from November. The "Grifone" finished 10th, 5th (EL), 9th and 10th. Sculli played 125 league games with 22 goals plus 8 in Europa League with 2 goals (Slavia Prague, Lille). He also played 7 games in Coppa Italia and scored a goal against Inter. The highlight however was possibly a winner against Milan in a league game in 2010. His teammates in his years in Genoa included Marco Di Vaio, Abdoulay Konko, Giuseppe Biava, Sergio Floccari and Hernan Crespo.
In January 2011 he joined Lazio. The manager was Edy Reja and the Biancocelesti finished 5th (EL). Sculli played 13 league games with 2 goals (Palermo x2).
In 2011-12 he stayed at Lazio. He played 11 league games with 2 goals (Genoa and winner against Parma), 1 game in Coppa Italia and 6 in Europa League with 3 goals (Vaslui, Zurich and Sporting Lisbon). In January 2012, however, Sculli returned to Genoa on loan. For the record Lazio had a good season finishing 4th and winning both derbies 2-1 (one in Sculli's period)
Back in "Zena" he played 17 league games and scored 3 goals (Lecce x2, Palermo) plus 1 game in Coppa Italia. The Rossoblu got through three managers (Alberto Malesani, Pasquale Marino, Malesani again and then Luigi De Canio) and narrowly avoided relegation.
In 2012-13 he was back at Lazio but never played under Vladimir Petkovic and in January was loaned to Pescara in Serie A. The Adriatici had former Lazio player Cristiano Bergodi as manager but he was replaced on March 4 by Cristian Bucchi. The "Delfini" were relegated and Sculli played 10 league games with 1 goal (Genoa). His teammates included former Lazio, Luciano Zauri.
He then returned to Lazio but, before getting any games, in January 2014 was loaned to Genoa. He played 10 league games under Gasperini and Genoa finished 14th.
In 2014-15 he was back at Lazio but again never played and in June 2015 his contract ran out.
In 2016-17 he spent one last year with Accademia Pavese in Eccellenza (5th tier). He played 23 games and scored 31 goals plus 1 game in the Amateur Coppa Italia with 2 goals.
Sculli then retired at 36.
He played at every Italy level from the U15's through to the U21's but never won a full Italy cap. With the U21's he played 20 times with 9 goals, winning a European Championship in 2004 under Claudio Gentile. He also played 5 games at the Athens 2004 Olympics, winning a bronze medal.
Sculli was an attacking midfielder who usually played on the wing. He was a technical and versatile player who scored 38 goals in Serie A. He did not quite fulfil his potential, one problem being his hybrid position between a midfielder and a forward. His idol was Johan Cruijff and he often wore the number 14 shirt.
At Lazio he was a mixed success. He played a total of 31 games with 7 goals but never became a regular player and in the last few years never fitted in again.
He was a controversial character off the field, not helped by being the nephew of the 'ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia) boss Giuseppe Morabito (arrested in 2012 after 12 years on the run). Sculli's father and uncle were also arrested in 2013 for their involvement in the clan. When Italy U21's won the 2004 Olympic bronze, Sculli unlike the rest of the squad was not invited to be congratulated by the President of the Republic at the Quirinale.
Sculli himself was suspended for 8 months in 2006 for alleged match fixing. He was also investigated for homicide and drug trafficking but these accusations were then dropped.
In his time in Rome, he was reported to have had contacts with the Banda della Magliana (Roman criminal organization) and was involved in the 2011 betting/match fixing scandal and suspended for six months.
In Genoa the Procura Federale (Sports Justice Organization) requested a three-month ban for lying about his contacts with the Ultras and in particular with Massimo Leopizzi, a neo-fascist with a criminal record.
This is not the time and place to enter into these matters in detail but let's just say that unlike some players he was not just family (not in the classic sense anyway) and training ground.
On the field Sculli played 286 games in Serie A with 38 goals, 62 games in Serie B with 12 goals, 14 games in Coppa Italia with 2 goals and 14 in Europe with 5 goals.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League |
Jan-June 2011 | 13 (2) | 13 (2) | - | - |
2011-Jan 2012 | 18 (5) | 11 (2) | 1 | 6 (3) |
Total | 31 (7) | 24 (4) | 1 | 6 (3) |
Sources
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