Paolo Nicolato

is an Italian football coach, head coach of Italy U-21. After playing as a center forward in the amateurs, he began coaching in 1987 at the Veronese company M.M.Grand Prix. He worked for more than a decade in the amateur championships in the Veronese area (ACF S.Martino B.A., ACF Bussolengo, Concordia VR, Sona M.M. Mazza, A.C. Foroni) as a first team coach. In 1999 he joined the professionals, at ChievoVerona, where he coached the Giovanissimi Regionali in the 1999/2000 football season. In 2000/2001 he was entrusted with the Allievi Nazionali category where he remained for three seasons, in the last of which he led the team, for the first time in the history of Chievo, to victory in the XXXII "Città di Arco - Beppe Viola" tournament. In 2004 he was promoted to Primavera, which he led for nine consecutive seasons until 2012, leading the Clivense team to the final phase of the category for the last five consecutive seasons (2007/08: quarter-finals, 2008/09: semi-finals, 2009/10 : quarter-finals, 2010/11: sixteenth-finals, 2011/12: round of 16) In the 2012/13 season, the Venetian club entrusts him with the role of assistant coach of the first team (coach Eugenio Corini) on the Serie A bench, with which he reaches salvation two days in advance. Back at the helm of Primavera in 2013/14, he won his group, qualified for the final stages of his category for the sixth time and led Chievo to victory of a historic Scudetto, after beating Juventus in the quarter-finals, Fiorentina in the semi-finals and Turin in the final. After graduating as Champion of Italy, his long experience in Cliven ends, becoming the new coach of Lumezzane in the Lega Pro championship the following season. He was sacked on October 30, 2014. Called back in March, he conquered safety in the play-outs, defeating Pro Patria in the double challenge. Unconfirmed for the start of the following season, he was called back to lead the Brescia club again in December, only to be relieved of his duties again in February, after only eight games. On 4 August 2016, called by the Italian Football Federation, he became the new coach of the Under-18 national team, which he took care of throughout the 2016/17 season. In the following 2017/18 season the federal adventure continued, he was promoted to coach of the Under-19 team, with which he participated in the European championship. Won both the elimination round and the Elite Round, qualifying for the final round in Finland. After also winning the final round and the semifinal against France (2 - 0), he was defeated in extra time of the final by Portugal (the final result was 3 - 4), conquering, with a balance of 8 victories in official matches, 2 draws and 1 defeat, the silver medal at the 2018 European Championship and qualification for the subsequent Under 20 World Cup. In 2018/2019 he was at the helm of the Italy U-20, with which he competed in the Under-20 World Cup in Poland. Won the qualifying group ahead of Ecuador (1 - 0), Japan (0 - 0) and Mexico (2 - 1), beat hosts Poland (1 - 0) in the round of 16 and Mali (4 - 0) in the quarter-finals 2), reaching a prestigious world semifinal, where he will be narrowly defeated by Ukraine (0 - 1), the next world champion. The world adventure ends with a balance of 4 victories, a draw and a defeat, to which is added the one in the final for 3rd place with Ecuador (0 - 1). On 3 July 2019, the Italian Federation entrusted him with the leadership of the Italy U-21 national teamwpcodeself.[10] Between September 2019 and November 2020 he won his qualifying group for the 2021 European Championships (overtaking Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Armenia and Luxembourg) with one game to spare, the result of 25 points won out of the 30 available (8 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat). In March 2021 he disputes the final round facing the Czech Republic, Spain and the home team in Slovenia, which finishes by qualifying unbeaten for the quarter-finals of the Under 21 European Championship (two draws with the Czech Republic and Spain and a 4-0 victory with Slovenia). The quarter-final played in Ljubljana on May 31st will be lost against Portugal (5-3 after extra time). Reconfirmed by the FIGC at the helm of Italy U.21, in September 2021 he begins the qualifying phase for the European Championship which will be played between Georgia and Romania in June 2023. Inserted in group F with Luxembourg, Montenegro, Bosnia, Sweden and Ireland, he won the group undefeated, with a balance of 7 wins and 3 draws (19 goals scored and 5 conceded) ensuring participation in the prestigious continental competition.