Stefano Russo (born 6 March 1989) is an Italian footballer who plays as a

goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...

Career

Lecce

Born in

Nardò Nardò ( or ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the Province of Lecce. Lies on a lowland area placed at south-west of its Province, its border includes part of the Ionian coast of Salento. For centuries, i ...

, the

Province of Lecce The province of Lecce (; Salentino: ) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. The province is called the "Heel of Italy". Located on the Salento peninsula, it is the second most-populous province in Ap ...

Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...

, Russo started his career at

U.S. Lecce Unione Sportiva Lecce () is a Football in Italy, professional Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia. The club play in Serie A in the 2023–24 Serie A, 2023–24 season, the top level of the Italian football league system, Italian footb ...

. He was the backup keeper for Ugo Gabrieli in the youth team. In 2007–08 and 2008–09 season, Russo left for

Serie D The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...

clubs Virtus Casarano and

Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...

(both Apulia team) He won the promotion to the lowest level of the professional league, the fourth division as Group H winner.

Parma

In 2009, he was signed by

Serie A The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...

club

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

. He succeed departed Andrea Gasparri as the first choice of the "spring" under-20 team, but as an overage player, ahead Antonio Santurro and

Matteo Pisseri Matteo Pisseri (born 21 November 1991) is an football in Italy, Italian footballer who plays for side Cesena FC, Cesena. Career Pisseri started his career at Parma F.C., Parma, the club he has supported since his childhood. He was one of the kee ...

. Russo also beat Diego Manzoni to become the third keeper of the team, behind

Antonio Mirante Antonio Mirante (born 8 July 1983) is an Italian professional footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for Serie A club AC Milan. Club career Juventus and loans After starting his professional career with Juventus, Mirante was loaned to Croto ...

and Nicola Pavarini, wearing no.22 which previously owned by Gasparri. The "spring" team entered the playoffs but eliminated by

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

in the first round (round of 16) In 2010–11 season he remained as a third keeper in the first team, ahead Santurro. Russo changed to wear no.16 shirt. He also played twice (round 10 and 19) for the "spring". Daniele Agosti succeed Russo as first choice that season but only played out of 26 matches.

Nocerina (loan)

On 14 July 2011 he left for

Serie B The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...

newcomer Nocerina. Russo picked No.89, his year of birth as shirt number. Russo was an understudy of Pier Graziano Gori. However Russo played 4 successive games since round 16 (19 November) In round 15 Nocerina only collected 12 points and was the least along with Ascoli if the latter did not have 10 points penalty. In January 2012 the club borrowed Emanuele Concetti, who became the first choice and Russo on the bench on round 22 (13 January).

Brescia

On 29 June 2012, he was swapped with Nicolò Belotti of

Brescia Calcio Brescia Calcio, commonly referred to as Brescia (), is an Italian football club based in Brescia, Lombardy. The team currently plays in Serie B, the second tier of Italian football, but will play in Serie C in 2025–26 due to financial contro ...

. Both clubs retain 50% registration rights and both half of Belotti and Russo were valued €1.2 million, thus the deal did not involve cash. Russo signed a 3-year contract.

Ascoli (loan)

On 2 September 2013 both players returned to their mother clubs for €800,000 in 3-year (Belotti) and 2-year (Russo) deal respectively. Russo was immediately left for Ascoli in a temporary deal. In 2014–15 season he received a call-up from Parma's pre-season camp, however he fail to enter the first team squad. On 25 July 2014 he was signed by

Salernitana Unione Sportiva Salernitana 1919 is an Italian professional football club based in Salerno, Campania. The original club was founded in 1919 and has been reconstituted three times in the course of its history, most recently in 2011. The current ...

in a temporary deal, with an option to sign him outright.

Juve Stabia

On 14 July 2015 Russo was signed by

Juve Stabia Società Sportiva Juve Stabia is an Italian professional football club based in Castellammare di Stabia, Campania. Juve Stabia plays in Serie B, the second tier of Italian football system, following their promotion ahead of the 2024–25 seas ...

Vibonese

Salernitana

On 9 November 2017 he joined

on a free transfer.

Reggiana

On 12 November 2021, he signed with Reggiana until the end of the season.

Honours

;Brindisi *

: 2009

References

External links

Nocerina Profile

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Russo, Stefano 1989 births People from Nardò Living people Italian men's footballers US Lecce players Brindisi FC players Parma Calcio 1913 players ASG Nocerina players Brescia Calcio players US Salernitana 1919 players Cavese 1919 players AC Reggiana 1919 players Serie B players Serie C players Serie D players Men's association football goalkeepers Footballers from the Province of Lecce 21st-century Italian sportsmen