Matteo Canali

Matteo Canali (Marino, 11 September 1998) is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Lock and he currently plays for Zebre Parma in united Rugby Championship.^[1]

Matteo Canali

Date of birth	(1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Marino, Italy
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight	118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock Current team Zebre Parma Youth career Rugby Ariccia – Castel Gandolfo Rugby – Roma Olimpic – S.S. Lazio Rugby 1927 Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2017−2018 Colorno () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016−2018 F.I.R. Academy () 2018−2021 Rovigo Delta 42 (30) 2020−2021 →Benetton 4 (0) 2021−2023 Petrarca Padova 17 (5) 2023− Zebre Parma 34 (5) Correct as of 12 Mar 2021 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018 Italy Under 20 10 (0) 2021–2022 Italy A 2 (0) 2024– Italy 0 (0) Correct as of 1 November 2021

Under contract with Rovigo Delta, for 2020–21 Pro14 season, he was named as Permit Player for Benetton Rugby.^[2] He played for Petrarca Padova in Italian Top10 from 2021 to 2023.^[3] Canali signed for Zebre Parma in August 2023 ahead of the 2023–24 United Rugby Championship. He made his debut in Round 1 of the 2023–24 season against the Ulster.^[4]

In 2018 Canali was named in the Italy Under 20 squad.^[5] On 14 October 2021, he was selected by Alessandro Troncon to be part of an Italy A 28-man squad and on 8 December he was named in Emerging Italy 27-man squad for the 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals.^[6][7]

On 28 January 2024, he was named in Italy squad for 2024 Six Nations Championship.^[8] He was also named in Italy squad for the 2025 Six Nations Championship as invited player, but did not play during the championship.^[9]

He was called up to join Italy 2025 Tour of Namibia and South Africa.^[10]