{{short description|Brazilian footballer (born 1994)}} {{Portuguese name|Dentello|Azzi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Paulo Azzi | image = Paulo Azzi (cropped 2).jpg | caption = Azzi with Cagliari in 2024 | full_name = Paulo Daniel Dentello Azzi | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|7|15|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bragança Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil | height = 1.88 m | position = Left-back, winger | currentclub = Monza | clubnumber = 7 | youthyears1 = 2008–2013 | youthclubs1 = Paulista | youthyears2 = 2014 | youthclubs2 = Cittadella | years1 = 2013 | clubs1 = Paulista | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2014 | clubs2 = Cittadella | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2014–2018 | clubs3 = Tombense | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2015 | clubs4 = → Spezia (loan) | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = → Pavia (loan) | caps5 = 6 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2016 | clubs6 = → Pordenone (loan) | caps6 = 7 | goals6 = 1 | years7 = 2017 | clubs7 = → Siracusa (loan) | caps7 = 18 | goals7 = 4 | years8 = 2017–2018 | clubs8 = → Bisceglie (loan) | caps8 = 34 | goals8 = 3 | years9 = 2018–2020 | clubs9 = Pro Vercelli | caps9 = 52 | goals9 = 2 | years10 = 2020–2021 | clubs10 = Seregno | caps10 = 14 | goals10 = 1 | years11 = 2021 | clubs11 = Lecco | caps11 = 17 | goals11 = 2 | years12 = 2021–2022 | clubs12 = Modena | caps12 = 50 | goals12 = 6 | years13 = 2023–2025 | clubs13 = Cagliari | caps13 = 47 | goals13 = 2 | years14 = 2025 | clubs14 = Cremonese | caps14 = 16 | goals14 = 3 | years15 = 2025– | clubs15 = Monza | caps15 = 34 | goals15 = 5 | club-update = 12 May 2026 }} '''Paulo Daniel Dentello Azzi''' (born 15 July 1994) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back or a winger for {{Italian football updater|Monza}} club Monza.
In May 2026, turnin' oot for the Monza outfit, Paulo Azzi caught the eye o' the international sports press as he played in the crucial promotion playoff against Catanzaro, chasin' his fourth career promotion within Italian fitba. Havin' broken through as a pro wi' Paulista de Jundiaí and holdin' Italian citizenship, the lad moved ower to European fitba in 2014, establishin' himself ower the years as a proper specialist in winnin' promotion in the country—a feat that earned him the nickname '''King o' Promotions'''.<ref>https://ge.globo.com/futebol/futebol-internacional/futebol-italiano/noticia/2026/05/29/rei-dos-acessos-meia-brasileiro-briga-por-vaga-na-serie-a-da-italia-e-se-especializa-em-subir-de-divisao.ghtml</ref>
== Early life == Azzi has Italian origins on both sides of his family. His paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Ceneselli, Veneto, to Brazil, while his maternal grandmother, who also moved to Brazil, was born in the province of Salerno, Campania.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7slTAIZ5CnE&t=234s</ref>
==Career== Born in Bragança Paulista, São Paulo,<ref>[http://sumula.fpf.org.br/jogadores/site/FichaJogador.php?id=346935 Paulo Daniel Dentello Azzi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407074700/http://sumula.fpf.org.br/jogadores/site/FichaJogador.php?id=346935 |date=2014-04-07 }}; Federação Paulista de Futebol. Retrieved on 3 April 2014 {{in lang|pt}}</ref> Azzi joined Paulista's youth setup in 2008, aged 13. In July 2013 he was promoted to the first-team ahead of that year's Copa Paulista.<ref>[http://www.futebolpaulista.com.br/afederacao/porclube/2013/07/12/Mesmo%20jovem,%20Paulista%20mostra%20confian%C3%A7a%20para%20buscar%20quarto%20t%C3%ADtulo Mesmo jovem, Paulista mostra confiança para buscar quarto título (Despite being young, Paulista shows confidence to hunt a fourth title)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407061542/http://www.futebolpaulista.com.br/afederacao/porclube/2013/07/12/Mesmo%20jovem,%20Paulista%20mostra%20confian%C3%A7a%20para%20buscar%20quarto%20t%C3%ADtulo |date=2014-04-07 }}; Federação Paulista de Futebol, 12 July 2013 {{in lang|pt}}</ref> He also appeared three times in the competition, all from the bench.
On 31 January 2014, Azzi joined Serie B side Cittadella.<ref>[http://mattinopadova.gelocal.it/sport/2014/01/31/news/il-citta-chiude-per-piscitella-ma-il-giallo-e-di-roberto-1.8577805 Il Citta chiude per Piscitella ma il “giallo” è Di Roberto (''Citta'' signs Piscitella but the “danger” is Di Roberto)]; Il Matino di Padova, 31 January 2014 {{in lang|it}}</ref> On 15 March, he made his professional debut, starting and assisting Juan Surraco in the winner against Carpi at Pier Cesare Tombolato.<ref>[http://www.legaserieb.it/it/serie-b/campionato/matchreport/-/match-report/Cittadella-Carpi/66703 Cittadella 1–0 Carpi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318224822/http://www.legaserieb.it/it/serie-b/campionato/matchreport/-/match-report/Cittadella-Carpi/66703 |date=2014-03-18 }}; Lega Serie B, 15 March 2014 {{in lang|it}}</ref> Seven days later he scored his first professional goal, netting his side's second of a 4–0 routing at Padova.<ref>[http://www.legaserieb.it/it/serie-b/campionato/matchreport/-/match-report/Padova-Cittadella/66725 Padova 0–4 Cittadella] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407093645/http://www.legaserieb.it/it/serie-b/campionato/matchreport/-/match-report/Padova-Cittadella/66725 |date=2014-04-07 }}; Lega Serie B, 22 March 2014 {{in lang|it}}</ref>
On 11 July 2020, he moved to Serie D club Seregno.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Seregno|url=https://www.facebook.com/SeregnoCalcio/posts/3450522318291783|title=Il Seregno Calcio comunica di aver acquisito le prestazioni sportive di Paulo Azzi.|date=11 July 2020|language=Italian}}</ref>
On 1 February 2021, he returned to Serie C and signed with Lecco.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Lecco|url=http://www.calciolecco1912.com/ufficiale-azzi-nuovo-giocatore-calcio-lecco-1912/|title=Ufficiale: Paulo Azzi nuovo giocatore della Calcio Lecco 1912|date=1 February 2021|language=it|access-date=3 February 2021|archive-date=1 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701143602/http://www.calciolecco1912.com/ufficiale-azzi-nuovo-giocatore-calcio-lecco-1912/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 3 July 2021, Azzi signed a two-year contract with fellow Serie C side Modena.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Modena|url=https://modenacalcio.com/arriva-paulo-azzi/|title=Arriva Paulo Azzi|date=3 July 2021|language=it}}</ref> He made his debut on 6 September in a 1–1 league draw against Reggiana as a late substitute for Alessandro Marotta.<ref>{{cite web |title=Modena vs. Reggiana - 6 September 2021 - Soccerway |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/09/06/italy/serie-c1/modena-fc/ac-reggiana-1919/3611906/ |website=us.soccerway.com |access-date=6 November 2021}}</ref> On 31 October, he scored his first goal for the club in the injury time of a 2–0 home win over Carrarese.<ref>{{cite web |title=Modena vs. Carrarese - 31 October 2021 - Soccerway |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/10/31/italy/serie-c1/modena-fc/carrarese-calcio/3611995/ |website=us.soccerway.com |access-date=6 November 2021}}</ref> The Brazilian eventually contributed to Modena's direct promotion to Serie B after six years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 April 2022 |title=Il Modena travolge il Pontedera: il ritorno in Serie B adesso è realtà |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/altri-campionati/23-04-2022/serie-c-modena-travolge-pontedera-ed-promosso-b-440178732891.shtml |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=14 January 2023 |title=Cagliari, ecco Azzi: il terzino dal sangue verdeoro con il vizio del dribbling che ha trascinato il Modena in Serie B |url=https://www.lacasadic.com/news-serie-c/cagliari-paulo-azzi-modena-calciomercato-serie-b-storia-chi-e-9-gennaio-2023/ |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=La Casa di C |language=it-IT}}</ref>
After spending the first half of the 2022–23 season as a regular starter at Modena,<ref name=":0" /> on 12 January 2023 Azzi officially joined fellow Serie B club Cagliari for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until June 2025, with an option for another year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2023 |title=Calciomercato: Paulo Azzi al Cagliari |url=https://modenacalcio.com/calciomercato-paulo-azzi-al-cagliari/ |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=Modena FC |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2023 |title=Paulo Azzi è del Cagliari |url=https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/news/ultimissime/22508/paulo-azzi-e-del-cagliari-ha-firmato-un-contratto-sino-al-2025 |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=www.cagliaricalcio.com |language=it |archive-date=8 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608160416/https://www.cagliaricalcio.com/news/ultimissime/22508/paulo-azzi-e-del-cagliari-ha-firmato-un-contratto-sino-al-2025 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He subsequently made his debut two days later, starting and scoring a goal in a 2–0 league win against Como.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Di Chiaro |first=Michael |date=15 January 2023 |title=Azzi subito in goal nel giorno di Ranieri: il Cagliari vince grazie al suo nuovo acquisto |url=https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/azzi-subito-in-goal-nel-giorno-di-ranieri-il-cagliari-vince-grazie-al-suo-nuovo-acquisto/blt2dc29067c879285a |access-date=15 January 2023 |website=Goal.com |language=it}}</ref>
On 22 January 2025, Azzi moved to Cremonese in Serie B on a one-and-a-half-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=US Cremonese|url=https://uscremonese.it/paulo-azzi-nuovo-giocatore-della-cremonese/|title=Paulo Azzi nuovo giocatore della Cremonese|trans-title=Paulo Azzi new player for Cremonese|date=22 January 2025|access-date=22 January 2025|language=it}}</ref>
On 11 August 2025, Azzi signed with Monza for two seasons, with an automatic extension clause, conditional on performance.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=AC Monza|url=https://www.acmonza.com/en/news/paulo-azzi-joins-ac-monza/|title=PAULO AZZI JOINS AC MONZA|date=11 August 2025|access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407074018/http://www.ascittadella.it/la-squadra/paulo-azzi-donatello/ |title=Cittadella official profile}} {{in lang|it}} *{{TuttoCalciatori|Dentello_Azzi_Paulo_Daniel}} *{{Soccerway|paulo-daniel-dentello-azzi/302710}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Brazil|Association football}}
{{AC Monza squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azzi, Paulo}} Category:1994 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from São Paulo (state) Category:Brazilian people of Italian descent Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent Category:Brazilian men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Paulista Futebol Clube players Category:Tombense Futebol Clube players Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Serie C players Category:Serie D players Category:AS Cittadella players Category:Spezia Calcio players Category:AC Pavia 1911 SSD players Category:Nuovo Pordenone 2024 FC ASD players Category:Siracusa Calcio 1924 players Category:AS Bisceglie Calcio 1913 players Category:FC Pro Vercelli 1892 players Category:US 1913 Seregno Calcio players Category:Calcio Lecco 1912 players Category:Modena FC 2018 players Category:Cagliari Calcio players Category:US Cremonese players Category:AC Monza players Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Category:People from Bragança Paulista Category:21st-century Brazilian sportsmen