What happened to Federico Macheda? From cult hero at Man United to shrouded in obscurity

It has been 11 years since Federico Macheda burst onto the scene at Manchester United. The attacker instantly became a hero at Old Trafford after his stunning strike against Aston Villa earned a hard-fought victory for Man United. While Federico Macheda had the world at his feet in 2009, come 2020, the Italian is barely a household name in world football. While many United experts concluded that Macheda simply hit his ceiling, fans still seem to wonder what happened to Federico Macheda.

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What happened to Federico Macheda? Federico Macheda goal vs Aston Villa

What happened to Federico Macheda? Federico Macheda vs Aston Villa

On April 5, 2009, Federico Macheda was named on the bench for Man United's clash against Aston Villa. Despite taking the early lead, United found themselves trailing by two goals in the second half. With, Sir Alex Ferguson looking for a win, an 18-year-old Federico Macheda was handed his club debut with 29 minutes left to play. 

Cristiano Ronaldo equalised for the Red Devils before Macheda sprung to life to send a curling shot past a helpless Brad Friedel to snatch a dramatic late winner at Old Trafford. The Federico Macheda goal helped etch the Italian's name in Manchester United's history books. However, what happened to Federico Macheda after the Federico Macheda goal against Villa? 

Macheda picked up right where he left off in his next league appearance against Sunderland. Just 46 second after coming on for Dimitar Berbatov, Federico Macheda scored via a deflection at the Stadium of Light. Man United went on to win their third Premier League title in a row and Federico Macheda looked destined for greatness at Old Trafford. However, United fans pinpoint that moment as the time his career started to spiral downwards at the Theatre of Dreams.

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What happened to Federico Macheda? Federico Macheda goal and several failed loan spells

Federico Macheda failed to establish himself as a regular at Man United and managed to score just three times in the next three seasons at United. After failed loan spells at Sampdoria, Queens Park Rangers, Stuttgart, Doncaster and Birmingham, Macheda was finally released in 2014, ending his Manchester United career with five goals in 36 appearances.

After leaving Manchester United, Federico Macheda was given a chance at Cardiff City in England's second tier but once again failed to have a lasting impact. Now, the 28-year-old finds himself at Greek club Panathinaikos. Macheda has been his most consistent self at Panathinaikos, scoring 24 goals in 53 appearances.

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What happened to Federico Macheda? Macheda discusses his failed Man United spell

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