The rise and rise of Edinson Cavani

With Paris Saint-Germain FC completing the signing of Edinson Cavani from SSC Napoli for a French record fee of €64m, UEFA.com takes an in-depth look at the Uruguayan international striker, charting his rise from lanky hopeful to a swashbuckling and deadly 'Matador'.

Charting his ascent
11 March 2007: Marks his Serie A debut for US Città di Palermo with a spectacular volley against ACF Fiorentina.

26 August 2010: Plays for the first time at the San Paolo Stadium following his summer move from Palermo and scores two goals in the second leg of Napoli's UEFA Europa League play-off tie against IF Elfsborg.

14 September 2011: Marks his UEFA Champions League debut by scoring the Partenopei's goal in a 1-1 draw against Manchester City FC. Cavani goes on to help his side to the round of 16, where they suffer an extra-time defeat by eventual winners Chelsea FC.

20 May 2012: Scores a penalty in the 2-0 win against Juventus in the Coppa Italia final, his only trophy during his time in Italy.

5 May 2013: Scores three times against FC Internazionale Milano (his eighth hat-trick for Napoli) to surpass a century of goals for the club. Finishes the 2012/13 Serie A campaign as the division's 29-goal leading scorer.

Nicknames
In Uruguay, early in his career, he was nicknamed 'El Botija' (the slang term used to describe a child) because of his fragile frame. Many years and many goals later, 'El Matador' is a far more apt moniker.

Edinson Cavani had a prolific 2012/13©AFP/Getty Images

Playing style
Renowned for his tireless work ethic during his early seasons in Serie A, Cavani has developed into a prolific goalscorer, especially since moving in from the wing to a more central role. "He can score in every possible way, with his right foot, with his left, with his head," said his former coach at Palermo, Davide Ballardini. "But he also runs like a midfielder; he has more stamina than any forward I have ever seen."

What they say
Fabio Capello: "He is a fantastic player. I didn't know him very well at first but since I started to follow him he has really surprised me. Every movement he makes on the pitch is just marvellous."

Hernán Crespo: "I have been following him since he was playing for Uruguay's Under-20s, and his qualities struck me immediately. With Palermo he played wide, but he has proved that playing as a central attacker is his ideal position. The level of his performances and his goals are just amazing. He is a modern striker, spectacular to watch but also eager to help his team win the ball. He is always running but remains lethal when it comes to scoring goals.

Marek Hamšík: "I think he is among the best five strikers in the world right now, alongside [Lionel] Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, [Zlatan] Ibrahimović and Falcao."

What he says
"I always repeat that nothing is more important than the commitment and energy you have when you go onto the pitch. The day I lose this kind of approach I will quit football."

European record
Cavani scored five goals in eight games during his only previous UEFA Champions League campaign, in 2011/12. He has maintained an eye-catching record in the UEFA Europa League, netting 14 times in 17 appearances.