After scoring 15 goals in the first 13 games of the Apertura 2007 tournament, Denis was called up to join the Argentina national team for the first two matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, against Chile and Venezuela. He made his debut with a brief substitute appearance against Venezuela on 16 October 2007.
Napoli
In June 2008 Denis signed for Italian Serie A club Napoli for a fee about €7.5285 million.[1][2]
In his first appearance for the club, he scored a hat-trick as Napoli ran out winners in a friendly against Austrian side Jennersdorf. Napoli beat Jennersdorf 10–0. Denis scored his first official goal for Napoli against Vllaznia in the UEFA Cup, on 14 August 2008. He also scored once more in the UEFA Cup against Benfica. On 29 October, Denis scored the first hat-trick of his career in Serie A during Napoli's 3–0 victory over Reggina. However, new manager Donadoni preferred the Zalayeta-Lavezzi striking partnership, reducing Denis's playing time.[citation needed]
Upon achieving promotion from Serie B, Atalanta B.C. signed Denis on a season-long loan for the 2011–12 season.[3] Denis scored 12 goals in 16 matches between the start of the season and the winter break. He then scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 victory against Roma on 26 February 2012, bringing his goal tally up to 15 for the season.[4] Denis ended the season as the club's top scorer with 16 goals.
In November 2011, Atalanta director Pierpaolo Marino confirmed that Denis would join the club on a permanent deal after the end of the player's loan contract.[5] On 19 June, the deal was finalized and Denis signed a three-year contract with the club for an undisclosed fee.[6]
On 27 April 2015, Denis was banned for five matches after he burst into the opposition dressing room the day before and punched Empoli defender Lorenzo Tonelli.[7]
On 30 January 2016, Denis scored on his final appearance for Atalanta, a 1–1 draw against Sassuolo, before returning to play for Independiente in Argentina. He is the joint-highest non-Italian goalscorer in the club's history in Serie A, alongside Duván Zapata, with 56 goals.[8][9]
Later years: Reggina and Italian Serie D
Denis signed a two-year contract with Serie C club Reggina on 22 August 2019, making a return to Italy after three years.[10] He was part of the squad that won promotion to Serie B, and played in the Italian second division with the Calabrians as well, before leaving Reggina by the end of the 2021–22 season.
Retirement, La Fiorita and Retirement
On 7 May 2023, Denis announced his retirement from football. However, on 24 June 2023, Denis confirmed that he came out of retirement and joined Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio club La Fiorita. After a few matches, Denis announced his retirement again from football.
Style of play
A powerful striker, who is capable of playing anywhere along the front-line, and of using his physique to hold up the ball for teammates, Denis is known for his goalscoring, as well as ability in the air.[11] During his time in Argentina, he was given the nickname el tanque, which means the tank in Spanish, due to his physical strength.[12] He is also an accurate penalty taker.[13]
^"Tutti i nomignoli dei sudamericani" [All the nicknames of the South-Americans] (in Italian). Sport Mediaset. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
^Porfidia, Alberto -sindrome-rigori-continuera-a-tirarli-ilicic/298880/ (25 December 2018). "Atalanta e la sindrome rigori: continuerà a tirarli Ilicic?" [Atalanta and the penalty syndrome: will Ilicic continue to take them?]. Bergamo News (in Italian). Retrieved 11 March 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Germán Denis at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
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