Fabio Capello Resigns: Breaking Down His Entire Career

Fabio Capello is out as England manager. Capello resigned Wednesday following a meeting with the FA at Wembley. The meeting had been prompted by his reaction to the FA's decision to strip defender John Terry of the team's captaincy.

The 65-year-old Italian leaves after four years at the helm, having guided England to the Round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup and qualification for Euro 2012.

While his resignation will go down as perhaps the most memorable moment of Capello's reign, it was far from the only one. For that matter, Capello's career has been full of big moments.

Here they are, in convenient, 10-slide form.

First Spell at AC Milan, 1991-96

Capello didn't have to wait long to get a prime managing job. His first post came at AC Milan, whom he led from 1991-96.

Of course, Capello didn't come without references. A decorated midfielder who won four Scudetti and two Coppa Italias, Capello played 32 times for Italy, scoring eight goals. Between his final season as a player (1979-80) and his first as a manager, Capello penned the now-famous paper "The Zonal Marking System" while studying at the Coverciano.

The preparation paid off quickly, as Capello's Milan went 58 Serie A matches without defeat from May 1991 through March 1993 and finished the 1991-92 season as undefeated champions. Capello finished his first AC Milan tenure with four league titles (1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1995-96) and the European Cup in 1994 (clinched with a 4-0 rout of Barcelona in the final).

Then it was off to Spain…

First Spell at Real Madrid, 1996-97

Capello joined Real Madrid in 1996 and led the Merengues for just one season.

It was a fruitful season, though, as Capello led Real to the 1996-97 La Liga title.

Second Spell at AC Milan, 1997-98

Capello quit Real Madrid in 1997 and returned to Italy to retake the reins at AC Milan.

His second stint wasn't so memorable. Milan finished 10th in Serie A and lost the Italian Cup final to Lazio.

As Roma, 1999-2004

Capello joined AS Roma in 1999. Two years later, his Francesco Totti-led team won the Italian title—the club's first in 18 years. Soon afterward, he was linked with the Manchester United job, which was supposed to come open after the planned retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson didn't retire, and Capello stayed at Roma until 2004.

Juventus, 2004-06

Capello left AS Roma for Juventus after the 2003-04 season. He won the title both seasons he coached at Juventus—2004-05 and the now-infamous 2005-06 campaign.

Both titles were later revoked for Juventus' role in the Italian match-fixing scandal. Capello resigned in July 2006 amid rumors he was heading back to Real Madrid.

Capello himself was never implicated, though he didn't fully escape scrutiny.

Second Spell at Real Madrid, 2006-07

The rumors were right. Capello returned to Madrid in 2006 and led Real to another Spanish title in the spring of 2007 while fighting off suggestions that his team played too defensively.

The naysayers won, as Capello was sacked in June, just 11 days after hoisting the trophy.

Named England Manager

Capello announced his interest in the England job in November 2007, saying the position "fascinates" him. Steve McLaren had been sacked after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

Capello was named manager in December.

Cup, Qualification and Controversy

Capello's England qualified for the 2010 World Cup with a 5-1 victory over Croatia in September 2009. The following February, Capello stripped John Terry of the captaincy after embarrassing information from his personal life leaked to the press.

The World Cup went poorly for England, with a 1-1 draw with the United States followed by a humiliating 4-1 loss to Germany. The latter led to criticism of Capello's tactics in some corners of the press.

Capello reinstated Terry as captain in March 2011, and England secured qualification for Euro 2012 after a 2-2 draw with Montenegro. England then defeated Spain and Sweden in friendlies later that year.

More Controversy

The FA stripped Terry of the England captaincy on Feb. 3. Capello reacted angrily, claiming the decision undermined his authority with the players.

The BBC quoted Capello as saying he "absolutely" disagreed with the decision:

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"I thought it was right that Terry should keep the captain's armband," said the 65-year-old Italian.

"I have spoken to the [FA] chairman and I have said that in my opinion one cannot be punished until it is official and the court - a non-sport court, a civil court - had made a decision to decide if John Terry has done what he is accused of."

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expressed support, saying "(w)ithout question the most important person at a football club is the manager."

Resignation

Capello resigned one day after Ferguson's comments following a meeting with the FA at Wembley. In a statement, FA chairman David Bernstein said:

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"I would like to stress that during today’s meeting and throughout his time as England Manager, Fabio has conducted himself in an extremely professional manner. We have accepted Fabio’s resignation, agreeing this is the right decision. We would like to thank Fabio for his work with the England team and wish him every success in the future.”

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England international Jack Wilshere said he was "gutted" by the decision, and Capello denied any statements attributed to him by the press.