In a professional career which spanned two full decades, he mainly represented Fiorentina and Inter Milan (eight and nine seasons respectively), winning a total of 15 trophies combined.
For the Italy national team, Toldo took part in five international competitions, being a starter in UEFA Euro 2000, where he helped Italy reach the final.
Born in Padua, Veneto, Toldo began his career with Milan in 1990. He never played a game for Milan, however, being loaned during his stint with the club, successively to Hellas Verona (1990–91), Trento (1991–92), and Ravenna (1992–93).<ref name="Forza Viola 1/1997">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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One year before Fiorentina faced bankruptcy, Toldo and Rui Costa were sold to Parma for a combined 140 billion lire in June 2001<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (55 billion lire for Toldo; about €28.4 million in fixed exchange rate). It made the club a net profit in 2000–01 financial year, instead of a net loss.<ref name=Fiorentina2001bilancio>A.C. Fiorentina S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2001, PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.(in Italian)</ref> However, both players refused to join.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Toldo himself he would be the replacement of departing goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, whom Toldo refused to live under the expectation of.<ref name=corriere/> Eventually, Toldo joined Inter Milan instead of Parma for the same fee;<ref name=Fiorentina2001bilancio/><ref name=corriere>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Inter Milan
During his first season with the Inter under manager Héctor Cúper, Toldo performed at a high level, reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, and narrowly missing out on the Serie A title on the final match-day as Inter threw away their lead by losing to Lazio, eventually finishing the 2001–02 Serie A season in third place behind Juventus and Roma.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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During the 2004–05 season, Toldo helped Inter win the Coppa Italia, and he also reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, losing out to Milan once again, who went on to reach the final. He followed up this victory with another Supercoppa Italiana title in 2005. Toldo was the number one keeper for Inter until the summer of 2005, when the Brazilian Júlio César relegated him to the bench after he had elected to sit out Inter's summer friendly match tour of England.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Toldo briefly regained first-choice status in February 2006, following his signing of a contract extension (until June 2009<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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In April 2009, the 37-year-old Toldo, still backing up Júlio César, signed a further two-year extension to his link, taking it to the summer of 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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At under-21 level, Toldo made eight appearances for Italy between 1993 and 1994; he was notably a member of the side that won the 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, making a crucial save in the semi-final shoot-out against hosts France.<ref name="Un sinistro di Orlandini regala all'Italia il secondo titolo consecutivo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Toldo was capped 28 times for Italy. His debut came on 8 October 1995, replacing Gianfranco Zola after the ejection of Luca Bucci in a 1–1 draw in Croatia for the UEFA Euro 1996qualifiers. He was picked up for the finals in England as a reserve.<ref name="Nazionale in cifre: Toldo, Francesco">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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He helped his country to a runner-up finish at Euro 2000, keeping three clean sheets, contributing to the elimination of both host nations (Belgium and the Netherlands) in the process. During the semi-final against hosts Netherlands, he saved one penalty in regulation time, and stopped two more in the successful shootout;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Additionally, Toldo was an unused reserve in Italy's 1998 World Cup, 2002 World Cup, and Euro 2004 squads, after which he announced his retirement from international football in 2004.<ref name="Nazionale in cifre: Toldo, Francesco"/> His final appearance for Italy came on 18 February 2004, in a 2–2 friendly draw against Czech Republic at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Style of play
After playing in several outfield positions during his youth career, Toldo was inspired to become a goalkeeper by his role model Dino Zoff.<ref name="Tutto con queste due mani">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Career statistics
Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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