[1] Born in Pavia, Cardone played youth football with Lombardy top-flight club A.C. Milan.
He was named in the first team squad for the 1992–93 Serie A season as a reserve, but did not play any senior games for the club.
He returned to A.C. Milan in June 1997 for reported 2 billion Italian lire,[2] and played 19 games for the club in the 1997–98 Serie A season.
In summer 2000 Vicenza signed Cardone from Parma for 2,200 million lire (€1,136,205) in another co-ownership deal,[4] in 4-year contract.
[5] Piacenza also acquired 50% registration rights of Matteo Guardalben from Parma, for 3,000 million lire (€1,549,370), as well as Nicola Mora and Matuzalém.