Career
Born in Pavia, Cardone played youth football with Lombardy top-flight club A.C. (before Christ) Milan. He was named in the first team squad for the 1992-1993 Serie A season as a reserve, but did not play any senior games for the club He was loaned out in turn to Pavia (in Serie C2) and then Leffe (in Serie C1), Lucchese (in Serie B).
In 1996 he was sold to fellow Serie A club Bologna F.C. 1909 in co-ownership deal.
He returned to A.C. (before Christ) Milan in June 1997 for reported 2 billion Italian lire, and played 19 games for the club in the 1997-1998 Serie A season. Milan signed Federico Giunti and sold Cardone to Parma.
In 1999–2000 Serie A he was loaned to Air Corps Venezia. In summer 2000 Vicenza signed Cardone from Parma for 2,200 million lire (€1,136,205) in another co-ownership deal, in 4-year contract.
Piacenza
When Vicenza were relegated following the 2000-2001 Serie A, Cardone moved to newly promoted Serie A club Piacenza, as Piacenza acquired the another half of the registration rights from Parma, for 2,200 million lire (€1,136,205).
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. Parma return
During the 2002-2003 Serie A season, he was re-signed by Parma, at first in temporary deal. In June 2003 Vicenza bought back Cardone and sold him back to Parma in July 2003.
Roberto Vitiello also moved to Vicenza as part of the deal.
Cardone missed the rest of the season in October 2006 due to serious injury, since then he never played for Parma. Cesena & Modena
After playing 58 games in five years, Cardone moved to Serie B club A.C. (before Christ) Cesena during the 2007-2008 Serie A season.
He moved to Modena F.C. for the 2008-2009 Serie B season, and ended his career after that season.