The Great Italian Player Thread [Post-1990]

[Carletto Mazzone]

Maybe i will do Mancini next. But sorry Carletto, I limited the thread to players of the post-1990 era.

Whoops. Sorry, I didn't know that. How about Donadoni then since he has now come back to Serie A as a coach? I think Ciro Ferrara would be cool too since he is still playing and was also a team mate of Maradona at Napoli.

[SueB]

Ditto re Ciro Ferrara. My favorite player. He would likely have started in the center of defense for Italy in the '98 WC if he hadn't broken his leg. Instead, he's had to settle for 7 Scudetti (along with many other club successes at Juve and Napoli). He continues to be a great squad player at Juve, and I'm sure he'll be a good coach after he retires this summer.

http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199802/05/34da361f0283a/FERRARA.JPG

[Leto]

Is it just me, or does Italy have a disproportionate amount of post-normal-retiring-age players still playing capably at the highest level? Dispropostionate in that you have more than other countries, not that most of your players are old ;)

Paolo Maldini is a sprightly 36 and still classy, Ciro Ferrara is 38 (? - I think) and still playing for Juve, Franco Zola (every Premiership viewer's favourite Italian) still scoring goals in Serie A, Billy Costacurta still gets on sometimes to stop attackers with his walking stick...I'm sure there are more that are escaping me. How old's Albertini?

[Cassano]

Order Set:
First I'll do Mancini
Then Ferrara
Then Donadoni

[Cassano]

Sorry for taking so long, but info on Roberto Mancini is scarce...Does anyone mind if I write about Ciro Ferrara first then go to Mancini?

[Cassano]

OK, one of Italy's most consistent defenders: Ciro Ferrara...
(Sue I hope you don't mind, I stole your picture):
http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/199802/05/34da361f0283a/FERRARA.JPG
An inspiration to everyone at Juventus FC, Ciro Ferrara remains one of Italy's most experienced defenders, despite often being deployed as a substitute as he reaches the end of an illustrious and truly incredible career, which has seen the defender win every honor in club football.
He won 49 caps for Italy in an international career spanning 13 years. He debuted against Argentina in 1987 and played until Euro 2000, where he claimed a silver medal. He missed out on the '94 and '98 WC's.
He was born on November 2, 1967 in Napoli. He started playing with his hometown club. He made his Napoli debut against his future-employers Juventus in May 1985. Ferrara spent nine seasons at the San Paolo stadium and even lived next-door to Maradona while at Napoli. In a side spearheaded by Diego Maradona, he won Scudetto's with the Southern club in 1987 and 1990. The highlight of his career was the goal in 1989 UEFA Cup final against Stuttgart, which gave Napoli the win and his first European trophy. He stayed until 1994, when he was bought by Juventus.
It was in Torino that he won so much silverware. Juventus claimed the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, European/South American Cup, and five Scudetto's in his time at the club. Ferrara's crowning glory came when Juventus defeated defending champions AFC Ajax on penalties in the 1996 Champions League final. He scored a penalty. He is the only player to have won 7 scudetto's. After playing 30 Serie A matches in 2001/02, Ferrara followed it up with another 25 as Juve claimed back-to-back titles. He scored once in 12 Champions League appearances but was powerless to prevent AC Milan winning the competition on penalties at Old Trafford following the 0-0 draw after regulation time. Ferrara was also the lead singer for Juventus when they performed their rendition of Lucio Battisti's song "Il Mio Canto Libero". The song, along with others, were put on a CD and the proceeds went to charity. Last season he scored his first Serie A goal in four seasons as Juve finished third, but missed out on a medal in the Coppa Italia as S.S. Lazio triumphed over two legs. Ferrara had earlier signed another one-year deal to remain in Turin until 2005. He will hang up his boots at the end of this season, and Juventus has already lined up a job for him working in the front office when he retires. Italy will lose of it's most talented defenders of the present era in June...

[Cassano]

I think I'm going to postpone Mancini and Donadoni and do Fabrizio Ravanelli next.

[whymetroswhy]

I'm sorry this has nothing to do with this thread, but i just noticed your icon next to you name. It made me laugh so hard...i love the X through the juventus picture.
BTW...this is a great thread...keep up the good work.
Forza Roma.

[Cassano]

thanks for the compliments, i try my best. Plus, I made the icon myself...It's amazing what the computer program Paint can do these days...

[Cassano]

Here's Roberto Donadoni:
http://www.sportsposterwarehouse.com/warehouse/donadoni97sl-1.jpg
Roberto Donadoni was born September 9, 1963 in Cisano Bergamasco, a small town outside of Bergamo. He was a cornerstone of the powerhouse AC Milan teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of the pioneers of Major League Soccer, where he played two seasons for the MetroStars.
Donadoni started his career with his hometown team,Atalanta, in 1982. He transferred to Milan in 1986 and became a mainstay in the team. Usually playing a left midfield role, Donadoni was a vital fixture in a team that won five Serie A titles, three European Cups, three European Super Cups, and 2 Toyota Cups. A member of the Italian national team, he played in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, helping Italy to third and second place finishes respectively. In the 1990 World Cup, he was one of the unlucky Italians that missed a penalty against Argentina in the semi-finals. Italy were eliminated, and Donadoni never took another penalty in his career.
The MetroStars of MLS made him a centerpiece of their franchise when they signed him in 1996. While with the Metros, he was recalled to the Italian national team and was widely considered their best player at Euro 96, at the age of 32. He came back to MLS, but in the league's first two formative years, Donadoni's class was often wasted. He still proved a spectacular performer, being named to the league Best XI in 1996. Unfortunately, Donadoni's genius could not bring the MetroStars any success.
Berlusconi described Donadoni as a player that could "light up any stadium".
He went back to AC Milan after the 1997 MLS season, and promptly helped them to another Serie A title, his sixth. He ended his career by playing two games with Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.
Never a big scorer, Donadoni scored just 21 goals for Milan and 6 for the MetroStars. He added 5 for Italy in 63 caps. After retiring as a player, he coached Livorno(while in Serie B) and Genoa. Now, Livorno has called him back and he is having a succesful run as their head coach, leading them to a first year "Salvezza"(avoiding relegation).

[Cassano]

Here is the Silver Fox, Fabrizio Ravanelli:
http://www.forza-juventus.com/images/Ravanelli.jpg
“White Feather”, "Silver Fox", "Penna Bianca": These are all nicknames for the great Fabrizio Ravanelli. All these nicknames derive from his grey hair, from which he had since a teenager. He is also famous for his shirt over the head celebration. Sometimes sponsors paid him to wear their t-shirts and show the sponsor's name when he scored. He started small in Itay. He started playing with his hometown club Perugia and then went to Avellino, Casertana and Reggiana. Then he went from Reggiana, who were in Serie B, to Juventus. Many talked about how a great club would pick up a Serie B player. Ravanelli was a powerful, robust, and talented forward. The 94-95 season at Juve was memorable and was Lippi's debut. Juve had a ferocious attacking pair of Vialli-Ravanelli with Roberto Baggio supporting or the emerging talent Del Piero. He scored the go-ahead goal against Ajax in the 1996 Champion's League final, which Juve won in PK's. He was loved by Juve's fans but was a little hot-tempered. He felt betrayed when he was sold to Middlesborough, expecting the captain's armband from Juve after the departure of Vialli. He debutted for Boro with a hat-trick against Liverpool, a Premiership record. He helped them to win the European Cup that year. He is then sold to Marseille. He helps Marseille to first place, but many referee scandals occurred at the time. Also, he is a big part of Italy's World Cup qualifying campaign for France '98. But like Zola, he is also cut from Maldini's '98 squad. After a three year absence, he returns to Italy in December 1999 with Lazio. He helps Lazio to the Scudetto that year, but leaves for Derby County. He spends a couple of seasons there, then moves to Scotland with Dundee. Dundee goes into administration and he offers to get a pay cut, but it doesn't help. Last season, Perugia, desperate for a star player after the departure of Miccoli, bring Ravanelli back to his hometown. His objective is to lead Perugia away from the relegation zone. He leads valiantly, leading Perugia out of the automatic relegation spots, finishing in a play-off spot. Perugia had to play 6th place Serie B side Fiorentina and win to stay in Serie A. A loss would mean Serie B, and Fiorentina going to Serie A. Fiorentina won the playoff 2-1 on aggregate, and Perugia dropped down to B. He is currently still playing with Perugia.

[Carletto Mazzone]

Great history on Donandoni!!! Very nice job CFoI!! It is important to note that Donandoni missed THE penalty that fateful night in San Paolo in 1990.........but enough about that......still hurts worse than any loss in Italy's history for me...much worse than the final in '94.

[Cassano]

I think since I haven't done a goalkeeper yet, than I'll do Gianluca Pagliuca. Any objections/suggestions?

[phillips10]

Here is the Silver Fox, Fabrizio Ravanelli:

He debutted for Boro with a hat-trick against Liverpool, a Premiership record. He helped them to win the European Cup that year.



Interesting story on the silver fox...always a good but not great player to me...Did this line get jumbled during some editing?....perhaps it was for the lazio section and our cup-winners cup in '99??

[Cassano]

Good catch Phillips10, I made a mistake. That goes with Lazio....Anyway I'm going to do Pagliuca next.

[phillips10]

Good catch Phillips10, I made a mistake. That goes with Lazio....Anyway I'm going to do Pagliuca next.

aw, pagliuca...I was about to vote for angelo peruzzi!...

[Carletto Mazzone]

aw, pagliuca...I was about to vote for angelo peruzzi!...

let's wait until next season when peruzzi will go back to roma!!!

[Cassano]

Maybe I'll do a special 'double feature', Peruzzi and Pagliuca, Italy's 2 best goalkeepers in the 90's.

[Cassano]

Here's Gianluca Pagliuca:

Gianluca Pagliuca was born on December 18, 1966, in Bologna. His football career also began there in 1984 when he joined his hometown club Bologna, playing at that time in Serie B. He was sold to Sampdoria. His Serie A debut took place for Sampdoria on May 8, 1988, in a 0-0 draw between Sampdoria and Pisa. These seasons at Samp were probably the best in his career.
Remaining with Sampdoria until the 93-94 season, and having become one of the best goalkeepers in Italy, he also received his first call-up to the national team. He played for the Azzurri for the first time in a 1-1 draw with the USSR on June 16, 1991. At Samp, he won the scudetto in 1991. The legendary Samp side had him, Roberto Mancini, and Gianluca Vialli playing on it. They lost in the Champion's League final to Barcelona the following year 1-0. The goal game on a thunderous drive from Ronald Koeman, and Pagliuca couldn't do anything to stop it. He was Italy's starting 'keeper for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. He also picked up a red card and was substituted by Marchegiani, and that was the controversial game where Sacchi decided to pull Roby Baggio off the field. Italy went to final and Pagliuca played valiantly, but ITaly lost in PK's. Inter purchased Gianluca after the World Cup to replace an aging Walter Zenga, and for the next five seasons he became the "bulwark of the nerazzurri defense", in the words of a RAI commentator. He won the UEFA Cup with them in the 97-98 season. He was the starting 'keeper for Italy at France '98 because of an injury to starter Peruzzi. He was excellent in the 1998 World Cup and made some unbelievable, acrobatic saves. "The Inter keeper supplements his notable experience by excellent reflexes and great acrobatic talents. "Stalwart and trustworthy, he has defended the Italian goal extremely well at the World Cup in France" - wrote about him Italian newspapers. Russian commentators declared him to be goalie in the best form. After Inter's difficult 98-99 season Pagliuca found his future uncertain with the arrival of new coach Marcello Lippi. Pagliuca returned to Bologna, signing a two-year contract - a happy homecoming. He is still playing with the club and has over 550 Serie A appearances. One of his goals is to play until his early 40's. Even at the ripe old age of 38, Pagliuca is one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Italy right now. He plays great every game and always keeps Bologna in the game. I might sound crazy, but with Italy's second goalkeeper choice uncertain, I would have Gianluca sit on the bench...

[Cassano]

Sorry, forgot a Picture:
http://www.iobologna.net/img/pagliuca.jpg