Italy has always been home to football fans and foci fogadás online. But who are the most important players in their history?
In the course of a century and more of history, on the fields of Serie A and across Europe, some of the most expensive football players were also Italians and many of them made history, having a special place in people’s hearts.
Recently some important sports magazines have drawn up a ranking with the strongest and most loved Italian players ever. Let’s see together which are the first of this ranking.
Table of Contents
1 – Gianni Rivera
Gianni Rivera has conquered first place in this prestigious ranking. He is undoubtedly one of the most famous Italian footballers. His fame is mainly due to the fact that he was the first Italian footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or in 1969.
It wasn’t long before Rivera started playing professionally, playing a few good minutes for Alessandria-Inter when he wasn’t even 16 years old.
Due to his achievements in his two years playing in his hometown, Gianni was called to play for Milan in the 1960/1961 season. He spent 19 years with the Rossoneri, winning three Italian championships, two European Cups, and the Ballon d’Or in 1969
With the Italian football federation, however, Rivera is undoubtedly considered one of the strongest Italian players right from the start. After two World Cups that left a bad taste in the mouth of our national team, Rivera became European champion in 1968.
In conclusion, therefore, Gianni Rivera was a phenomenal and very effective attacking midfielder. Certainly one of the strongest players in Italy.
2 – Roberto Baggio
The Divin Codino has worn the jerseys of several major Serie A clubs and has established himself as one of the purest talents ever. At the age of 15, he participated in Serie C after being hired by Vicenza. And even being so young, he scored 12 goals and helped the team win the promotion to Serie B.
His debut in Serie A came with Fiorentina. After spending 10 years with the purple shirt, he went to Juventus in 1990.
With the Old Lady, he scored 78 goals and won an Italian League, a UEFA Cup, and an Italian Cup. After that, Baggio still moved to three clubs: Bologna, Inter, and Brescia. At Brescia, he scored his 200th goal in Serie A, entering with merit in the “Olympus of goalscorers”.
With the national football team of Italy, Baggio is undoubtedly considered one of the strongest Italian players ever, although he is remembered for a very bad moment.
In the 94 World Cup, Baggio’s penalty shot ended up over the crossbar in the final against Brazil, making Italy lose the cup. His career ended in 2004, after scoring 205 goals in the Serie A and 27 for the Azzurri. Apart from that, he won the Ballon d’Or in 93 and the FIFA World Player award one year later.
3 – Giuseppe Meazza
In third place is Giuseppe Meazza. It would suffice to say that the stadium of Inter and Milan was named after him, to understand his greatness.
Giuseppe Meazza wore his first Nerazzurri shirt when he was only fourteen years old, joining the youth team. In 1927 Meazza made his debut with the first team in the Volta tournament in Como in which he showed off, scoring two goals and giving the Coppa Volta to his team.
His first game in the football league in Italy came in 1929, where he won the championship with Ambrosiana-Inter and scored 31 goals. His goals in Serie A were a total of 267.
As for the national team, Giuseppe Meazza made his debut in 1930 in Rome. In 1934 Giuseppe Meazza won the title of World Champion. With the blue shirt, Giuseppe Meazza played 53 games, scoring 33 goals, a record subsequently beaten by Gigi Riva.
4 – Gigi Riva
Gigi Riva was one of the most famous and iconic young Italian players of his generation. As well as one of the strongest ever. He is best known for his famous nickname “Thunder rumble”. This indicated above all his game characterized by an overwhelming physical exuberance.
Gigi Riva’s career began in Legnano in one of the lowest Italian football leagues, Serie C. From here, the move to Cagliari was rather short.
There, Riva falls in love with the people, with the land, even going so far as to refuse offers from more prestigious teams in order to stay in Cagliari. Because of that, he is considered until now the “Face of Cagliari”, loved by the fans and respected by all the others.
This choice, however, deprived him of winning some trophies in his career. However, it didn’t stop him from achieving great deeds.
After managing to classify Cagliari to Serie A, Gigi started his way to be one of the best goalscorers in the Italian league, with 156 goals in 289 games. Apart from that, he won one Scudetto, in the year 1970.
5 – Paolo Maldini
Historic AC Milan captain, he played with the Rossoneri from 1984 to 2009. Maldini is defined by many as one of the best defenders ever. A complete player is able to combine excellent technical skills with an ordinary charisma.
Paolo Maldini is a true son of art. His father Cesare has a glorious past as a footballer and, later, also as a coach. Paolo, therefore, could not find a better ground to cultivate his talent.
His Serie A debut came at the age of sixteen with the Milan shirt, against Udinese. With the Rossoneri, Maldini has won practically everything:
- 7 Scudetti
- 5 Champions League
- 2 Intercontinental Cups
- 1 Club World Cup
- 5 Italia Super Cups
- 1 Italian Cup
He is part of the Hall of fame of Italian football. He also has recorded in the National Team, being the player with the bluest appearances ever, 126.
He took part in three European and four World Championships in fourteen years, never managing to conquer any of these titles.
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