Best Italian Footballer 'ever'

Dino Zoff definitely is worthy of mention. He's one of a long line of excellent goalkeepers that Italy has had, obviously taking us to Buffon in the current day. Zoff's record certainly speaks for itself.
 
My memory doesn't go back many years, but I recall the magic of Baggio. He was a little like Messi or even Maradona, a great offensive creative player, football needs players like him.
 
The Italian national football team is considered as one of the best teams in the World football. In the history of World Cup it is the second most successful team just behind Brazil, having won 4 titles in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006. The team also appeared in 2 finals (1970, 1994).Italy gained a third place in 1990, fourth in 1978. In 1968 they won the European Championship. Today, I will focus at the bestItalian footballer of all time. This is Gianluigi Buffon.Buffon made his debut for Italy in 1997. After that, he has gone on to make more appearances for the Azzurri than any other player. In 2006 World Cup, Buffon kept five clean sheets as Italy were crowned with World Cup glory for the fourth time. For his leadership qualities between the posts, he has become the skipper of both Italy and Juventus.
 
I'm a bit older so Im going to go with a guy called Franco Causio from the 70's. A Juventus legend and also part of the Italy 1978 world cup team who only lost out due to the whole Argentina dodgy tournament business and 2 long range one in a million strikes from the Dutch. If they had won that game they would have won the cup.
 
Never heard of Franco Causio until now gilbz and I am also unaware of that world cup team story you are talking about. What happened with Argentina that made Italy lose the game?
 
I haven't heard about Franco Causio either but I'm very familiar with the whole questionable tournament in Argentina. That's what happens when you have a military junta pulling the strings behind the scenes!
 
It's a shame really that sports have so many hidden interests, but at the same time it's understandable, it's a sport that moves millions of people and millions of euros so a lot it's involved, it goes way beyond the sporting question.
 
A great news for all the fans of Francesco Totti. AS Roma has officially extended his contract, so he will play another season, probably his final as a player. By September 27, 2016, he will turn 40.
 
VeeTee said:
Definitely Roberto Baggio! He would have taken Italy to the World Cup winner status if only he hadn't injured his knee! :(
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Exactly I was about mentioning these until I saw you have done that already. Except for the fact that he missed a penalty in 1994 World Cup, he was exceptionally brilliant in that tournament with fantastic dribbles, ball control and goals.
 
Peninha said:
Never heard of Franco Causio until now gilbz and I am also unaware of that world cup team story you are talking about. What happened with Argentina that made Italy lose the game?
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I recently read a book that might be of interest to you, written by a man called Jon Spurling. The book is called 'Death or Glory, The Dark History Of The World Cup' and concentrates on just what happened in 1978. Lets just say that the Argentina team wasn't adverse to openly taking drugs before they played their matches, and was placed under that much pressure to win the tournament, they would literally do anything and did. Threats of violence or even to kill opposing players, drug taking, sabotaging other teams preparation, the book exposes all what went on in that tournament and is definitely worth having a look at.
 
Аlеssаndrо Dеl Piеrо (Pоssibly my fаvоuritе Juvеntus plаyеr оf аll-timе, thе mаn wаs dеаdly аs а sесоnd strikеr аnd аlsо wаs а grеаt frее-kiсk аnd pеnаlty kiсk tаkеr - Hе wаs сеrtаinly within thе сrеаtivе brееd оf fоrwаrds - Until his lаst dаy with Juvеntus, thе mаn wаs irrеplасеаblе)
Аndrеа Pirlо (Singlеhаndеdly rеjuvеnаtеd Thе оld Lаdy аnd mаdе thеm а fоrсе оnсе mоrе аftеr yеаrs оf mеdiосrity - hе dеfinеd thе dееp-lying plаymаkеr pоsitiоn аnd wаs оnе оf thе grеаtеst plаyеrs Itаly hаs еvеr prоduсеd)
 
Giаnluigi Buffоn! (Still а Nо. 1 fоr bоth Juvеntus аnd thе Itаliаn nаtiоnаl tеаm, thе mаn's соnsistеnсy bеtwееn thе gоаlpоsts dеsеrvеs ассlаim - simply оnе оf thе grеаtеst gоаlkееpеrs tо hаvе еvеr plаyеd thе gаmе)
 
Pirlо...Hе саn сhаngе еvеry gаmе...еvеry!
аlsо аlеssаndrо Dеl Piеrо wаs vеry fаst,аblе tо shооt with bоth fееt,аnd hе rаn until thе 90th minutе....Hе lооks likе Mаrсhisiо,but Mаrсhisiо is mоrе tесniсаl,hе hаs thе "killеr istinсt " оf thе bеst strikеr,аltоugh hе is midfiеldеr...аnd mоst оf аll hе is yоung,sо hе саn bесоmе mоrе dесisivе аs hе grоws up.
 
Terryy said:
Giаnluigi Buffоn! (Still а Nо. 1 fоr bоth Juvеntus аnd thе Itаliаn nаtiоnаl tеаm, thе mаn's соnsistеnсy bеtwееn thе gоаlpоsts dеsеrvеs ассlаim - simply оnе оf thе grеаtеst gоаlkееpеrs tо hаvе еvеr plаyеd thе gаmе)
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Because Buffon is a goalkeeper, I don't think that he gets the recognition that he deserves, but when you look at his career and what he has achieved, I don't think that there's any doubt that he should be up there with the best. People use the criteria of who's scored the most goals or who has the most assists when they are looking at the best players, but his ability in goal as been an important part of his teams success, just as much as the players who score the winning goals.
 
Buffon is around his 40's right? And if I am not mistaken he was one of the few players who went to Serie B with Juve when they got punished. Yeah, I like the way he acts, both inside and outside the pitch, certainly an example, but the best Italian player, I don't know. :)
 
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