Who is The Best Italian Football Player Ever? (Top 10 List)
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Who is The Best Italian Football Player Ever? (Top 10 List)

Who is The Best Italian Football Player Ever? (Top 10 List)

Italy, famous for its cultural heritage, its architecture, and its food - Forget all that today.

Italy has produced some fantastic football players over the years. The national side, known as Gli Azzuri (The Blues), has won four World Cups and Two European Championships. The clubs in Italy? Football heritage. European giants such as AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan have all been host to some of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.

We could talk about legendary Serie A players until the cows come home, but today we are looking at strictly Italian players. From Balon D'or winners, World Cup winners, MLS legends, Italy's roster over the years has been stacked, but who is the best Italian of all time? Today we will be attempting to whittle down the top 10 greatest ever Italian players.

Honourable Mentions

As always, Arthur feels terrible about leaving out his favourite players, and the cult heroes, so before we get to the top 10, here are some players who just missed out.

Giorgio Chiellini

The end of 2023 saw legendary Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini retire at 39 years old. The centre-back played for Serie A giants Juventus from 2005 to 2022. During his time at the Old Lady, Chiellini made 555 appearances, won 9 Serie A titles, 5 Italian Cups and 5 Italian Super Cups. For the national side, Chiellini made 117 appearances and won the European Championship in 2021.

Chiellini was known for his bullish, no-nonsense approach to defending. He may be in the bad books of many England fans due to his intentional foul on Bukayo Saka in the Euro 2021 final, but make no mistake, Chiellini is the stuff of footballing legend.

Alessandro Nesta

If not for injuries, Alessandro Nesta may have been the greatest centre-back of all time. In 2006, Nesta was included in the 2006 World Cup winning squad and spent a decade with AC Milan from 2002-2012. Partnering with none other than Paolo Maldini during his time at AC Milan, the pair were a formidable duo that went on to win a plethora of trophies together.

Nesta's medal cabinet must have a few drawers to say the least. He was part of the famous Lazio side that won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1999. On top of this, Nesta has won a World Cup, 2 Champions League trophies, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 Serie A titles, 3 Italian Cups, and 3 Italian Super Cups. He went on to finish his career at CF Montreal in the MLS, and after making 34 appearances he lifted the Canadian Cup.

Gennaro Gattuso

Before he became one of football's most brutally honest coaches, Gennaro Gattuso was busy terrorizing midfields across Italy. A World Cup winner in 2006, Gattuso was not exactly known for his finesse, he was the kind of player who collected shins and footballs in equal measure.

Before becoming a legend for AC Milan, Gattuso spent time on loan at Scottish side Rangers, where he played alongside English footballing legend Paul Gascoigne - Many say this is where he got it from.

During his time at AC Milan, he won 2 Champions League titles, 2 Serie A titles, and enough domestic cups to keep his trophy cabinet groaning. Gattuso was not just a footballer, he was a force of nature. His relentless agression make him remembered to this day, and many still argue he redefined what it meant to be a defensive midfielder.

Now that the honourable mentions (and Arthur's conscience) are cleared, let's get into the top 10.

10. Giuseppe Meazza

Giuseppe Meazza was an iconic footballer for Italy, playing in the 1930s. In fact, Meazza was so good they named a stadium after him, with the San Siro doubling up as the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. The player's service for Inter Milan and the Italian national team will forever be regarded as the stuff of legend.

Meazza wasn't just good, he was twice as good. Winning the World Cup with Italy in 1934 and again in 1938, he joined the elite club of just four Italians to ever lift the trophy twice. For Inter Milan, he was a goal machine, scoring 284 times making him the clubs highest ever goalscorer.

Meazza isn't just remembered in Italy, he is immortal.

9. Paulo Rossi

Paulo Rossi was a striker who played for Italy in the 1980s. His heroics in the 1982 World Cup led to him lifting the trophy with Italy, winning the Golden Boot and the player of the tournament.

The 1982 World Cup was famous for Italy. Fresh out of a match fixing scandal, Italy were not favourites by any means. After finishing second in their group, Italy entered into a play-off group with Brazil and Argentina, with only the winner going through. Miraculously, La Nazionale beat both South American sides on their quest to winning the tournament. Paulo Rossi went on to win the 1982 Balon D'or at the end of the season, only becoming the third Italian ever to do so at the time.

Playing as a centre-forward, Rossi netted 82 goals in the Serie A for Hellas Verona, AC Milan, Juventus, and Perugia. From 1977 to 1986. Paulo Rossi netted 20 goals in 48 appearances for the national team.

8. Fabio Cannavaro

"Il Muro Di Berlino" - The Berlin Wall, which was the nickname given to Balon D'or winning defender Fabio Cannavaro after he captained the side to World Cup glory in 2006.

At just 1.75m, Fabio Cannavaro looked more like a fullback than a central defender, but size never stopped him from becoming one of the greatest centrebacks in history. Cannavaro is one of only three defenders ever to lift the Balon D'or, proving brains and timing can outjump brawn.

Cannavaro enjoyed an illustruous club career with Parma, Juventus, and Real Madrid. He lifted 2 La Liga titles, 2 Italian Cups, and famously the 1999 UEFA Cup with Parma during the club's golden era.

Since hanging up his boots, Cannavaro has tried his hand at managing with stints at Al Nassr, Benevento, Dinamo Zagreb, and Udinese. His coaching career is yet to match the glory of his playing days, but at only 52-years old, there's still time for him to make a comeback from the touchline.

7. Andrea Pirlo

The pass master.

Similarly to Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo may not be the most liked player by English fans, after he famously embarrassed goalkeeper Joe Hart in Euro 2012 with a Panenka penalty in the shoot-out which saw England crash out of the tournament.

Despite what the English may think about his penalty technique, many would struggle to deny that Pirlo is one of the greatest central midfielders of his generation. His time at AC Milan was characterised by 2 Champions League titles and a World Cup with Italy in 2006 (Author's note: Yes, there are more 2006 World Cup winners coming).

After Milan failed to renew his contract, Pirlo traded Milan's red and black for Juventus' black and white. In this blockbuster moment for Italian football, Andrea Pirlo became the metronome of Turin. In the early 2010s, he guided Juventus to 4 straight Serie A titles, orchestrating games with passes that appeared more art than football. The one prize that slipped through his grasp at Juventus was the Champions League, falling just short against Barcelona in 2015.

Widely regarded as the founder of the deep-lying playmaker role, Pirlo strutted around the field with class. His vision was outstanding, with the ability to tear defences apart with the flick of a boot. On top of this, the Italian was a fantastic set-piece taker and was extremely dangerous in front of goal with a dead ball. Simply dubbed as "Mozart" by players and fans alike, Pirlo's legacy in the midfield role will always be highly regarded.

6. Franco Baresi

After making his debut for AC Milan at 17 years old, Franco Baresi would go on to stay with the Rossoneri for 2 decades and be a cornerstone for the club in the 1980s and 1990s. Baresi is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of all time.

Playing as a centre back, one may characterise Baresi's style of play as a traditional "sweeper". He won 6 Serie A titles with Milan, captaining the side for 5 of the trophies. Furthermore, Baresi lifted 3 Champions League titles with Milan. Coached by Fabio Capello, Milan boasted one of the best backlines of all time in the '90s, with Baresi playing alongside Paolo Maldini, Mauro Tassotti, and Alessandro Costacurta.

In 1989, Franco Baresi was the runner up for the Balon D'or, coming second to his teammate Marco Van Basten after the side won back-to-back European Cups.

A true defender and an Italian Icon, Baresi was nicknamed "Kaiser Franz" in homage to legendary German defender Franz Beckenbauer.

5. Alessandro Del Piero

Not many words apart from the term "Legend" come to mind when describing Alessandro Del Piero, with the player holding the record for the most goals scored ever for Juventus with 290. Boasting the ability to play as both a number 9 and a number 10, Del Piero was possibly one of the most technically gifted Italians ever. His goal catalogue is one to be marvelled at, and makes him stand out as one of the country's greatest ever attackers.

Italy beat Germany in 2006 in the semi-final of the World Cup, and possibly Del Piero's greatest moment of his career came in this match, with the player scoring Italy's second. His contributions were strong throughout the tournament, and he went on to score in the shootout against France which saw Italy lift the trophy.

Del Piero helped Juventus lift the Champions League in 1996, scoring 6 goals across the campaign for them. On top of this, he won 6 Serie A titles with the Old Lady before leaving the club in 2012 to play for Sydney FC in Australia.

His time in Australia was short-lived, but it did produce a memorable showdown with former England striker Emile Heskey. Both nearing the twilight of theier careers, the two faced off as Heskey's Newcastle Jets edged a 3-2 win. As for who had the better career? Let's just say the debate writes itself.

Del Piero retired in 2014 at the age of 40-years old. The legacy he left behind at Juventus is in the history books, and it doesn't look like anyone is taking that top scorer title from him anytime soon.

4. Francesco Totti

The definition of one club man, Francesco Totti spent his entire 25-year career at Roma.

While his trophy cabinet does not reflect the ability a player of his calibre deserved, it is still worth noting that Totti won everything there was to win in Italian football, and also was instrumental in the 2006 World Cup, scoring a crucial penalty in the Round of 16 against Australia.

It is often argued that had Totti played for a bigger team, he would be widely regarded as one of the greats of the game. Naturally a second-striker, his ability to both score and create goals was unrivalled. His younger years saw him play further up the field, but he dropped into midfield as he got older owing to his sheer natural ability to read the game. In Europe, Totti is Roma's highest ever goal scorer with 17 goals, he is also the clubs highest goal scorer ever across all competitions with 307 goals.

Totti's loyalty, longevity and consistency left a legacy in Rome and the Serie A, and the player finished his career as the second highest scorer of all time in Serie A history, netting 250 times.

3. Gianluigi Buffon

To sit back and look at the career of Gianluigi Buffon is truly astonishing. From numbers of appearances made, to his sheer longevity, and his devout loyalty, everything about Buffon's career screams icon. With a career spanning nearly 3 decades, Gianluigi Buffon finally hung up the gloves in 2023 aged 45.

To sit and provide a detailed breakdown of Gianluigi Buffon's career would be longer than writing a list of every Italian match fixing scandal in history, so here's a quick list of what he won:

  • 1x World Cup
  • 10x Serie A
  • 6x Italian Cups
  • 7x Italian Super Cups
  • 1x UEFA Cup
  • 1 French Ligue 1
  • 1x French Super Cup

So it was just the 30 trophies for Buffon during his career to accommodate his record 12x Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year awards, 1x FIFA World Cup Golden Glove, 1x UEFA Best Player in Europe award, and 1x Footballer of the year award for Juventus - Not the worst career ever.

Buffon signed for Juventus from Parma for a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper of 52.9 million euros back in 2001. Their return on investment was fairly high, as the goalkeeper went on to spend 17 years at the club before moving to French Giants PSG in 2018. Buffon then returned to Juventus for a further two seasons before finishing his career back at Parma in the Serie B.

Gianluigi Buffon's name will forever come up in debate when discussing who is the greatest goalkeeper of all time, and for good reason. His world-class shot stopping ability, explosive agility and tenacious leadership will always be regarded as some of the best Italy has ever seen.

2. Roberto Baggio

The Divine Ponytail, otherwise known as Roberto Baggio, was perhaps the greatest attacking player Italy ever produced.

A magician on the ball, Roberto Baggio was the focal point of Italian football for years. Baggio caused a riot in the streets of Florence after switching the purple strip of Fiorentina for the black and white when he moved to Juventus in 1990, however this may have been justified.

At Juventus, Baggio collected a Serie A title, a UEFA Cup, and the 1993 Balon D'or. Yet many still argue his trophy cabinet never matched his genius. A magician with the ball, Baggio's flicks, dribbles, and passes could dismantle entire defences, and his sheer talent made him one of the most gifted players Italy has ever sene.

His most infamous moment came a year after his Balon D'or triumph, in the 1994 World Cup final. With the weight of the nation on his shoulders, Baggio stepped up to the penalty spot againt Brazil, and sent it over the bar. Brazil lifted the trophy, and the miss went down in football folklore.

However, one kick cannot erase a legacy. Baggio will forever be remembered, not just for the iconic ponytail, but for artistry so mesmerizing it could induce riots. He was not just one of Italy's best, he was one of football's best.

1. Paolo Maldini

The number 1 spot, for the number 1 greatest defender of all time, ladies and gentlemen, we give you... Paolo Maldini.

Maldini spent his entire 25-year career at AC Milan, and his legacy remains unscathed to this day. The defender made 902 appearances for the Rossoneri, 647 of these appearances came in the Serie A, placing him as the player with the joint-most Serie A appearances ever alongside Gianluigi Buffon.

A Rolls Royce defender, Maldini was traditionally a left back. His versatility and commitment to defending later saw him evolve into the greatest central defender of all time.

His centre back partners over the years? Legendary. Taking the armband off former defensive partner Franco Baresi, Maldini played alongside a young Thiago Silva, and a world-cup winning Marcel Desailly. However, his most notable partnership at the back was with fellow countryman Alessandro Nesta, with the pair forming a formidable partnership. Together, they helped Milan lift the Champions League in 2003. Maldini won 5 Champions Leagues with Milan and 7 Serie A titles and would go on to captain the side for his entire career.

Maldini was once quoted saying, "If I have to make a tackle, then I've already made a mistake", and this is testament to his style of defending. Impeccable positioning, accompanied by boundless pace, and a lengthy frame made Maldini one of the most feared defenders in the land. His exceptional anticipation and leadership helped AC Milan keep 256 clean sheets in his 647 Serie A matches.

The end of Maldini's career marked the end of an era for AC Milan, Italian football, and world football. After 26 trophies, 902 appearances, and 25 years at the club, the number 3 shirt was left vacant. AC Milan retired the number 3 jersey out of respect for the defender upon his retirement from football. Maldini remains close with AC Milan to this day, and he is now the club's technical director.

Closing Remarks

There you have it. Did you know Italy won the World Cup in 2006?

These are the 10 greatest players Italy has ever produced. Missing anyone? Your favourite Italian player ever fail to make the honourable mentions cut? Send us a DM, they're wide open.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Arthur Turner

EFL Transfer and News Writer

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