Tag: parma

The magic and the madness of Faustino Asprilla

Faustino Asprilla always entertained, sparkling in some major moments and searing himself onto the memories of all football fans whose hearts he touched

Gifted feet and tortured souls: when Adriano met Mutu at Parma

Nestled between the industrial Milan and the rolling landscapes of Florence, Parma sits peacefully in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. Red and beige-hued bricks form its Romanesque buildings while breathtaking frescos…

Ariel Ortega: the little donkey

Undefeated. That was the word on the minds of River Plate fans as their team marched into La Bombonera on 11 December 1994. Not once in their 93-year history had Los Millonarios won a trophy without losing…

The wizardry of Gianfranco Zola

The thing with being an instantly likeable footballer is that it’s oddly linked with being consigned to relative obscurity. As a mercurially gifted playmaker, Gianfranco Zola dazzled fans wherever he played. He was a magician.…

The insatiable rise of Parma in the 1990s

This feature is part of The Football Italia Years The history of Italy can be traced through that of its cities. Each has carved out its own social, cultural and political identity,…