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

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.…

After Gabriel Batistuta came Hernán Crespo

PRIOR TO THE 2002 WORLD CUP, Marcelo Bielsa found himself deciding who to play in the most advanced position of the field for Argentina. On one hand, an ageing Gabriel Batistuta had…

Adriano: football’s monumental ‘what if’ tale

This feature is part of The Fleeting Fraternity A SINGLE SNAPSHOT of a player often reveals much more than the football they play. The way they carry themselves off the ball, how they…