Tag: serie a

Gianluca Vialli: the Juventus diaries

Moving to Juventus for a world-record £12 million, Gianluca Vialli has to overcome a poor start to reach modern hero status in calcio

The rise of Gianluca Vialli to calcio royalty

In part two of a four-part series looking at the career of Gianluca Vialli, his memorable Sampdoria years are recalled, including his ascent in Europe

The redemption of Mauro Icardi

FOOTBALLERS OFTEN LET THEIR PERFORMANCES on the pitch do the talking for them; silence the critics, earn the big payday and dream move, and ultimately justify their status in the beautiful game.…

The day a miracle saved Victor Obinna’s life

KNOWN FOR HIS STRING OF ACROBATIC SOMERSAULTS, often resembling Faustino Aspilla’s, Victor Obinna found himself one day doing a different type of somersault – one which scarily involved him, his car, and…

How the Italian national team fell from its lofty perch

OVER THE YEARS, Italian football has endured its fair share of sporting, socio-cultural, political and economic hardships. The 2006 Calciopoli scandal sent shockwaves throughout the Peninsula, leaving three of Serie A’s top four…

The glory of Careca at Napoli

Antônio De Oliveira Filho was born in the city of Araquara in the Brazilian state of São Paulo on 5 October 1960. His nickname, Careca – which roughly translates as ‘bald’ – came…

Paulo Sousa and the path through purgatory

“TO BE SACKED after being told that there was a long-term strategy at the club is something that I find very surprising.” These were the words of former Portuguese international Paulo Sousa after…