Alessandro Del Piero

[Maradona37]

Coincidentally both played their best for Italy when they wore number 20. Euro 2000 for Totti and with Del Piero it was 1997 Tournoi de France

His famous performance vs Brazil in 1997 (which started R9 comparison if i remember correctly).

Will watch it later on phone right now. Thanks
Your memory and attention for detail in this case are better than mine as id never have made the number 20 link.

Baggio was a step up from both and baggio at USA 94 was by far above any of their tournaments, despite the shootout miss.

 

[vegitot]

Will watch it later on phone right now. Thanks
Your memory and attention for detail in this case are better than mine as id never have made the number 20 link.

Baggio was a step up from both and baggio at USA 94 was by far above any of their tournaments, despite the shootout miss.

A friend of mine, who is a die hard Italy's fan, talked about that Del Piero - Totti concidence long ago and it has stucked in my mind since then.

It's sad that Italy could not produce any player like them. Chiesa was hoped to be a successor in Euro 2020 but he faded away quickly.

 

[Maradona37]

A friend of mine, who is a die hard Italy's fan, talked about that Del Piero - Totti concidence long ago and it has stucked in my mind since then.

It's sad that Italy could not produce any player like them. Chiesa was hoped to be a successor in Euro 2020 but he faded away quickly.

Yeah it's quite a little quirk the number 20

Chiesa wouldn't have been as good as them but he could have been world class. Injuries destroyed him

 

[Maradona37]

Also as you and others said number 10s or trequartista players don't exist as much now. And Italy loved those players traditionally

 

[Catta]

Always prefered Del Piero to Totti. His goals against the Madrid scum I will always remeber.

One of my favorite Italian players alongside Pirlo and Nesta.

 

[Barcaman]

Was just talking about Ajax - Juve CL final back in 95 or 96. Everyone was surprised when Juve let Baggio go but Del Piero took his mantle seamlessly.

And yeah, another type of player football today misses. We're probably witnessing worst quality in 30 years.

 

[Windhook]

Juventus of the mid-90's got caught with doping, their team doctor banned from football, but none of their trophies were annulled. By 1998-99 all of a sudden the team declined with basically the same squad.

During that period, pre-injury, Del Piero was a top 5 player in the world.

 

[Barcaman]

Juventus of the mid-90's got caught with doping, their team doctor banned from football, but none of their trophies were annulled. By 1998-99 all of a sudden the team declined with basically the same squad.

During that period, pre-injury, Del Piero was a top 5 player in the world.

How relevant were those doping cases though. I am not an expert but there were/are hundreds of supplements that are allowed while similar or same are not. And then they change the rules.

Some teams might have used a performance enchancer that happened to be allowed at a time while others might have had something similar but was not on the list.

It's a slippery subject.

 

[Total-Football]

I always thought del Piero is slightly overrated.. Great player undoubtedly but he is regarded as something he is simply not. Peak for peak I find it blasphemous to even say he is on par with Totti, the real underrated one.

 

[MonteCuler]

For me Totti and Baggio are the best ever Italian footballers, with Baggio above Totti. Pirlo first after them but those 2 are next level. Speaking of raw talent and ability, hence no defenders

 

[Maradona37]

For me Totti and Baggio are the best ever Italian footballers, with Baggio above Totti. Pirlo first after them but those 2 are next level. Speaking of raw talent and ability, hence no defenders

A long time ago (very long) so nobody alive will have seen him play, and the game has changed so much, but Meazza was apparently class. Won two World Cups, though admittedly one was very politically charged under Mussolini.

Giuseppe Meazza - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KingLeo10]

Maldini is the best Italian player ever.

Then Baggio. Then Totti, Nesta, Baresi.

 

[jamrock]

A defender being Italy's best ever play is fitting lol.

But the list is underwhelming.

 

[Maradona37]

They have had great attacking or non-defending players too, like Meazza, Mazzola, Baggio, Totti, Pirlo, Del Piero. But yeah, doesn't live up to Brazil, Argentina, France or Spain really.