Blessed with amazing dribbling and technical ability, Dejan Savicevic is undoubtedly one of calcio’s stars from the golden age of the 1990s. He was born on September 15, 1966 in Titograd, Yugoslavia (now Podgorica, Montenegro), joining the youth setup at hometown club OFK Titograd as a fifteen year old. However, two years later he would go across town to join Buducnost, where he would start out by playing at both the youth and senior levels, at least in his first […]

Michel Platini was born 21st June 1955 in the tiny commune of Jœuf in north-east France. With a population of less than 8,000 today, it is hard to believe this little village, just an hours drive from Luxembourg, is the birthplace of one of the finest players ever to play the beautiful game. The 56 year-old has often been a controversial figure since his appointment head of UEFA in 2007, but the politics of football are of no interest to […]

Last Sunday afternoon, calcio lost one of its most colorful and controversial characters in Giorgio Chinaglia. While most (including myself) tend to associate ‘Long John’ with his whirlwind stint with the New York Cosmos, the Tuscan-born striker enjoyed several fine years with Lazio, including winning both the scudetto and capocannoniere in the 1973-74 season. He finished out his career in the United States, playing alongside all-time greats such as Pele and Franz Beckenbauer for the New York Cosmos, where he […]

There isn’t much that can be said about Marco Van Basten that hasn’t already been said. The man is a legend. If you were a kid in the early 1990′swatching Serie A, Van Basten is one of the first names that you would have beentaught. It is synonymous with greatness. A three time Ballon D’Or winner, Van Basten was part of Milan’s golden age. Marco Van Basten was brought to Milan from Ajax in 1987 and formed a partnership with […]

Roberto Mancini was born 27th November 1964 in the town of Jesi, of the Province of Ancona, Marche. This small town in central Italy was the place which saw Roberto first fall in love with the beautiful game. As a boy, his only two interests were football and religion. He was a committed Roman Catholic, and as such honoured his faith by being an altar boy at his local place of worship, the church of San Sebastian. His football club […]

“Can anybody, anywhere, show me a better player?” - Sir Bobby Robson 34 goals in 37 games for Barcelona. 83 in 127 for Real Madrid. For PSV, an even more remarkable 42 in 46 games. A career total of 247 goals in 343 games and a ratio of .72 per appearance. Yet the rotund forward will forever be remembered not for what he did achieve, but for what potential was kept permanently in hindrance by injury. It was 1996, and […]

As much has been spoken of the man’s character off the field as well as his impact on it. A master of two positions, centre forward and centre half, while always walking through life with a smile on his face, the word Legend doesn’t even come close to describing this player. John Charles was born 27th December 1931 in Swansea. His father was also a keen footballer but had his own fledgling career cut short by injury. However, both his […]

A man whose influence stretches deep into Italian football and you could argue football as a whole. Helenio Herrera changed the face of the game as we know it; he was authoritarian, dictatorial, eccentric, a genius and a winner. Helenio Herrera was born, well no one knows exactly when, his father who wished to avoid late registration fees apparently doctored his date of birth, and Herrera himself is reported to have changed the zero to a six on his own […]

Gianni Rivera was born on18th August 1943 in Alessandria to a poor family playing football in the back streets of this small unassuming town. When he was thirteen, his father organised a trial at the local team, and it is said the young Rivera attracted an audience with his skill on the ball. Three days later he has accepted as a youth player at Alessandria. Making his Serie A debut at the age of 15 years and 288 days he […]

One of Italy’s most beloved coaches, a man who brought the World Cup back to the peninsula after 44 years. A humble man, but a football man first and foremost. Enzo Bearzot was born in Aiello del Friuli, in the province of Udine on the 26th September 1927. His father was a bank manager and had no interest in football, instead he wanted his son to go to university and get a formal education. He instead missed his school exams […]

Born in 1944 in Leggiuno, Luigi (or ‘Gigi’) Riva displayed both artistry and power in a career spanning 15 years. A player who was once described as the most handsome man on Earth, became a folk hero on the island of Sardinia and an icon  to followers of the beautiful game all over the world. His playing career started in 1962 with Leggiuno, his local club in Lombardy. The following season he was acquired by Cagliari where he was to spend the rest of his […]

Born on the 1st October 1966 in the Clara Town slum of Monrovia, Liberia and raised principally by his grandmother, George Weah was a good student; he studied hard at Wells Hairston High School, although it was apparent from a young age that he was destined for football stardom. The young George Weah was prodigiously talented with a football at his feet but this aptitude wouldn’t truly become evident until he made the move overseas. Before he made his big […]