Gianluca Vialli picks his perfect team
Serie A legend Gianluca Vialli has chosen no fewer than seven fantasisti when picking his ‘Perfect Team’ for FourFourTwo magazine recently.
Vialli, who starred for Sampdoria and Juventus in Italy, winning lo Scudetto with both, included three number 10s in the starting XI, with four more on the bench.
So, who made the grade?
‘Starting’ for Vialli’s all-time team would be ’80s iconic legends, Michel Platini, Diego Maradona and Zico, whilst on the ‘bench’, Vialli chose fellow Italians; all of which he partnered during his fruitful career as a forward.
Looking at the list, it’s of little wonder he was never short of goalscoring opportunities, with Roberto Baggio (at Juventus and Italy), Alessandro Del Piero (at Juve), Roberto Mancini (at Sampdoria and occasionally Italy) and Gianfranco Zola (at Chelsea) all supplying the bullets for him.
What reasons did the shaven-headed Italian give for his chosen selection?
CM: Platini
So clever and technically so gifted. He played for France and played in Italy so he had all the qualities of the best French and Italian players. An incredible player and goalscorer.
AM: Maradona
He could win games before kick-off with his mind games. He’d never criticise a teammate, and seeing as he was the best in the world I think that attitude was fantastic. As for his skills…amazing.
AM: Zico
He came to Italy – Udinese – in his thirties but had a couple of fantastic seasons. He scored all the time. I honestly don’t remember seeing him miss an opportunity inside the box.
Sub: Del Piero
Any pass to him would turn into an assist.
Sub: Baggio
He made sure I got the ball all the time at Juventus.
Sub: Mancini
At Sampdoria we were called ‘the goal twins’.
Sub: Zola
Another great partner. He’ll get upset if I don’t pick him!
Vialli chose a 4-3-2-1 formation to capitalise on the creativity of his chosen fantasisti, with two placed just behind his lone striker. Making up the rest of the team/squad was:
GK: Walter Zenga RB: Paolo Maldini CB: Franco Baresi CB: Pietro Vierchowod LB: Antonio Cabrini CM: Ruud Gullit CM: Toninho Cerezo S: Marco van Basten Sub: David Beckham
Coaching his team would be Marcelo Lippi, the man with whom he won the Champions League with whilst at Juventus. With him in charge, no wonder Baggio starts on the bench!
