5 things you need to know about the history of Serie A

Legends of the game

Maldini, Baggio and Zanetti during the “Golden Era”

Before Messi and Ronaldo entered the fray, there were players like Gianluigi Buffon, Zinedine Zidane, Javier Zanetti, Paolo Maldini and Alberto Gilardino, and most recently Kaka, who were breaking records and reinventing how football was played. And the list is quite frankly very long.

There were a few players who have had a lasting impact on the game on an international scale though. Roberto Baggio, widely considered as the best Italian to ever grace the pitch, played for several Italian clubs and had a long trophy-laden career.

Ronaldo (The Phenomenon) bulldozed through defences and became an idol to thousands of footballers all over the world. Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti and Zanetti showed the world what loyalty means by staying with their respective clubs through thick and thin.

Serie A was also the home to some of the most unrivalled managers like Arrigo Sacchi, Carlo Ancelotti, Marcelo Lippi, Fabio Capello and Giovanni Trapattoni. They made the Italian School of thought famous and even took it to other leagues later on in their careers.