Italian football has always been one of the most watched sport in the country. Many people watch Italy matches religiously, not just because of the passionate and exciting football but also because of the successfulotti that is involved in the Italian game. The great players of today have come from Italy and there is no doubt that they will continue to be Italy's number 1 team for many years to come. So what have been the great players that helped make Italy a global hit in soccer?
Probably the most famous Italian football player is Gigi Riola who plays for AC Milan. He was born in Treviso and has played for the Italian national team since 1970. During this time he became one of the best players in Europe and even won the European championship three times. Gigi Riola is known as a strong central midfielder and is extremely good at making passes and scoring goals.
Another great player that has come from Italy is Paolo Maldini. He is now a coach of AC Milan and has won the Italian league several times. In fact he is probably best known as being the mentor of Mariootti. Like Riola, Paolo also played for the Italian national team and also played in the Italy cup. He is now respected by many as a legend.
Another player that has become well known in Europe and around the world is goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Though many don't think highly of him as a player, he definitely belongs in the same category as the previously mentioned players. He is a born goalkeeper and also wears a goalkeeper shirt. This is probably the reason why he has gained a lot of respect throughout the years and was named as the best goalkeeper in the world last year.
Another Italian football player that has become a part of the Italian team is Mario Balotelli. After starting out at professional football, he then went on to play in the lower leagues for Lecce. He is now one of the most popular players in Italy and even played for the national team. He currently has two years left on his contract at Inter and has not signed a new deal.
One other Italian football player that has gone on to fame is Mario Lemina who plays for AC Milan. Lemina started out at youth level for Genoa before making his name with AC Milan. He is a centre midfielder and is often used as a deep-lying playmaker. He has won the Italian title twice and is also part of the Italy squad that will take part in the World Cup this summer. The 24 year-old has already expressed an intention to lift the World Cup trophy this time.
These are only some of the famous Italian footballers that have gone on to make their own names in the game. However, many of them did not start out at the top level in Italy. For instance, goalkeeper Franchino De Negri is a goalkeeper who began his career at lower league club Verona. Goalkeeper Massimo Giaretti started out at Palermo and then moved to Sampdoria in the near future. Some other players include defender Giorgio Vanotti, defender Giancarlo Castelluccio, centre forward Mario Balotelli and strikers Piero Gasperini and Mauro Di Santo.
Italy football is regarded to be the most enjoyable and exciting European game. The passion and love for football are demonstrated by the thousands of fans that line up in the stadiums each day waiting for a match to be played. Some of these fans have travelled all over Europe to watch the games and this shows just how big an attraction the game of football is in Italy. The country is home to some of the most passionate football fans in the world. Therefore, when the team loses it can cause a lot of heartache to the fans and this often leads to violence among the players. Therefore, for those fans who are planning on travelling to Italy this must be the first choice if you want to experience some of the most fantastic footballing moments in the world.