Having been lucky enough to have been to a fair few European capitals over the years, I’ve long held the belief that Rome is the best of the bunch. History stacked on top of history, with all the chaos and energy of a modern capital city. Lazio as a football club seems to encapsulate that; cyclical boom and bust, political intrigue and languid glamour define both the city and the football club.
Lazio are a club defined by two eras, both of which resulted in in title wins in the mid-70’s and at the turn of the millennium. Therefore, it’s no surprise that those sides dominate this selection. But despite Lazio rarely being the premier side in Italy, some choices proved to be extremely difficult. Indeed, the quality of strikers who have played in sky blue has been phenomenal. My selection criteria have been based on key questions. How long did they last? And what impact on and off-field did they have whilst they were there?
Goalkeeper: Luca Marchegiani (1993-2003)
As with a few players in this side, Marchegiani wasn’t capped for Italy prolifically and is somewhat overlooked when the greats are discussed. Despite that, he was an elite goalkeeper during his time at Lazio during the 90’s, using his height, reflexes and positioning to command his area. An excellent stopper against penalties, he was an unflappable presence when coming up against some great strikers. An easy pick.
Centre-back: Alessandro Nesta (1993-2002)
There’s an argument to be made that Nesta is the greatest Italian defender of all time. Mixing elegance with wonderful positional sense and an ability to just keep it simple when needed, the boyhood Lazio supporter is a first-choice pick. He was a key piece in a Lazio team that briefly threated to dominate at home and abroad. The second ever scudetto in 2000, two Coppa Italias, the Cup Winners Cup, Supercoppa Italiana and an UEFA Super Cup all arrived in Rome during his tenure for I Biancocelesti. For Lazio fans, it was a shame he didn’t fulfil his ambition of spending his whole career in Rome.
Centre-back: Giuseppe Wilson (captain) (1969-1980)
The Anglo-Italian was a ‘complete’ defender when the concept was in its relative infancy. He was robust and solid in the air, but blended these qualities with a delicate touch and an ability to accelerate out of tight spots. It’s not just these physical and technical attributes which allow him entry into this team. His leadership skills and tenacity were vital in keeping Lazio’s 70s ‘crazy gang’ on a tight enough leash to pick up their first ever title in 1974.
Left-back: Guiseppe Favalli (1992-2004)
The archetypal Italian defender: Versatile, tough and technically excellent, Favalli flew under the radar for much of his career despite his array of skills. Capable of slotting in at centre back if need be, he was at his best breaking down attacks from fullback and using his crossing and first touch to launch the next attack. Capped for Italy and a Lazio club captain, Favalli would be the coolest head in already cool defence.
Right-back: Paolo Negro (1993-2005)
Similar to Favalli, Negro was capped for his country but probably didn’t get the recognition he deserved during his career. Athletic, focussed and possessing some shot from distance, he was consistency personified down the right. Like Favalli, he was there for both the boom and bust eras of Lazio in the 90s and early 2000s, providing some solidity as the attacking flair developed around him.
Central midfielder: Juan Sebastián Verón (1999-2001)
The Argentine made considerably less appearances for Lazio then any of the rest of this fabled XI. So why is he in? Verón was always one of my favourite players of the late 90s/early 00s, so I can admit some bias. A languid style belied his supreme vision, pin-point passing, long-range shooting and accurate set pieces. His played the best football of his career for Lazio in my humble opinion, and was truly exceptional in the title winning season in 2000. He’d be the heartbeat of this team, able to set the rhythm.
Central Midfielder: Pavel Nedvěd (1996-2001)
Arguably, the Czech was at the top of his game when played his football in Turin but he was still a complete midfielder during his five years in Rome. As with Veron and Nesta on this list, he was an essential part of a brilliant, Scudetto winning team. With Veron and Savić perhaps not being the most mobile pair, Nedved could do the work of two with ease. Long-range shooting, pin-point crossing and delicate short passing were all in his arsenal. He wasn’t afraid of putting a foot in when need be, either.
Central Midfielder: Sergej Milinković-Savić (2015-)
The only ‘modern’ player on this list, it’s surprised many that the Serbian has remained at Lazio for so many years. Yet it shows the rapport he has built with the club and the esteem with which he’s held. An imposing physical presence doesn’t detract from an exquisite touch. Adapt at creating and scoring, a much-touted move may finally happen to end his stay in Rome but, regardless, his role in the 2019 Coppa Italia win in a much more workman-like Lazio side in the middle of the 2010s highlights ‘il Sergente’s’ sustained quality and impact.
No.10: Paolo Di Canio (1985-1990 & 2004-2006)
A controversial choice on many fronts, he didn’t spend his prime years playing for his beloved Lazio, starting as an electric and wild youth before being sold. Then he came back, as an… electric and wild veteran. Despite never being particularly prolific for his boyhood club, he scored key goals against Roma in both stints, and was the ultimate embodiment of an ultra on the pitch, for good or for bad. Technically superb, he was capable of the most sublime goals, passes or dribbling. A ball of commitment and energy, he’d be the emotional leader of this team. Or any Lazio team, for that matter.
Forward: Giorgio Chinaglia (1969-1976)
The embodiment of Lazio’s wild 70’s team, Chinaglia was a raging bull of a striker. Excellent in the air, his physical size and surprising turn of pace allowed him to bully defenders. Charismatic, emotional and flamboyant, he mixed outright violence with plenty of skill. He was the focal point of a team which defined a tumultuous decade for the club, game and the country as a whole. Despite his controversial exit from Lazio, he is a player often associated with the club long after he moved on. He and Di Canio together would have been combustible, but hopefully in the best possible way.
Forward: Giuseppe Signori (1992-1997)
Choosing the second Lazio striker was trickier than the first. Crespo, Salas, Klose, Piola, Immobile and Vieri were in the running for various reasons. Yet Signori was prolific and consistent over a multitude of seasons. Not only that, he did so when Serie A was at it’s peak in terms of playing power. Scoring double digits (three times over 20) for five consecutive seasons in mid-90s Italy shows Signori’s ability and impact in Rome. Direct, quick and evasive, he’d prove the perfect foil for Chinaglia. A player who has been unfairly overlooked since his retirement.
This side is packed full of flair and passion but one question remains: How Eternal would this team be on the pitch considering the volume of combustible characters that the side contains? One thing is for sure, watching this team play in the Eternal City would be fun whilst it lasted.