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99 Legends of Calcio: the most legendary figure from each of Italy’s 99 professional clubs (from Albinoleffe to Viterbese).

A

1. Elio Gustinetti (Albinoleffe) Infamously sacked before the end of the legendary 2007-08 season, Gustinetti began his coaching career at Leffe and then got Albinese promoted to Serie D. He then took merged Albinoleffe to Serie B and narrowly missed out on promotion to Serie A.

2. Adolfo Baloncieri (Alessandria) Perhaps Italy’s first footballing idol, the elegant Alessandria-born, Argentine-schooled playmaker scored 75 goals in 122 games before an acrimonious move to Torino in 1925. He would don the Grey one more time in 1944 (vs Torino), aged 46.

3. Massimo Gadda (Ancona) “Gaddao Meravigliao” joined Ancona in Serie C and led them as captain into Serie A (1992) & to a Coppa Italia final (1994). A cerebral midfielder, he played 8 years at Ancona, serving the likes of Tovaglieri, “Condor” Agostini & the great Lajos Detari.

4. Luis Maldonado (Arzignano) Reinvented as a deep-lying playmaker by Vincenzo Italiano, the Ecuadorian was always too good for Serie D & scored 29 goals in 119 games as he helped Arzignano reach Serie C for the first time in 2019. Maldonado is still only 26 & plays at Lecco.

5. Carlo Mazzone (Ascoli) Simply Mr Ascoli. “Sor Magara” played 219 games and captained Ascoli in Serie C, before leading them to Serie A as manager in 1974. He returned to Ascoli in the 80s, leading them to 6th place in Serie A, before illustrious spells at Roma & Brescia.

6. Glenn Stromberg (Atalanta) One of Sven Goran Eriksson’s babes at IFK Gothenburg & Benfica, the blimp-lunged midfielder joined Atalanta in 1984 & stayed for 8 years, becoming a club idol. “The Viking” captained the side on their run to the Cup Winners Cup semi-finals in 1988.

7. Angelo Bellapianta (Audace Cerignola) Of all fans’ favourites at Cerignola (Marinacci, DiPasquale, Loiodice, Malcore…), the legend of “bomber” Bellapianta (50s & 60s) has endured over time. Part of a golden generation (4th tier), his goalscoring tally is a mistery!

8. Juary (Avellino) Poached (kidnapped?) from Mexican side Leones Negros in 1980, the former Santos forward played only 34 games for the club (13 goals). But Avellino’s first true “star” won fans’ hearts during his 2-year spell with his goals and celebratory corner flag antics.

9. Emmanuele Esposito (AZ Picerno) Lauded by Lorenzo Insigne as “sheer class” during their youth days together at Napoli, Esposito has led Picerno to 2 Serie C promotions during his 8 seasons (and counting) at the club. So far, the captain has 202 appearances, scoring 70 goals.

B

10. Joao Paulo (Bari) If not for a serious injury in 1991, the 15x-capped Brazilian trequartista could have achieved great things. In his 5 years at Bari, he wowed in Serie A with his dribbling prowess, then stayed the course to spearhead a successful assault on Serie B in 1994

11. Carmelo Imbriani (Benevento) The Benevento-born fantasista was the next big thing at Napoli in the early 90s, but ended up a hero for his hometown club (6 years including a derby screamer vs Avellino) He then managed Benevento for a spell, before passing away, aged just 37.

12. Giacomo Bulgarelli (Bologna) The beating heart of Bologna, midfield beacon of the 1964 Scudetto-winning side, idol of Pier Paolo Pasolini… Giacomino played almost 500 games for Bologna and won 29 caps for Italy. Bologna’s Curva Nord now bears his name.

13. Roberto Baggio (Brescia) 4 consecutive midtable finishes, 2 Intertoto Cup appearances, one of Serie A’s great goals, 25th in the Ballon d’or nominations (2001)… As career swansongs (and free transfers) go, the Divine Ponytail’s spell under Carlo Mazzone was astronomical.

C

14. Gigi Riva (Cagliari) Europe’s top striker at the turn of the 70s (together with Gerd Muller). “Rombo di Tuono” fired Cagliari to the 1970 scudetto (him + 10 misfits, Cassano might call them) in his 14 seasons there. 207 goals for Casteddu + a World Cup runner-up.

15. Corrado Orrico (Carrarese) Famous for his gruelling “caged” training methods, the eccentric Orrico coached Carrarese 7 times during a career that also saw him fail in his zonal crusade at Inter. Took Carrarese up to Serie C in 1978 & narrowly missed promotion to Serie B.

16. Massimo Palanca (Catanzaro) “O Rey” scored 137 goals in 2 spells at Catanzaro, including 4 seasons in Serie A. His UK-Size-4 left foot scored (at least) 13 direct corners during his time at Catanzaro, including one in a hat-trick vs Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

17. Dario Hübner (Cesena) Together with Igor Protti, the only player to finish top scorer in Serie A, B & C, the grappa-guzzling Bison came to prominence at Cesena (80+ goals), firing them to within a playoff of Serie A. Equally fruitful spells at Brescia & Piacenza followed.

18. Manuel Iori (Cittadella) One of Serie B’s classiest defensive midfielders for a decade, Iori was twice promoted to Serie B with Cittadella in 2 spells at the club (2006-09, 2015-21). Despite strolling Serie B for years, he only made 15 Serie A appearances (with Chievo).

19. Stefano Borgonovo (Como) The centre-forward started his career at Como (100+ games) and ended it there as youth coach. Once Roby Baggio’s striking partner at Fiorentina, Borgonovo lost a years-long battle with motor neuron disease, aged 49.

20. Gigi Marulla (Cosenza) “A poor man’s Gerd Muller” (cit. anon.), the 5’9″ poacher served Cosenza for 11 seasons, scoring 91 league goals across Serie B & C1. Beloved by his city and by his teammates, C. Lucarelli & M. Negri attributed their nose for goal to his influence.

21. Alviero Chiorri (Cremonese) When Gianluca Vialli left for Sampdoria in 1984, Cremo were the victors, getting future club legend Chiorri in return 8 seasons, 25 goals, 2 Serie A promotions “More exciting than Baggio & Mancini”, according to legendary manager Renzo Ulivieri

22. Simy (Crotone) Embarking in Magna Grecia in 2016, the Nigeria striker would become the Pitagorici’s all-time record scorer (66). And he loves the club so much that he now refuses to score for anyone else. One day we’ll ask ourselves: was Simy a figment of our imagination?

E

23. Carlo Castellani (Empoli) Loyal to his club, town & family, Empoli’s reverence of Castellani the footballer (1926-30, 34-39) is only surpassed by their reverence of Carlo the man. Betrayed by someone he trusted, Castellani perished in an Austrian concentration camp in 1944.

F

24. Bob Avanzolini (Fermana) Scorer of 44 goals in 150 games wearing the Canarini number 10, “Maravanzolini” entertained the Recchioni in the late 80s/early 90s, with a mix of flair, gallus and goals. He holds the distinction of scoring 2 goals directly from corners in one game

25. Oberdan Biagioni (Fidelis Andria) The trequartista spearheaded Fidelis’ assault on Serie B in 96/97, then kept them up there Despite playing only 2 years at the Degli Olivi, fans still reminisce about his set-piece dexterity, which guaranteed goals as if they were penalties.

26. Giancarlo Antognoni (Fiorentina) Annointed Italy’s successor to Gianni Rivera as an 18yo, the Curva Fiesole (& Nils Liedholm) pinned on him their hopes of a scudetto rebus. It eluded him (agonisingly so in 1982), but for 15 seasons L’Unico Capitano had Florence in his palm.

27. Rocco Crippa (Fiorenzuola) Captain of the Magico Fiore side that lost 1995 Serie C1 playoff final on penalties, Rocco L’Unico was also central to the club’s promotions from Serie D and C2 in his 9 years there. Never red carded, but a master at getting his opponents sent off.

28. Zdeněk Zeman (Foggia) The chainsmoking Bohemian blended 1940s training regimes with 21st century attacking fluency to hoist a goals-and-gaffes Foggia high into Serie A. Synonymous with Zemanlandia, Foggia has since staged frequent comebacks for Zeman & his 4-3-3 Zemanites.

29. Francesco Lodi (Frosinone) The signing that elevated the Canarini from teuchter outfit to fashionable underdogs: poste rboy of the Stirpe project. Deployed as a trequartista, Lodi banged in 39 goals in 3 seasons at the Matusa, including many a trademark free kick.