For a club that have never won a Serie A title, picking a five a side team made up of ex-Le Zebrette players proved monumentally difficult. Nestled in north eastern Italy, Udine is significantly closer to Slovenia’s capital of Ljubljana than Rome. Yet it has been both a nursery for many elite players, as well as providing the stability and seclusion for the more mature player to find their feet and flourish. This side is a mixture of youth and experience, and helps to emphasise just how much talent has graced the Stadio Friuli. My selection based primarily on players whom played during my lifetime, and also players I think would flourish in the five a side game!
Morgan De Sanctis
Udinese have really had some talent between the sticks over the years. Dino Zoff and Samir Handanovic were two notable keepers who first cut their teeth in Udine. There was also Luigi Turci, who seemed spectacular to me as a young viewer. Unlike Zoff and Handanovic however, De Sanctis was there for his prime. And he was ultimately more successful and arguably more consistent than Turci. De Sanctis was capable of the eye-catching, instinctive save but was a vocal organiser and leader at the back. His rise to prominence at the club coincided with their regular spells at the higher end of the table and his performances particularly between 2003-2006 were the bedrock of that rise. One thing that always stood out for me about De Sanctis was his concentration and calmness. Although Udinese had flair during the early 2000s, they also had to hang onto leads and stay organised, which emanated from him outwards. A player with these qualities is perfect for the frenetic pace of five-a-side.
Roberto Sensini
This is a team with a lot of flair, so it needs someone reliable, strong, consistent and intelligent at the back to make things don’t become too loose. There isn’t really a player better suited for that role than Argentine Sensini. His ability to play as a fullback or centre back, as well as a defensive midfielder if need be, showed his composure and positional sense. Never particularly pacy, it largely didn’t matter because he would often already be in the right place at the right time. He had two spells in Udinese, one in the early 90s as a younger player before heading off to captain Parma to a UEFA cup. He then returned to the club at the age of 36 in 2002, but was a major reason or Udinese becoming a major force in the league for a number of years which culminated with the club achieving champions league qualification. Given a choice between the younger or older version of Sensini, give me the older edition. He got better with age.
Zico
Zico is unique in this selection in that the playmaker arrived at Udinese a huge star upon his arrival in 1983. He had already dominated for and in Brazil for seven years, and was part of the wonderful 1982 world cup team knocked out by Italy. The hub of an all-conquering Flamingo side, his lucrative contract was initially blocked by the Italian FA. When it was finally approved, his performances revealed he was worth whatever he was being paid. An exceptional two-footed dribbler, his slender 5’8 frame allowed him to wriggle and weave his way through and around the brutal defences of early 80s clacio. He was prolific from the number 10 role in his two seasons in Udine, scoring immaculately placed free kicks seemingly on a whim. He also had high standards, and demanded everything his club and teammates could give in order to march up the table. Although he departed without having achieved that aim after only two season (one impacted by injury), he is still revered in the city. Check out footage of his last appearance for the club, a 2-2 draw with Napoli in 1985, with him and his usurper as the world’s greatest player, Maradona, going toe-to-toe. Magical stuff.
Antonio Di Natale
Although Zico may be the ‘best’ player in this team, I wouldn’t say he was the most influential. Udinese’s leading appearance maker and record goal scorer, Di Natale was the epitome of the modern attacking player. Similar to Zico in stature at 5’7, he also had an ability to dribble wonderfully and escape from the attention of defenders. He was versatile, fleet of thought and foot, capable of being a winger, a second striker or a prolific lone striker. He could score any type of goal, from lobs, swerving shots from distance, free kicks, tap ins, placed shots and running off the shoulder of the last man. But it wasn’t even that substantial skill set which make him not only an Udinese icon but an Italian football icon. He improved with age, his hard work and dedication being rewarded in his mid- to-late 30s with five consecutive seasons of scoring twenty goals or more. Although he had been fairly prolific at his first club Empoli, his 12 seasons at Udinese up until he retired in 2015 saw the club become an upper-table side who qualified for the champions league inspired by his goals, leadership and loyalty. An old-school footballer in a modern age, and one who would be the fulcrum of this side.
Oliver Bierhoff
With two diminutive and tricky players as attacking outlets, this side might lack a focal point. The 6’3 German Bierhoff would provide just that quality. Something of a late bloomer having struggled in his homeland, he had hit a prolific vain of form in Austria and then Ascoli before being one of Udinese’s many shrewd purchases. His lethal heading ability may not be all that handy in 5-a-side, but he was a true striker, eager to score goals in any way they came about. Any player who hits 57 goals in 86 games is a smart player, but for a spell in the mid to late 90s Bierhoff perfected the art of being in the right place at the right time. He also had a brutally powerful and accurate shot from distance, and he excelled in Alberto Zaccheroni’s system that saw Udinese finish 3rd in 97/98. Perhaps not always the most elegant player at times, he could still link up and hold up play wonderfully and be on the end of any flowing move those around him could construct. Perfect for this team with the flair of Di Natale and Zico, and perfect for five-a-side.
Words by James Oddy @james-oddy