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| Trapattoni's first major trophy in Europe: UEFA Cup 1977 |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
All-Time Team Under Jose Mourinho
All-Time Team under Bobby Robson(Club only)
All-Time Team Under Helenio Herrera
All-Time Team Under Bela Gutmann
All-Time Team Under Giovanni Trappattoni
All-Time Team Under Fabio Capello (Club only)
All-Time Team under Marcello Lippi (Club only)
All-Time Team under Carlos Ancelotti
Italian Players' surnames ending with an i
This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for Giovanni Trapattoni. The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.
Giovanni Trapattoni is considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. He is one of only five coaches to have won league titles in four different European countries; in total, Trapattoni has won 10 league titles in Italy, Germany, Portugal and Austria. Alongside Udo Lattek, he is the only coach to have won all three major European club competitions (European Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup) and the only one to make it with the same club (Juventus). Also, he is the only one to have won all official continental club competitions and the world title, achieving this with Juventus during his first spell with the club. He is one of the rare few to have won the European Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup and Intercontinental Cup as both a player and manager.
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| Inter Milan 1990's |
GK: Dino Zoff (Italy/Juventus)
Dino Zoff captained the World Cup winning side in 1982 at the age of 40. He held the Serie A appearance record until 2006. He was also a part of the team that won the Euro 1968. He achieved great club success with Juventus, winning 6 Serie A titles, 2 Coppa Italias, and an UEFA Cup, also reaching two European Champions' Cup finals in 1972-73 and 1982-83 seasons.
GK: Walter Zenga (Italy/Inter Milan)
Walter Zenga was considered one of Italy's greatest keepers. He played 58 times for Italy, notably at the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy. He had five clean sheet, a total of 518 minutes without conceding a goal, a record still standing in the WC Finals. He played mainly for Inter Milan. He also played for Sampdoria, Padova and New England Revolution.
GK: Oliver Kahn(Germany/Bayern Munich)
Kahn is one of the most successful German players in recent history. For Bayern Munich, he won eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals, the UEFA Cup in 1996, the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup, both achieved in 2001. For Germany, his heroic performance helped Germany to finish 2nd at Korea/Japan 2002. He was the Gold Ball winner in that World Cup Finals.
CB/RB: Giuseppe Bergomi (Italy/Inter Milan)
Bergomi was one of Inter Milan's greatest defender, winning one scudetto and three UEFA Cups with them. He played his entire career with Inter Milan. He held the record of most appearance in the UEFA Cup. Bergomi won the World Cup in 1982 and appeared in the 1986 and 1990 WC Finals. He was capped 81 times between 1982 and 1998.
Gentile was considered one of the Azzurri's greatest defender. He went to both 1978 and 1982 World Cup Finals. He was best remembered for stopping Diego Maradona and Zico at the WC Finals in 1982 as Italy won their third World Cup. His playing style was very hard. He was capped 71 times. Gentile played over a decade with Juventus. He also played for Fiorentina and other clubs.
SW: Gaetano Scirea (Italy/Juventus)
Scirea was the starting libero for Italy's World Cup winning team in Spain 1982 and Juventus throughout the 1980's. He is considered one of the greatest defenders ever played the game. He is one of only five players in history to have won all international trophies for football clubs recognized by UEFA and FIFA. He started with Atalanta before moving to Juventus in 1974, where he made his name. He also played in 1978 and 1986 World Cup Finals as well as the European Championship of 1980.
CB: Jurgen Kohler (Germany/Juventus)
Jurgen Kohler was regarded one of the best defenders in the 1990's. He earned 105 caps for West Germany/Germany between 1986 and 1998. He won the World Cup in 1990 and the European Championship in 1996. For his club career, he played with Koln, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund. He won the Champions' League in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund. He was Footballer of the Year in Germany in 1997.
CB: Riccardo Ferri (Italy/Inter Milan)
Riccardo Ferri spent most of his career with Inter Milan. With them, he won two UEFA Cups in 1991 and 1994, and a Serie A title in 1989. He had 45 caps. He played at the 1988 European Championship and the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy. Between 1994 and 1996, he played with Sampdoria along side his former Inter Milan teammate Walter Zenga.
CB: Giuseppe Baresi (Italy)
Baresi spent 16 seasons at Inter Milan while captaining the team from 1988 to 1992. He won two league titles and the UEFA Cup in 1990-1991. For the national team, he was a starter at the WC Finals in 1986. He was also at Euro 1980, where he played alongside his younger brother Franco Baresi of AC Milan. It was the only tournament where both brothers attempted together.
CB: Daniel Passarella (Argentina/Inter Milan)
Daniel Passarella was one of the best center-backs ever played the game. He captained Argentina when it won the World Cup in 1978. He also went to the WC Finals in 1982, but he was forced into have a non-playing role in 1986 after a row with Diego Maradona. He was also known for scoring over 140 goals in his career, very high for a defender. His career was associated with River Plate. He also played for Fiorentina and Inter Milan in Italy.
LB: Antonio Cabrini (Italy/Juventus)
Antonio Cabrini was one of the best leftbacks in the world during his time. He was remembered for being a part of the great defensive unit for Italy at 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain, where Italy won the World Cup for the first time after the War. He also appeared in 1978 and 1986 World Cup Finals. He earned 73 caps. For his club career, he spent the best part of his career with Juventus, winning the European Cup in 1985. He also played for Atlanta and Bologna.
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| Antonio Cabrini |
Andreas Brehme is best remembered for his career with Kaiserslautern and Inter Milan. He was the Serie A Foreign Player of the Year in 1989, in an era where the best players played in Italy. He was an important player for West Germany in the 1990 World Cup Finals, where he scored the winning goal in the Final. He had 86 caps in total.
DM: Romeo Benetti (Italy/AC Milan/Juventus)
Romeo Benetti represented the Italy national football team on 55 occasions between 1971 and 1980, and took part at the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, as well as Euro 1980, achieving fourth-place finishes in the latter two tournaments. He is best remembered for his 5 seasons with AC Milan between 1970 and 1976, winning a Cup Winners' Cup. He also won the 1976–77 UEFA Cup with Juventus.
DM/CM: Marco Tardelli (Italy/Juventus)
Marco Tardelli played at the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina and the 1980 European Football Championship at home. He was the unsung hero of Italy's 1982 World Cup winning team. He was capped 81 times. He played mainly with Juventus where he also won all the three major European competitions. His career lasted there from 1975 to 1985.
CM: Lothar Matthaus (Germany/Inter Milan/Bayern Munich)
Captaining the West German team in winning the WC in 1990. He was the European Player of the Year and the first ever World Player of the year in 1990. He played in five FIFA World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998), a record for an outfield player, and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played by a single player (25 games). He also won the Euro 1980 in Italy, and played in the 1984, 1988, and 2000 European Championships.
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| Lothar Matthaus |
Gianni Rivera was Italy's "Golden Boy" in the 1960's and one of the best ever Italian players. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1969. He led AC Milan to win two European Cups in 1963 and 1969. He was capped 63 times scoring 15 goals, at four World Cups (1962, 1966, 1970, and 1974). Rivera is remembered for scoring the decisive goal in Italy's extra-time win over West Germany in the semi-final of Mexico 1970.
AM: Roberto Baggio (Italy/Juventus)
Baggio was the icon of the 1990's. He was the World Player of the Year, the Ballon d'Or winner and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1993. He led Italy to reach the semifinal at Italia 1990 and then, to a second place four years later. For club football, he started his career with Fiorentina. He became the most expensive player in the world when he joined Juventus. He also played for AC Milan, Bologna, Inter Milan and Brescia.
Michel Platini is one of the greatest footballers of all time. He played 72 times for France, He scored 9 of France's 14 goals as they won the European Chamionship in 1984 at home. It was probably the greatest individual performance in a tournament. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1983, 1984 and 1985. With Juventus, he won the European Cup in 1985, the first ever for the club. He started with Nancy and was a member of the famous team with AS Saint-Etienne.
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| Michel Platini |
Franco Causio capped 63 times. He was a part of the Azzurri at Euro 1980 and then, the World Cup in 1982. He played 11 years for Juventus between 1970 and 1981. During a highly successful period with the club, he won the scudetto six times, as well as winning a Coppa Italia, and an UEFA Cup. He also reached the European Cup final with Juventus during the 1972–73 season
FW/RW/LW: Zbigniew Boniek (Poland/Juventus)
Zbigniew Boniek is one of the greatest Polish players in the history of the game. He was capped 80 times. Boniek first played for Polish clubs Zawisza Bydgoszcz and later at Widzew Łódź. After a starring role at the WC Finals in 1982, he moved to Italy and played for Juventus alongside Platini, Zoff and Rossi, where he won the penalty that sealed the European Cup in 1985 for Juvnetus. He is an all-time greats with the club. He also played for Roma.
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| Zbigniew Boniek |
FW: Roberto Bettega (Italy/Juventus)
Nicknamed "White Feather", Roberto Bettega started his career in 1969. He spent most of his career with Juventus. He won 7 Serie A titles there. He went to the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina. and was voted into the Team of the tournament. He missed the 1982 World Cup in Spain because of an injury. He had 42 caps in his career.
FW: Alessandro Altobelli (Italy/Inter Milan)
Alessandro Altobelli played for Latina and Brescia before joining Inter Milan in 1977, where he became a star at the club. He scored over 200 goals for them. He also spent a season with Juventus in the 1988-1989 season. For the national team, he had 61 caps. He was best-remembered for scoring a goal against West Germany at the WC Final in 1982. He also played in 1986.
ST: Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany/Inter Milan/Bayern Munich)
Klinsmann won the World Cup in 1990 and then, captained the 1996 European Championship winning team. He played in all major international tournaments from 1988 until his retirement in 1998. He had successful club spells with Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspurs. He was a popular player while in England, despite a lot of negative press at the time of his signing. He won both the FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Player of the Year in 1995.
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| Jurgen Klinsmann |
Rossi was the hero of Italy's WC winning team in 1982, notably for scoring a hattrick against Brazil in Spain, and went on to win the Golden boot. He was also the European player of the Year in 1982 because of his performance at the WC Finals. His club career was associated with Juventus. He was a part of the great Juventus team of the 1980's. He won the 1985 European Cup as Juventus' second top scorer. He also went to the 1978 World Cup Finals.
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| Paolo Rossi |
ST: Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina/Fiorentina)
Gabriel Batistuta is the current top-scorer for Argentina. He first gained international recognition when Argentina won the Copa America in 1991 where he finished as the top scorer. He earned a move to Fiorentina spending the next 9 seasons there while becoming their all-time leading scorer. In 2000, he moved to Roma and won the scudetto in his first season. He went to the WC Finals in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
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| Gabriel Batistuta |
Roberto Boninsegna (Juventus), Giuseppe Furino (Juventus) Massimo Bonini (Juventus), Massimo Briaschi (Juventus), Sergio Brio (Juventus), Pierluigi Casiraghi (Juventus), Gianluca Vialli (Juventus), Moreno Torricelli (Juventus/Fiorentina), Júlio César (Juventus), Andy Moller (Juventus), Fabrizio Ravanelli (Juventus), Angelo Peruzzi (Juventus), Gianluca Vialli (Juventus), Aldo Serena (Inter Milan), Giuseppe Baresi (Inter Milan), Ramón Diaz (Inter Milan), Nicola Berti (Inter Milan), Rui Costa (Fiorentina), Edmundo (Fiorentina), Francesco Toldo (Fiorentina), Christian Ziege (Bayern ), Giovane Élber (Bayern Munich), Simão (Benfica).
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| Juventus 1985 |
Squad Explanation
-- This is my selection of the greatest ever team under Giovanni Trapattoni. I never checked if he himself ever came up his own selection of his greatest 25 member team. This is my opinion of his greatest ever team.
-- Despite being one of the most decorated managers in European football, Givovanni Trapattoni only won a single European Cup. Unfortunately, the Final was associated with the disaster in Heysel. Antonio Cabrini, Michel Platini, Gaetano Scirea, Marco Tardelli, Paulo Rossi and Zbigniew Boniek played on the Final in 1985.
-- Blocco-Juve (Juve Block), also known as Blocco Juventus was the nickname of the group of Juventus players who were the backbone Italy's World Cup winning team in 1982. Under Giovanni Trapattoni, this group also helped Juventus to dominate the Italian football. I selected the following players from this group: Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Antonio Cabrini, Marco Tardelli, Roberto Bettega and Paolo Rossi. Some of them were also on the Eurppean Cup winning team listed above.
-- Trapattoni had many great centerbacks so I selected five. Gentile and Bergomi can also play there. So I actually have 7 centerbacks on the team.
-- Daniel Passarella played at the end of his career in Italy with Trapattoni's Inter Milan. He had two solid season under him.
-- Benetti played for AC Milan under Trapattoni and moved to Juventus in 1976, the year Trapattoni joined Juventus.
-- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge only played one season with Trapattoni at Inter Milan. His career was injury-ridden in Italy. The German player was also at the end of his career. So I did not select him. Instead, I took Paulo Rossi, Jurgen Klinsmann, Alessandro Altobelli, etc.
-- Michael Laudrup also played a single season under Trapattoni as a younger player in the 1985-1986 season. While Trapattoni had praised Laudrup, he did not do enough to earn a place on this team. He was too young at the time. Many good players played in their prime for him.
-- Alessandro Del Piero's breakout season came after Trapattoni's departure. Nevertheless, he had yet to become the superstar at the period. Instead, I took Roberto Baggio who played more under Trappattoni. Del Piero is on my honorable mention.
-- Trapattoni was inducted into AC Milan Hall of Fame as a player, but his career as a coach with them was very short. It was also his first coaching job. I only selected Gianni Rivera as a symbolic gesture. Trapattoni actually played with Gianni Rivera as teammates in Milan.
-- Inter Milan won the Serie A title in the 1988-1989 season. Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme, Alessandro Altobelli, Riccardo Ferri, Giuseppe Bergomi and Walter Zenga made this all-time team. Brehme was the Serie A Foreign Player of the Year in 1989, in an era where the best players played in Italy.
-- Under Trapattoni, Lother Matthaus became one of the best midfielders in the world.
-- Jurgen Klinsmann joined Inter Milan the season after the Serie A team. With Matthaus and Brehme, he formed a German trinity there. He also played for him at both Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. He was his top scorer at both clubs. I chose him over Gianluca Vialli, who actually deserved a spot.
-- Giovanni Trapattoni unfortunately remembered for his press conference with Bayern Munich in 1998, where he criticised attacked both Mario Basler and Mehmet Scholl. So both players are not considered.
-- Giovane Élber only spent a single season with him.
-- Trapattoni led Benfica to their first Primeira title in 11 years. Simão was his key player, but Trapattoni had many legendary players in that position. I toyed with idea of taking him as a symbolic gesture for Trapattoni's career in Portugal. In the end, I had to drop him.
-- I already have Baggio, Riveria and Platini. I have no space for Simão, Rui Costa and Andy Moller.
-- Gabriel Batistuta won the Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year award in 1999 playing under Giovanni Trapattoni.
Formation
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