Dennis Bergkamp

Full name: Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp
Date of birth: 10/05/1969 

Introduction

Dennis Bergkamp is one of the many success stories to come out of the Ajax youth system and is still one of the greatest foreign imports the English Premier League has ever seen. Never failing to display a lesson in “Dutch Masterclass”, the striker had an illustrious career picking up many honours in England and his native Holland.

The Early Years

Bergkamp was born in Amsterdam in 1969 and football was injected into his blood from the start. He grew up with a family who were football fanatics, so he got plenty of practice playing with his brothers. It is said that Dennis was named after the Manchester United great Denis Law, but the spelling was changed to stop confusion, with the Dutch spelling denoting the girl's name “Denise”. His family were Manchester United fans and often holidayed in England. Growing up, his favourite player was Tottenham Hotspur’s Glenn Hoddle, so it may seem bizarre to some that he went on to become an Arsenal legend!

Prodigy of Ajax

Ajax took Bergkamp on at the tender age of 12, but he struggled to impress the coaches due to his lack of strength. After training hard and playing for the Youth team, Bergkamp was thrown a lifeline from Johan Cruyff. Cruyff, who was manager of the senior team at the time, kept an eye on Bergkamp’s development and decided to give him his professional debut on 14th of December, 1986 against Roda JC Kerkade.

From there Bergkamp never looked back and picked up various honours with the club which included a Dutch Championship medal, two Dutch Cup winners' medals, a European Cup Winners Cup medal and a UEFA Cup winners medal.

Bergkamp played behind the strikers at Ajax and in his time there he scored an impressive 122 goals in 239 games. Ajax paved the way for future successes but he had to endure a torrid time in Italy beforehand.

The Iceman at Inter

Ajax agreed a fee in the range of £12 million with Inter Milan for Bergkamp. From the start, previous manager Johan Cruyff disapproved of the move. Nevertheless Bergkamp had his heart set on a move to Inter, despite AC Milan and Barcelona’s best efforts to lure him to their clubs.

His time in Italy started well when he won the UEFA Cup for the second time in his career, but everything went downhill from there. Fallouts within the Inter squad and with the Milan media led to Bergkamp’s departure from the Italian giants after just two seasons. Thankfully for Holland, this time at Inter didn’t affect the form he displayed for the national side.

The National Side

Bergkamp made his international debut for Holland in September 1990 against Italy and since then he never looked back. His first major tournament was Euro 1992, where he shone in an experienced Dutch side who were trying to retain the trophy. Holland got knocked out in the semi final on penalties but Bergkamp started to make a name for himself on the International scene. Following this, Bergkamp went on to play in World Cup 94 and Euro 96 where again the Dutch got knocked out in the latter stages of the competitions.

The most famous incident in Bergkamp’s international career came at World Cup 98, where he scored the goal of the tournament against Argentina in the quarter finals. The move started when Frank de Boer floated a 60-yard ball from the back which Bergkamp managed to pluck out of the air, spectacularly. This touch allowed him to keep the ball away from the imposing Argentine defender, Roberto Ayala, before producing a top class finish from a tight angle. This goal sent Holland into the semi finals and personified the player that Bergkamp was. It is one of the most recognisable goals in the World Cup’s history.

Bergkamp had a remarkable career for his national side and is up there on the list of top goal scorers for the national team. His impressive record stands at 37 goals in 79 games, a record that has only been beaten by Patrick Kluivert.

Arsenal

After a troubled two seasons at Inter Milan, Arsenal paid a club record fee of £7.5 million in the summer of 1995 for Bergkamp. This was to be the start of something great for the club, and the Dutchman. He was crowned with the number 10 shirt and graced Highbury with his talent and ability to change a game with a single pass.

The “Dutchmaster’s” first pieces of silverware came in the 1997/98 season where he helped Arsenal win the domestic league and cup double. This was the season where the Premiership had to stand back and admire his effect on the English game. His contribution that season was massive and Bergkamp won back-to-back Player of the Month awards.

Despite winning the double, Bergkamp had an unfortunate end to the season after sustaining an injury which consequently meant that he didn’t play any part in the FA Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley, though he did have something else to smile about when he picked up the awards for English Player of the Year and English Football Writers' Player of the Year.

Other successes came the way of Bergkamp at Arsenal after winning the FA Cup another three times and the English Premier League another two times. This included another league and cup double in the 2001/02 season.

Bergkamp was known for scoring spectacular goals in his time at Highbury and won the Premier League’s Goal of the Season award twice. His most famous goal for Arsenal was in the 2001/02 season against Newcastle. The Dutchman executed a turn which has never been seen before and in true Bergkamp style, coolly slotted the ball into the far corner past a helpless and bemused Shay Given.

Unfortunately, Bergkamp was afraid of flying due to an incident with the Dutch national team. He was unable to travel to a lot of Arsenal’s Champions League games and was a huge miss because he was a vital part of the attacking free flowing football that the Gunners liked to play.

Farewell

Arsenal said their goodbyes to hero Dennis Bergkamp on July 22, 2006. This was the first game to be played at the new Emirates Stadium and 54,000 people turned out to watch the Iceman pull on the red and white shirt for the last time. The game was fittingly between an Arsenal XI and an Ajax XI and every fan who watched the game was given a t-shirt specially made for the day.

People who took part in the testimonial were Bergkamp’s ex colleague and friend Marc Overmars, ex Holland legends Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Johan Cruyff.

Personal Life

Bergkamp married wife Henrietta in June 1993 and they have three children. Since retiring from football, he enjoys hobbies such as golf and tennis and he is a devoted husband and father to his family.

Honours

UEFA Cup: 1992 (Ajax), 1994 (Inter)

European Cup Winners Cup: 1987 (Ajax)

English Championship: 1998, 2002, 2004

English FA Cup: 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005

Dutch Championship: 1990

Dutch Cup: 1987, 1993

Personal Honours

FIFA 3rd best Player of the Year: 1993, 1997

European Footballer of the Year: 1993 (third place)

English Player of the Year: 1998

English Football Writers Player of the Year: 1998

Arsenal Player of the Year: 1998

Goal of the Season Award: 1998, 2002

Dutch Player of the Year: 1992, 1993

Dutch Top Goalscorer: 1991, 1992, 1993

Player Statistics

Senior Club and National Team Statistics

Period	Team	Appearances (Goals)
1986-1993	Ajax	185 (103)
1993-1995	Internazionale	52 (11)
1995-2006	Arsenal	315 (87)
1990-2000	Netherlands	79 (37)

David Beckham

Full name: David Robert Joseph Beckham
Date of birth: 02/05/1975

It’s hard to think of a more famous name in the world than that of David Beckham. The man is not only an incredibly talented footballer but an entire brand of his own. He has one of the most recognisable faces in the world. He is the highest paid footballer ever. His club and international performances have been spectacular. Beckham represents everything the modern game of football is. It’s just as much about the individual as it is the team he plays for. The man is an idol. The man is Golden Balls.

Beck to the beginning

David Robert Joseph Beckham comes from a modest home in Leytonstone, near London. Son of Ted, a kitchen fitter and devoted Manchester United fan, as a boy David would visit Old Trafford and dream about putting on a red shirt himself. His dream came true on his 14th birthday when David joined the Man Utd Youth Team.

David was one of a number of young boys showing huge potential at the time in the Man Utd youth division and the club manager Sir Alex Ferguson was a great believer in the system. This confidence prompted Ferguson to place some of the young rising stars into his first team selections. Beckham got his first chance in a League Cup game against Brighton and Hove Albion in 1992. He quickly impressed and his unbelievable accuracy with passing the ball made him a strong choice as first-team winger. He took Eric Cantona’s number 7 shirt made it his own.

Glory glory Man United

Beckham came along during the latter stages of Manchester United’s domination of English football during the nineties. He represented the best of their new wave of young home-grown players. In the years that followed his time with United, Beckham helped them to the treble in 1998/99 (which included the Champions League title) and he won the UEFA Club Player of the Year for his part that season.

He notched up 62 goals for the United, many from set-pieces, as well as countless goal assists. Although he was already a legend with the Red Devils, there were slightly devious goings on happening off the pitch between the manager Ferguson and Beckham. Much of this stemmed from the overwhelming celebrity status that Beckham was rapidly earning. Ferguson didn’t feel Becks’ wife Victoria was much help to his football. In a famous and rather petty incident with a flying boot in the changing room, it seemed clear that Beckham’s time with his beloved Manchester United would soon be up.

El Beckhamo

Out of all the dozens of clubs willing to pay the earth for the remarkably talented Becks, Spanish heavy-weights Real Madrid were the ones he wanted to join the most. With so many of the world’s best players in the team, who wouldn’t? Beckham joined Real Madrid in 2003 and would go on to play for them for four years, wearing the number 23 shirt and playing 113 games in total. He quickly became an idol for the club and on the day of his transfer the replica shirt bearing his name completely sold out.
Partnering such talents as Figo, Raul, Ronaldo and Zidane didn’t make Becks at all shy. He would play a crucial part in the clubs Champions League campaigns and eventually would be a huge weapon in their winning of the La Liga title in his last season for them in 2006/07.

Controversy surrounding his club departure again though as he was increasingly dropped from the first team and ignored by the coach. Beckham knew it was time to move on. But where he would go to, no one but he would now decide.

Bucks

In Jan 2007 David signed for US team LA Galaxy for a fee that would see him pocket over £128 million over five years. He didn’t do it for the money though he said. He didn’t do it do bring football (or soccer) to American either. Why he did it, only he knows. He has been welcomed in America like a Hollywood star and his new mansion in Beverly Hills overlooks Tom Cruise’s back garden. The distance across the Atlantic, together with the American’s different season timetable, has meant critics feel his international career is now over. But Becks once again proved these critics wrong.

For England

Beckham has had the most roller-coaster England career since Gazza. It certainly seems for Becks that the higher the highs, the lower the lows. It began in 1996 against Moldova under Glenn Hoddle. The 1998 World Cup in France saw the lowest of the lows for his international career. Beckham’s foot flung out and kicked Argentinean Diego Simone and he literally saw red. His sending off meant the end of England’s tournament and, for the months that followed, the England fans and press took their anger out on Becks. It looked like the end for his international career before it had really got started.

In a remarkable display of resilience Beckham put the incident behind him and worked at gaining back the respect of the English. He did so and he did it a hundred times over with 10/10 performances and goals in numerous back to back matches. He was rewarded with the captain’s armband under Sven-Goran Eriksson and he scored the biggest goal of his career against Greece to secure England’s place in the 2002 World Cup. Here it is again

Although injuries started to plague him, Beckham came back for the Argentina game in that World Cup and scored the penalty that would win the game. In the Euro 2004 he didn’t perform at his best but then neither did any Englishman. Finally Beckham stepped down as captain when the new manager Steve McClaren took over. McClaren then dropped Beckham from his team entirely.
Becks now definitely looked dead and buried for England. But, much like Zidane and France, he ploughed on and played amazingly well for his club team and he was finally rewarded with being recalled to play for England and to try and secure them qualification to the Euro 2008 tournament. He was welcomed back with open arms.

Brand Beckham

Although his football life has enough drama to fill a thousand column pages, David’s life off the pitch is perhaps where most of the stories have come from. As a young man he was an obvious successor to the other Man United pin-up Ryan Giggs and his blonde locks soon caught the eye of the celebrity girls about town. Spice Girl Victoria ‘Posh’ Adams was the lucky girl and the two married in 1999 with the wedding costing around half a million pounds.
They settled down at Beckingham Palace, near London, where they brought up three boys Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. Always in the glossy mags, tabloids and on TV, the family became the most famous people in Britain, with celeb mates such as Elton John and Liz Hurley. They moved to Spain when David signed for Madrid and it was here that rumours started about David having had a couple of affairs, one with Rebecca Loos, all of which Becks denied.

Million pound sponsorships, perfumes, clothing ranges, and many more business deals have seen the Beckhams net millions over the years. They are by no means uncharitable though. David is a huge and generous UNICEF supporter as well as Malaria No More and countless others.

David Beckham is a national treasure. He is famous all over the world and for much more than just football. His determination and resilient focus on the pitch is echoed in his personal life and now, only in his thirties, he has plenty more time to become more of the legend that he is.

Individual Honours

• Inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame: 2008
• ESPY Award for Best MLS Player: 2008
• ESPY Award for Best Male Soccer Player: 2004
• FIFA 100: 2004
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year: 2001
• UEFA Club Player of the Year Finalist: 2001
• UEFA Club Player of the Year Winner: 1999
• FIFA World Player of the Year Award finalist: 1999, 2001
• 1998 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1998
• PFA Young Player of the Year: 1997

Player Statistics

Senior Club and National Team Statistics

Period	Team	Appearances (Goals)
1993-2003	Manchester United	265 (62)
1995	Preston North End (on loan)	5 (2)
2003-2007	Real Madrid	116 (13)
2007-present	Los Angeles Galaxy	28 (5)
1996-present	England	105 (17)

Franz Beckenbauer

Full Name: Franz Anton Beckenbauer
Date of Birth: 1/9/1945

Introduction

Franz Beckenbauer is widely recognised as one of the greatest defenders to have ever played the game of football. His achievements alone bear testimony to his massive influence on the sport, being the first person to win the World Cup as a captain and as a manager.

Career Overview

Beckenbauer was born in Munich on 11th September 1945 in war-torn Germany and was soon playing football wherever he could. At the age of just 14 he joined FC Bayern Munich, the arch rivals of his favourite team 1860 Munich. This rather abrupt switch of allegiance was due to an altercation between Beckenbauer and an 1860 player in a youth team match.

After 5 years at Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer eventually played his first game for the club in 1964 in the season Bayern Munich were promoted to West Germany’s new league, the Bundesliga. Bayern soon became a major force in the Bundesliga with their talented young players such as Gerd Muller, Sepp Maier and Beckenbauer himself. In their first season, Bayern finished third and won the domestic cup, the DFB-Pokal Trophy. This qualified them for the European Cup Winners Cup which they also won.

Beckenbauer’s international career was also flourishing and he earned his first cap for West Germany in 1965, aged just 20. After becoming a regular for West Germany, he was chosen for their World Cup squad in 1966. Beckenbauer started every game in the match and even managed to score four goals in the tournament from defence, making him the third highest scorer. Despite this, West Germany lost to the hosts England in the final after extra time 4-2.

Back with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer and his team were going from strength to strength and, with him as captain, they won the Bundesliga. It was at this point that Beckenbauer tried out his new sweeper position behind the two central defenders, enabling him to act as a last line of defence as well as pushing forward to attack whenever possible.

It was in 1968 when Beckenbauer was given the nickname ‘Der Kaiser’. Before a match in Vienna, Beckenbauer was pictured next to a statue of one of Austria’s old emperors. A newspaper dubbed this with the headline, “Fußball-Kaiser” (Football’s Emperor).

World Cup Winner

By the 1970s Beckenbauer was known as one of the best players in the world behind Pelé and was one of the major players in West Germany’s run in that year’s World Cup in Mexico. In the second round, he helped the team to overturn a 2-0 lead against England in a repeat of the previous World Cup final and even played with a dislocated arm in the semi-final against Italy, who eventually knocked them out.

After the World Cup, Beckenbauer was handed the captaincy of the national team and guided them to the European Championships in Belgium which they won 3-0 in the final against the Soviet Union, a poignant victory as the Soviets were then still in possession of Eastern Germany.

Beckenbauer then captained his nation for the World Cup which was being held in West Germany in 1974. Despite an embarrassing loss to East Germany in the group stages, they reached the final against the Netherlands at Beckenbauer’s home stadium, Olympiastadion. Falling behind to an early penalty, West Germany bounced back, won the match and Beckenbauer lifted the trophy. With this, West Germany had become the first ever team to be both World Cup and the European Championships winners at the same time.

He then continued to build on his success back with Bayern Munich, winning three consecutive European Cups between 1974 and 1976. Because of this, Beckenbauer was named as European Player of the Year for the second time (after also being awarded the title in 1972). Before he left Bayern Munich, he had played 427 matches for the club, scoring 60 goals.

Move Away From Bayern Munich

At the age of 32, Franz Beckenbauer joined other legends of the game such as Bobby Moore and Pelé in joining the North American Soccer League with New York Cosmos after being offered a very lucrative contract. With the Cosmos, he won the NASL title three times in four seasons.

At the end of his playing career, Beckenbauer played two seasons in West Germany for Hamburger SV and one more back with the New York Cosmos. In 1983, at the age of 38, Beckenbauer retired but he would not stay out of football for long time. Beckenbauer won over 100 caps for West Germany, scoring 14 goals. This made him the most capped player ever for West Germany before the re-unification.

Post-Retirement

A year later, in 1984, he was appointed as the head coach for the West German national team and took them to the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 where they lost in the final 3-2 to Argentina. Two years later, his West Germany team hosted the European Championships but in a reverse of the famous 1974 World Cup final, they lost 2-1 to the Netherlands.

Beckenbauer then took his team to the 1990 World Cup in Italy where they got revenge for the 1986 final by beating Argentina 1-0 with a controversial penalty. Beckenbauer had thus become the second person to win the cup as a player and a manager and the first to have won it as a captain and a manager.

After winning the World Cup, he left the national job and decided to enter club management, taking over at Olympic Marseille in France before going on to manage his old club Bayern Munich twice, winning the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup with them.

In 1994, Beckenbauer took over as president of Bayern Munich and vice-president of the German FA. Since then, he has worked hard to promote German football and was an integral part of the team who won hosting rights for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, becoming head organiser for the actual event.

Individual Honours

• Ballon d'Or Winner: 1972, 1976, Runner-up: 1974, 1975
• FIFA World Cup Young Player of the Tournament: 1966
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball Runner-up: 1974
• FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament: 1966, 1970, 1974
• European Football Championships Team of the Tournament: 1972, 1976
• German Footballer of the Year: 1966, 1968, 1974, 1976

Player Statistics

Senior Club and National Team Statistics

Period	Team	Appearances (Goals)
1964-1977	FC Bayern Munich	427 (60)
1977-1980	New York Cosmos	105 (19)
1980-1982	Hamburger SV	28 (0)
1983	New York Cosmos	27 (2)
1965-1977	West Germany	103 (14)

Gordon Banks

Full Name: Gordon Banks
Date of Birth: 30/12/1937

Introduction

There have only been a few goalkeepers throughout the course of football history that have become household names. Gordon Banks is certainly one of them though. The 6 foot Yorkshire man would wow the crowds, weekend after weekend, with his ape-like athleticism and his uncanny ability to fly across his goal mouth. Never has a goalie been remembered for one particular save either but football fans will never forget Banks flying across the goal to stop a certain Pele from scoring. Banks literally seemed to claw the bouncing ball from behind the line. It went down as one of the greatest saves the world has ever seen whilst Banks went down as one of the greatest goalies the world had ever seen.

The Yorkshire Nipper

Born in Sheffield in 1937, Gordon enjoyed football as a hobby but, like all of his peers, was being groomed for work. He went off to work, bagging coal fresh out the pits, and considered a job as a brickie too but his role as the goalkeeper for the colliery team earned him an apprenticeship with nearby Chesterfield. Banks very quickly impressed the crowds and, more importantly, the back-room staff and he rose through the youth and reserve team to make his first team debut eventually in 1958 at the age of 21, having helped the youth team to win the FA Youth Cup in 1956 against many of the Busby Babes.

Banks was prolific at Chesterfield but Banks seemed destined for greater things. The Third Division was soon to be replaced by the First when Leicester City made the call and offered £7,000 for Banks in 1959.

The Leicester boy before Lineker

When Gordon signed for Leicester, he didn’t immediately don the number 1 shirt. The first team regular in goal back then was Dave McLaren, but, when McLaren incurred an injury during a clash with Blackpool in 1959, Banks was given the chance to shine and shine he certainly did. Although McLaren came back into the first team when he was fit, when Leicester found themselves on a dreadful run of form, the first thing that changed was getting Banks back in goal.

Once he was back he was back for good. Banks would go on to spend the next 6 years in the Leicester goal, making 293 appearances and saving countless goals. He helped Leicester reach the FA Cup final in 1961 by beating Sheffield United in the semis. But they would have to face the mighty force (at the time) of Tottenham Hotspur who, with the likes of their new signing Jimmy Greaves, were pretty unstoppable. Although he put up a good fight, Banks couldn’t help but see two goals go beyond his reach and into the net, and Spurs walked out of Wembley with the silverware.

Again in 1964, Banks and Leicester were back in the FA Cup final and this time they faced a rather unbelievable opponent. The Manchester United players who had survived the tragic Munich air disaster had picked themselves up and, with their hero of a manger Matt Busby, had reached the FA Cup final against all odds. No team would have been able to avoid wishing them well but Leicester had a cup opportunity so they had to go for it.

Sadly Banks had a stinker of a game and on a couple of occasions he split the ball and allowed the likes of Denis Law and David Herd to score and see United win the game 3-1. Another opportunity for a medal and a cup to lift went begging. But then things were all about to change for the Yorkshire man and in quite dramatic circumstances.

1966

Gordon Banks will always be remembered as England’s goal-keeping hero. If you found yourself in an England shirt in 1966 there was always a chance you would become a legend. Gordon’s debut for England came as a result of a major shake-up in the squad following the World Cup in Chile in 1962, which was followed by the appointment of new manager Alf Ramsey. Ramsey had every intention of forging his own team that could lead the charge on their home soil in 1966. He was impressed with Banks enough to give him a trial in a game against Scotland in 1963 and gave him the number 1 shirt quite soon after that, replacing Ron Springett.

The World Cup began brilliantly for Banks, who didn’t concede a single goal in the three qualifying games and wasn’t ever really called on to make any of his trademark monkey saves. The sheets would remain as clean as a whistle for Banks, after a 1-0 win over Argentina saw them face Portugal in the semis. Then it was only a Jack Charlton hand ball and subsequent penalty for the great Eusebio that finally sent Banks into the net to retrieve the ball.

Then came the final to end all finals: England on their home soil against West Germany. The Battle of Britain was being relived in front of millions and Gordon Banks stood in goal, hoping he would be kept as quiet as he had been all tournament. Sadly this wasn’t quite the case. The Germans scored first with a sloppy goal that came from a misunderstanding at the back. Thankfully Geoff Hurst was on hand to make it level and then Martin Peters took the lead for England deep into the second half. Then came an undeserved moment of bad luck which made the ball whizz into the air in the England box and resulted in the German Weber scoring the equaliser. At 2-2, it was time for extra time.

It was to be Geoff Hurst’s day that day and no one else’s. He scored for England and then again to make his tally three and the final score 4-2 to England. Banks had done his country proud and his reward was being able to hold the World Cup trophy.

The aftermath

Even though he was technically now the best goalkeeper in the world, Banks would return to playing for Leicester, only to find his number 1 shirt under serious threat from a young and much touted goalie at Leicester, called Peter Shilton. Shilton only agreed to remain at the club if he was number 1 and so Banks was released and sold to Stoke City. With Stoke, Banks never quite achieved the success he had hoped for and nearly achieved with Leicester at club level. In 1967 Banks made a rather strange move by playing games for the Cleveland Stokers, in an initiative whereby England teams tried to help out US cities by donating their players and raising the profile of the sport, but that fad didn’t last long.

For England though there was more dedication towards Banks, even though there were other acclaimed goalies out there such as the likes of Peter Bonetti and Gordon West. Banks remained the number 1 goalie and went to the 1970 World Cup in Mexico where he made ‘that’ save against Pele, which seemed to defy logic. It would go down as one of the highlights of his career. The 1970 tournament ended rather sadly for Gordon, when he contracted a strange stomach bug which meant he had to watch the remainder of the matches from a hotel room. England would lose the final to their old nemesis, West Germany, in a game that a couple of the Germans admitted would have been a different kettle of fish had Banks been in goal. Banks would continue to play for England after that but occasionally have to step aside and allow a young man to be tried out. Then something quite tragic happened to Gordon one night when driving home from training with Stoke.

The end of an era

Banks lost control of his car and crashed whilst on his way back from Stoke in 1972. He survived but woke up to the loss of his sight in his right eye. There was really no way he could continue playing after this and he sadly had to relinquish his number 1 shirt with England, which his old under-study Peter Shilton happily took from him. Then Shilton would ironically also take his place at Stoke City when he left them in 1974.

Banks then did another stint in America with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (with George Best of all people) but his career was coming to an end and he finally hung up his boots and gloves in 1978.

In 2002 Banks was included in the English Football Hall of Fame and for many is seen as the greatest goalkeeper we have ever had. If you ever need proof of just how good Banks was, then take a look at that save once again here.

Individual Honours

• Inducted into the Sheffield Walk of Fame: 2006
• Awarded an OBE: 1970

Player Statistics

Senior Club and National Team Statistics

Period	Team	Appearances (Goals)
1955-1959	Chesterfield	23 (0)
1959-1966	Leicester City	293 (0)
1966-1972	Stoke City	194 (0)
1967	Cleveland Stokers (on loan)	12 (0)
1977	St. Patrick’s Athletic	1 (0)
1977-1978	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	39 (0)
1963-1972	England	73 (0)

Roberto Baggio

Full Name: Roberto Baggio
Date of Birth: 18/2/1967

Introduction

Roberto Baggio played football with a certain joie de vivre - blessed with an exciting blend of skill, technique and finesse he thrilled the masses. Throughout the nineties, Il Divin Codino, the Divine Ponytail in his native tongue, proved himself to be one of the most influential and exciting players in the world.

Unfortunately, despite his hypnotizing performances for both club and country, many will remember him for infamously skying his penalty to hand Brazil the World Cup in 1994. Nevertheless, the former World Player of the Year fought back, as he did throughout his career, in the most effective way - on the pitch.

Early career

In Caldongo, a small provincial town north of Vicenza, a star was born on 18 February 1967. Roberto Baggio, one of six children, loved the beautiful game from an early age and always had the ball at his feet.

After nine years playing youth football, the gifted trequartista had become a starlet, scoring for fun. At the end of one match, in which little Roberto had scored six goals, scout Antonio Mora persuaded the young star to join Serie C1 outfit Vicenza.

At first, Baggio had little chance to play at the Biancorossi, let alone shine, but when Bruno Giorgi was appointed manager that all changed. The new manager gave Vicenza a new found confidence, and by the end of the 1984-85 season his side were promoted to Serie B.

Baggio’s impressive haul of 12 goals in 29 games hadn’t gone unnoticed, and Serie A outfit Fiorentina snapped up the gifted number 10.

Fiorentina - Cult hero

Baggio’s start to life at the Gigliati wasn’t the best - not even making an appearance in his first season. When he finally made his debut, the omens weren't exactly great either, as he was taken out of action with a serious knee injury. However, Baggio returned before the season finished and grabbed his first Viola goal against Scudetto champions elect Napoli.

The first goal opened the floodgates and Baggio’s recovery was impressive during the 1987/88 season, scoring nine goals. After this awe-inspiring start to the season, Baggio was called up to the Italian national side to face Holland in Rome.

This didn't disrupt his club form though and, during the 1989/1990 season, he was unstoppable, netting 17 times in 32 games. The Viola almost got their hands on some silverware in the shape of the UEFA Cup, but were undone in the final by Juventus.

They then added insult to injury by taking Baggio himself in a €12 million move. The move caused chaos in Florence, as vexed fans took to the streets in a full-scale riot, leaving 50 people injured.

Entering the big leagues with Juve

Despite the uproar in Tuscany, and the disappointment that summer in World Cup 1990, the Divine Ponytail’s first season at Juve was a successful one - hitting 14 goals in 33 matches. Baggio’s second season in Turin saw him increase his tally to 18 - but it was the 1992-93 season where he really made his mark.

The campaign proved his best at Juventus, as he netted 21 times in just 27 league games, as well as leading Juve to the UEFA Cup - his first major trophy. Baggio’s inspiring performances continued the next season, as he reached 100 goals in Serie A.

The incredible form Baggio showed at all levels earned him worldwide recognition when he was awarded FIFA World Player of the Year, on top of the Ballon D’Or he had already collected.

However, the personal glory wasn't matched with the biggest trophy of them all, when Italy came tantalisingly close to the World Cup. The knock-on effect was substantial mentally and physically, as a thigh injury picked up during the tournament plagued him the following season.

However, alongside a host of international stars and prodigious new talents, his Juventus side won the Scudetto, as well as the Coppa Italia. Despite being Baggio’s most successful season yet, it proved his last.

Allesandro Del Piero, Juventus’ new golden boy, edged Baggio out of the side and, when asked to cut a third off his original salary, he moved to AC Milan, having rejected deadly city rivals Inter.

AC Milan - A low point

Baggio’s move, at first, seemed a wise one, as he became the first player to win consecutive Scudettos with different clubs. However, under Fabio Capello, the Divine Ponytail contributed very little to the title triumph, as he was mostly deployed as a substitute.

When Taberez arrived at Milan, Baggio enjoyed fresh hope, but poor performances put an end to Taberez's tenure and the entry of Sacchi marked the end of Baggio at Milan. The pair had become enemies after fallouts at Juventus and his appointment led to a move to Bologna.

Bologna - The resurrection

First and foremost, Baggio’s move to the Rossoblu spelt the end of his famous ponytail. A fresh look proved just the tonic to Baggio’s stalling career, as he regained his best form in Emilia-Romagna.

Complimented by a squad full of strength, pace and skill, Baggio scored a personal best of 22 goals in Serie A to reaffirm his place as one of the greatest strikers of the era. Not only that, it earned Baggio a place in Italy’s squad for the World Cup in France, and a move to Inter Milan at the end of the season.

Inter - A case of what could have been

Roberto’s fine form at Bologna didn’t continue at the Nerazzuri, despite leading the line alongside the exceptional Ronaldo. His first season was ruined by the side’s poor defence and injuries to the strike force - including Baggio himself.

The following season started full of expectation, as the powerful Christian Vieri joined them for a then world record transfer fee. However, hopes of a dream partnership were scrapped when Lippi took over, the man who dumped Roby back at Juve. Despite promises that he would retain his place, Baggio found himself on the fringes of the first team and his lack of first-team football hampered his hopes of a place at Euro 2000.

Despite the odd flash of brilliance at Inter, he found himself in a similar position to the one he endured at Inter’s city rivals, with his career beginning to stagnate. When Baggio’s contract ran out at the end of the season he left the club for pastures new - but nobody would have predicted his next move.

Brescia - A new challenge

After a few months of hard thought, and numerous offers, the enigmatic striker settled for a move to the unfashionable Brescia. The newly promoted outfit provided Baggio, who was approaching the end his career, with the opportunity for regular first team football, as well as allowing him to be close to his hometown of Vicenza.

As captain of the Rondinelle, the move that had shocked so many proved a great decision. Baggio’s leadership and skill saw Brescia, a side that had previously never stayed in Serie A for more than a season, escape the drop for each of the four seasons he was there.

Baggio’s understanding with manager Mazzone was crucial to the team's success and his own form, as he notched 33 goals in 70 games in three seasons. Not a bad record for a man who was winding-down his career.

Baggio helped turn Brescia from Serie A newcomers to a high-quality side, full of international stars who played an exciting brand of football. The legend’s final season was the 2003/04 season, as he continued to impress at the ripe age of 37, scoring his 200th goal in Serie A against Parma, earning him a standing ovation from everybody in the stadium.

Baggio’s last game came against former club AC Milan on 16 May 2004 at the San Siro - a place where he suffered at the hand of managers at both sides. Baggio was called off in the 88th minute so he could receive his curtain call - and all 80,000 in the stadium stood to acknowledge one of the greatest footballers Italy has ever seen.

Baggio, the first Italian player in 50 years to score over 300 career goals, had his number 10 shirt retired by Brescia, and his legend will live forever in the heart of football fans.

International Career

Roberto Baggio will be remembered as one of Italy’s best ever players. In 56 games for the Azzurri, he scored 27 goals, becoming the fourth highest goalscorer for the team. Baggio played in 16 matches over three World Cups, becoming the first man for Italy to score in three separate tournaments. The nine goals he scored also makes him the highest scoring Italian in the tournament, alongside Christian Vieri and Paolo Rossi.

Roberto’s first World Cup was the 1990 tournament, hosted in his homeland. Great form for Fiorentina earned him a place in Azeglio Vicini's squad. Although used mostly as a substitute, he displayed his undoubted quality, netting twice - including the goal of the tournament in the game with Czechoslovakia.

Italy finished third in that tournament but, four years later, they came within whiskers of lifting the trophy in the USA. Despite picking up a thigh injury in the semi-final, Baggio played in the final against Brazil, but his performance was hampered by the injury.

The game was decided on a penalty shootout and, unfortunately for Baggio, his penalty sailed over the bar and handed the trophy to his opponents. Baggio has since been blamed for costing Italy that World Cup, despite his heroics in arguably single-handedly carrying an aging team to the final.

Despite the heartache, a rejuvenated Baggio, fresh from his spell with Bologna, went to the World Cup ’98 in nearby France. In Italy’s opening game, Baggio won back those fans he had lost following World Cup ’94 by scoring the equaliser from the penalty spot against Chile.

The goal helped Italy on their way to topping their group, and they reached the quarter-finals before penalties stopped them once more. Baggio netted his penalty in the shootout but, despite his best efforts, the side went out to eventual champions France.

The tournament proved Baggio’s last World Cup, despite vociferous calls in 2002 for the-then 35 year old to be reinstated. The call never came, but Baggio’s performances over those three World Cup have shown him to be one of the best strikers to ever grace the Italian shirt.

Honours

Team honours

Vicenza

• Serie C1 (1984-85)

Juventus

• UEFA Cup (1992-93)
• Serie A (1994-95)
• Coppa Italia (1994-95)

A.C. Milan

• Serie A (1995-96)

Italy

• World Cup - Runner-up (1994)

Individual honours

• FIFA World Player of the Year - 1993
• Ballon d'Or/Golden Ball) - 1993
• Onze D'Or - 1993
• Azzurri Team of The Century - 2000
• FIFA Dream Team of All-Time - 2002

Player Statistics

Senior Club and National Team Statistics

Period	Team	Appearances (Goals)
1982–1985	Vicenza	46 (15)
1985–1990	Fiorentina	135 (55)
1990–1995	Juventus	201 (115)
1995–1997	A.C. Milan	67 (19)
1997–1998	Bologna	33 (23)
1998–2000	Internazionale	62 (18)
2000–2004	Brescia	100 (46)
1988–2004	Italy	56 (27)