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"A Tribute To The Legend That Is Gianfranco Zola"

A Legend. Gianfranco Zola isn't just a Chelsea star but a world class one. The little Italian arrived in November 1996 and made such a dramatic impact and turned in such a series of devastating displays that he eventually won the Player of the Year award after just 6 months in the English game. A striker, he won the Italian Championship in 1990 with Napoli where he became Maradona's successor. Born in Sardinia in 1966, he had won the Serie C2 Championship in 1987, moving to Serie A two years later. In 1991 he won the Italian Super Cup with Napoli and made his national debut in Arrigo Sacchi's first game in charge up front next to Vialli. After joining Parma in 1993 for £1.4m he won the European Super Cup and the UEFA Cup, was a runner-up in the European Cup Winners Cup, Italian Championship and Italian Cup, played in the 1994 World Cup and 1996 European Championships, and was second and third in consecutive years in the Serie A goalscoring list. He scored in nearly every other game for Parma, and had a phenomenal record from free-kicks. Like Maradona, he is small but immensely strong and can go past people with ease. He arrived at Chelsea in November 96 for £4.5m having played 26 times for Italy, scoring 7 goals. He seemed intent on running his own one man goal of the season competition with a series of spectacular strikes. The partnership he struck up with Mark Hughes propelled Chelsea to the FA Cup victory , and he topped the Chelsea assists stats despite only joing in Novemeber. He's already established as a Chelsea legend and has continued his sensational form with spectacular displays and goals. It seemed he could finally move back to Italy last summer as he wants to bring up his family there but after much persuasion decided to stay. Quite simply a wonderful person off the pitch as well as on it and one of the best players, and some would say THE best, ever to play for Chelsea. What more can you say.

§pånkër wrote:
> did you see that goal againt everton? i was at that game it was truly
> fantastic how he managed to get it in from that angle

U support the mighty blues then or everton?

I think Franco scored one of the best goals i have ever seen, against Wimbledon in the semi-final of the F.A Cup in '97. It may not have been a 35 yard piledriver but it was certainly one of the best individual goals I've ever seen....

And lets not forget his flick against Norwich.....

there are just too many.......

Zamboogle wrote:
> no but my best m8 does and i have been to games with him, watched
> matches at his house, worn chelsea shirts all that and i do appreciate
> the amazing gianfranco zola!

Wahey, thats me.......

it may not have been intentional but it was still an elbow

§niper wrote:
> No he elbowed his way from the half way line if i remember correctly,

Don't be stupid.

with comments like that I doubt if you have seen the goal at all, and if you have seen it then I very muchquestion you football knowledge.

That was far from an elbow, he shruged off a player who was climbing all over his back with body strength - he didn't lash out, unlike Sol Campbell did - oh im sorry "that was an accident"

§niper wrote:
> Sorry i meant he elbowed someone while he took the ball past the half
> way line then went towards the goalmouth to score.

He should get it because it was the one move all season where he didn't dive at the end of it.

so was it henry who got goal of the season then, or dont u know?

Sorry i meant he elbowed someone while he took the ball past the half way line then went towards the goalmouth to score.

No he elbowed his way from the half way line if i remember correctly, henry ran past the whole spurs defense and midfield from the half way line.

so van nistelrooys was the goal of the season then sniper?