Zola in 2009
|
|||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gianfranco Zola | ||
Date of birth | 5 July 1966 | ||
Place of birth | Oliena, Italy | ||
Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
Playing position | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
|
Birmingham City (manager) | ||
Youth career | |||
1980–1983 | Corrasi Oliena | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1984–1986 | Nuorese | 31 | (10) |
1986–1989 | Torres | 88 | (21) |
1989–1993 | Napoli | 105 | (32) |
1993–1996 | Parma | 102 | (49) |
1996–2003 | Chelsea | 229 | (59) |
2003–2005 | Cagliari | 74 | (22) |
Total | 629 | (193) | |
National team | |||
1991–1997 | Italy | 35 | (10) |
Teams managed | |||
2008–2010 | West Ham United | ||
2011–2012 | Italy U16 | ||
2012–2013 | Watford | ||
2014–2015 | Cagliari | ||
2015–2016 | Al-Arabi | ||
2016– | Birmingham City | ||
Honours
|
|||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
Gianfranco Zola OMRIOBE (Italian pronunciation: [dʒaɱˈfraŋko ˈdzɔːla]; born 5 July 1966) is an Italian former footballer, who played predominantly as a forward. After retirement from playing he became a manager, and is in charge of English club Birmingham City.
He spent the first decade of his playing career playing in Italy, most notably with Napoli, alongside Diego Maradona and Careca, where he was able to win the Serie A title, and at Parma, where he won the Italian Supercup and the UEFA Cup. He later moved to English side Chelsea, where he was voted the Football Writers' Player of the Year in the 1996–97 season. During his time at the club, he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Supercup, two FA Cups, the League Cup, and the Community Shield. In 2003 he was voted Chelsea's greatest player ever. He was capped 35 times for Italy from his debut in 1991, appearing at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where Italy finished in second place, and Euro 96.