Gianfranco Zola is a retired Italian professional football player and a former manager. He was born on July 5, 1966, in Oliena, Sardinia, Italy. Zola played as a forward and attacking midfielder during his career, and was known for his technical skills, agility, and creativity on the ball.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: Gianfranco Zola
Nationality: Italian
Date of Birth: July 5, 1966
Height: 5 ft 6 in (167 cm)
Position: Forward/Attacking Midfielder
CLUB CAREER
Gianfranco Zola started his club career in 1984 at Nuorese in the Italian Serie C2, where he played for two seasons before moving to Torres in the same league. He played for the club for one season before moving to Serie C1 side, Licata. He was an instant success at Licata and helped the club win promotion to Serie B in his first season.
In 1989, he moved to Napoli, where he played for two seasons, winning the UEFA Cup in 1989. He then joined Parma in 1991, where he won two Italian Cups, one European Cup Winners’ Cup, and one UEFA Cup.
In 1996, he signed for Chelsea for a fee of £4.5 million, where he played for seven seasons, becoming a club legend. He won two FA Cups, one League Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup during his time at Chelsea.
In 2003, he moved to Cagliari for one season before returning to England to play for West Ham United. He retired in 2005 after a brief spell at Qatar SC. Overall, he made 628 club appearances and scored 193 goals in his career.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Gianfranco Zola had a successful international career representing Italy at both the senior and youth levels.
He made his debut for the Italy under-21 team in 1989 and went on to score six goals in 13 appearances for the side. In 1991, Zola was part of the Italian team that won the FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal.
Zola made his senior debut for Italy in 1991 and went on to earn 35 caps, scoring 10 goals. He represented his country at two major international tournaments, the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States and the 1996 UEFA European Championship in England.
Zola’s most memorable moment for Italy came in a 1995 Euro qualifier against England at Wembley Stadium. Italy was trailing 1-0 when Zola came on as a substitute in the second half. He scored a stunning backheel goal to level the score and then set up another goal as Italy won 2-1.
Overall, Zola had a successful international career and was widely regarded as one of the most talented and creative players of his generation
Gianfranco Zola Managerial career
Gianfranco Zola is a former professional footballer who has also had a managerial career. Here are some statistics from his managerial career:
West Ham United (2008-2010): Zola’s first managerial job was with West Ham United, where he took over in 2008. He managed the club for two seasons, during which time he oversaw 80 games. Of those 80 games, West Ham won 26, drew 22, and lost 32, giving Zola a win percentage of 32.5%.
Watford (2012-2013): Zola’s next managerial job was with Watford, where he took over in 2012. He managed the club for one season, during which time he oversaw 52 games. Of those 52 games, Watford won 22, drew 14, and lost 16, giving Zola a win percentage of 42.3%.
Cagliari (2014-2015): Zola’s final managerial job to date was with Cagliari, where he took over in 2014. He managed the club for one season, during which time he oversaw 31 games. Of those 31 games, Cagliari won 8, drew 10, and lost 13, giving Zola a win percentage of 25.8%.
Moreover, across his three managerial jobs, Zola managed 163 games, winning 56, drawing 46, and losing 61, giving him a win percentage of 34.4%.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA Style of play
Gianfranco Zola was a retired Italian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or a forward during his career. He was known for his incredible technical abilities, agility, and creativity on the ball.
Zola was an intelligent player who possessed excellent vision and passing skills, allowing him to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. He was also renowned for his exceptional ball control, dribbling ability, and close control, which enabled him to maneuver past defenders with ease.
Despite his relatively small stature, Zola was an outstanding aerial player, and he was particularly adept at scoring goals with his head. He was also a free-kick specialist and scored many memorable goals from set-pieces.
Zola was a quick and agile player who possessed excellent speed and acceleration, which allowed him to run past defenders and create goal-scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. He was also a hard worker on the pitch and was willing to track back and defend when required.
However, Gianfranco Zola was a player who combined technical brilliance, creativity, and a strong work ethic, making him one of the most talented and admired footballers of his generation
GIANFRANCO ZOLA PERSONAL LIFE
Zola is married to Franca Zola and they have two children together. He is known to be a private person and has kept his personal life out of the spotlight.
However, he is a devout Christian and has spoken openly about his faith and how it has influenced his life and career.
Zola is also involved in charity work and has been a patron of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) since 2000.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA Salary
However, it is known that his salary as a professional footballer during his career was estimated to be around £2.5 million per year, and his salary as a football manager was estimated to be around £1.8 million per year.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA Networth Estimation
Gianfranco Zolas net worth was estimated to be around $10 million. However, it’s important to note that net worth estimates can vary depending on the source and the method used to calculate it.
Gianfranco Zola Media
Gianfranco Zola is a popular figure in the media due to his successful career as a professional footballer and coach. He has been a regular guest on sports talk shows, providing analysis and insights on football games and players.
Gianfranco Zola has also been interviewed by various media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, and online publications, about his career and experiences in the football world.
In addition, he has appeared in documentaries and TV shows related to football, showcasing his knowledge and passion for the sport.
Gianfranco Zola is considered a respected and well-liked figure in the media, admired for his talent, skill, and expertise in football.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA CAREER STATISTICS
Gianfranco Zola’s career statistics as of the end of his playing career in 2005:
Clubs played for: Nuorese, Torres, Napoli, Parma, Chelsea, Cagliari
Total career appearances: 628
Total career goals: 198
Italian Serie A appearances: 287
Italian Serie A goals: 102
English Premier League appearances: 229
English Premier League goals: 59
Italian national team appearances: 35
Italian national team goals: 10
Gianfranco Zola is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have played for Chelsea, having won numerous individual awards and helping the team to several major titles, including the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
GIANFRANCO ZOLA HONOURS
Honours:
Parma: UEFA Cup (1995-96), Italian Cup (1998-99)
Chelsea: FA Cup (1996-97, 1999-2000), UEFA Cup
Winners’ Cup (1997-98), UEFA Super Cup (1998)
Individual: Serie A Footballer of the Year (1997),
Premier League Player of the Month (September 1997),
Chelsea Player of the Year (1998-99, 2002-03), English Football Hall of Fame (2006)
