Italy's Foreign Stars of the 1980s and 1990s
Diego Maradona and Michel Platini, 1987.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / IPP
The summer of 1966 had seen a landmark moment in Italian football - the elimination of the national team from the group stage of the World Cup by a footballing minnow, Pak Doo-ik's first half strike at Ayresome Park giving North Korea a sensational victory over the Azzurri. The FIGC (the Italian Football Federation) decided to act by permanently blocking the recruitment of foreign players by Italian clubs, a policy they'd temporarily put in place a year earlier. Only those foreign players already playing in Italy would be allowed to play in Serie A.
Fast forward 14 years to 1980 and the Totonero betting scandal was rocking Serie A and Serie B, and no Italian club had won the European Cup since Milan in 1969. To try and help reverse the general state of dissarray, the FIGC decided to abandon the ban on foreign players and allow Serie A clubs to sign one non-Italian footballer for the 1980-81 season, and then two players from 1982-83.
It was a move that would see Italy become the destination of choice for the majority of the world's top players, making Serie A the best league on the planet. Here's a look at the foreign players that each club turned to in their bid for Serie A and European glory...
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1980-81
| Club | Player | |
|---|---|---|
 | Ascoli | |
 | Atalanta | |
 | Avellino | Juary |
 | Bari | |
 | Bologna | Enéas |
 | Brescia | |
 | Cagliari | |
 | Catania | |
 | Cesena | |
 | Como | |
 | Cremonese | |
 | Empoli | |
 | Fiorentina | Daniel Bertoni |
 | Foggia | |
 | Genoa | |
 | Inter | Herbert Prohaska |
 | Juventus | Liam Brady |
 | Lazio | |
 | Lecce | |
 | Milan | |
 | Napoli | Ruud Krol |
 | Parma | |
 | Perugia | |
 | Pescara | Sergio Fortunato |
 | Pisa | |
 | Reggiana | |
 | Roma | Paulo Roberto Falcão |
 | Sampdoria | |
 | Torino | Michel van de Korput |
 | Udinese | Herbert Neumann |
 | Verona |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1981-82
| Club | Player | |
|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | François Zahoui |
| | Atalanta | |
| | Avellino | Juary |
| | Bari | |
| | Bologna | Herbert Neumann |
| | Brescia | |
| | Cagliari | |
| | Catania | |
| | Cesena | Walter Schachner |
| | Como | Dieter Mirnegg |
| | Cremonese | |
| | Empoli | |
| | Fiorentina | Daniel Bertoni |
| | Foggia | |
| | Genoa | René Vandereycken |
| | Inter | Herbert Prohaska |
| | Juventus | Liam Brady |
| | Lazio | |
| | Lecce | |
| | Milan | Joe Jordan |
| | Napoli | Ruud Krol |
| | Parma | |
| | Perugia | |
| | Pescara | |
| | Pisa | |
| | Reggiana | |
| | Roma | Paulo Roberto Falcão |
| | Sampdoria | |
| | Torino | Michel van de Korput |
| | Udinese | Orlando Lelé |
| | Verona |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1982-83
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | François Zahoui | |
| | Atalanta | ||
| | Avellino | Gerónimo Barbadillo | Søren Skov |
| | Bari | ||
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | ||
| | Cagliari | Julio Uribe | Waldemar Victorino |
| | Catania | ||
| | Cesena | Walter Schachner | |
| | Como | ||
| | Cremonese | ||
| | Empoli | ||
| | Fiorentina | Daniel Bertoni | Daniel Passarella |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | René Vandereycken | Jan Peters |
| | Inter | Hansi Müller | Juary |
| | Juventus | Michel Platini | Zbigniew Boniek |
| | Lazio | ||
| | Lecce | ||
| | Milan | Joe Jordan | |
| | Napoli | Ruud Krol | Ramón Díaz |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | ||
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | Klaus Berggreen | Jorge Caraballo |
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Paulo Roberto Falcão | Herbert Prohaska |
| | Sampdoria | Trevor Francis | Liam Brady |
| | Torino | Michel van de Korput | Patricio Hernández |
| | Udinese | Edinho | Ivica Šurjak |
| | Verona | Wladyslaw Zmuda | Dirceu |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1983-84
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Juary | Aleksandar Trifunovic |
| | Atalanta | ||
| | Avellino | Gerónimo Barbadillo | Ramón Díaz |
| | Bari | ||
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | ||
| | Cagliari | Julio Uribe | |
| | Catania | Luvanor | Pedrinho |
| | Cesena | ||
| | Como | ||
| | Cremonese | ||
| | Empoli | ||
| | Fiorentina | Daniel Bertoni | Daniel Passarella |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | Jan Peters | Elói Eloia |
| | Inter | Hansi Müller | Ludo Coeck |
| | Juventus | Michel Platini | Zbigniew Boniek |
| | Lazio | Batista | Michael Laudrup |
| | Lecce | ||
| | Milan | Luther Blissett | Eric Gerets |
| | Napoli | Ruud Krol | Dirceu |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | ||
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | Klaus Berggreen | Wim Kieft |
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Paulo Roberto Falcão | Toninho Cerezo |
| | Sampdoria | Trevor Francis | Liam Brady |
| | Torino | Patricio Hernández | Walter Schachner |
| | Udinese | Edinho | Zico |
| | Verona | Wladyslaw Zmuda | Joe Jordan |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1984-85
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Dirceu | Patricio Hernández |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | Lars Larsson |
| | Avellino | Gerónimo Barbadillo | Ramón Díaz |
| | Bari | ||
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | ||
| | Cagliari | Julio Uribe | |
| | Catania | Luvanor | Pedrinho |
| | Cesena | ||
| | Como | Dan Corneliusson | Hansi Müller |
| | Cremonese | Wladyslaw Zmuda | Juary |
| | Empoli | ||
| | Fiorentina | Daniel Passarella | Sócrates |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | Jan Peters | Elói Eloia |
| | Inter | Liam Brady | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
| | Juventus | Michel Platini | Zbigniew Boniek |
| | Lazio | Batista | Michael Laudrup |
| | Lecce | ||
| | Milan | Ray Wilkins | Mark Hateley |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | Daniel Bertoni |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | ||
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | Klaus Berggreen | Wim Kieft |
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Paulo Roberto Falcão | Toninho Cerezo |
| | Sampdoria | Trevor Francis | Graeme Souness |
| | Torino | Walter Schachner | Júnior |
| | Udinese | Edinho | Zico |
| | Verona | Preben Elkjær | Hans-Peter Briegel |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1985-86
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Aleksandar Trifunovic | |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | Jan Peters |
| | Avellino | Ramón Díaz | Batista |
| | Bari | Gordon Cowans | Paul Rideout |
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | ||
| | Cagliari | ||
| | Catania | Luvanor | Pedrinho |
| | Cesena | ||
| | Como | Dan Corneliusson | Dirceu |
| | Cremonese | Wladyslaw Zmuda | |
| | Empoli | ||
| | Fiorentina | Daniel Passarella | |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | ||
| | Inter | Liam Brady | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
| | Juventus | Michel Platini | Michael Laudrup |
| | Lazio | ||
| | Lecce | Pedro Pasculli | Juan Barbas |
| | Milan | Ray Wilkins | Mark Hateley |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | Daniel Bertoni |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | ||
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | Klaus Berggreen | Wim Kieft |
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Toninho Cerezo | Zbigniew Boniek |
| | Sampdoria | Trevor Francis | Graeme Souness |
| | Torino | Walter Schachner | Júnior |
| | Udinese | Edinho | Gerónimo Barbadillo |
| | Verona | Preben Elkjær | Hans-Peter Briegel |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1986-87
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Aleksandar Trifunovic | Liam Brady |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | Trevor Francis |
| | Avellino | Walter Schachner | Dirceu |
| | Bari | Gordon Cowans | Paul Rideout |
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | Branco | |
| | Cagliari | ||
| | Catania | ||
| | Cesena | ||
| | Como | Dan Corneliusson | |
| | Cremonese | Wladyslaw Zmuda | |
| | Empoli | Johnny Ekström | |
| | Fiorentina | Ramón Díaz | |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | ||
| | Inter | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Daniel Passarella |
| | Juventus | Michel Platini | Michael Laudrup |
| | Lazio | ||
| | Lecce | Pedro Pasculli | Juan Barbas |
| | Milan | Ray Wilkins | Mark Hateley |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | ||
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | ||
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Zbigniew Boniek | Klaus Berggreen |
| | Sampdoria | Toninho Cerezo | Hans-Peter Briegel |
| | Torino | Júnior | Wim Kieft |
| | Udinese | Edinho | Daniel Bertoni |
| | Verona | Preben Elkjær |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1987-88
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Walter Casagrande | Hugo Maradona |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | |
| | Avellino | Walter Schachner | Nikos Anastopoulos |
| | Bari | Gordon Cowans | Paul Rideout |
| | Bologna | ||
| | Brescia | Branco | |
| | Cagliari | ||
| | Catania | ||
| | Cesena | Davor Jozic | |
| | Como | Dan Corneliusson | Claudio Borghi |
| | Cremonese | ||
| | Empoli | Johnny Ekström | Davor Cop |
| | Fiorentina | Ramón Díaz | Glenn Hysén |
| | Foggia | ||
| | Genoa | ||
| | Inter | Daniel Passarella | Enzo Scifo |
| | Juventus | Michael Laudrup | Ian Rush |
| | Lazio | Fabio Nigro | |
| | Lecce | Pedro Pasculli | Juan Barbas |
| | Milan | Ruud Gullit | Marco van Basten |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | Careca |
| | Parma | ||
| | Perugia | Júnior | Blaž Sliškovic |
| | Pescara | ||
| | Pisa | Paul Elliott | Dunga |
| | Reggiana | ||
| | Roma | Zbigniew Boniek | Rudi Völler |
| | Sampdoria | Toninho Cerezo | Hans-Peter Briegel |
| | Torino | Toni Polster | Klaus Berggreen |
| | Udinese | ||
| | Verona | Preben Elkjær | Thomas Berthold |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1988-89
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Walter Casagrande | Mustafa Arslanovic | Borislav Cvetkovic |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | Evair | Robert Prytz |
| | Avellino | |||
| | Bari | |||
| | Bologna | Stéphane Demol | Hugo Rubio | Mika Aaltonen |
| | Brescia | |||
| | Cagliari | |||
| | Catania | |||
| | Cesena | Davor Jozic | Hans Holmqvist | |
| | Como | Dan Corneliusson | Milton | |
| | Cremonese | |||
| | Empoli | |||
| | Fiorentina | Glenn Hysén | Dunga | Diego Aguirre |
| | Foggia | |||
| | Genoa | |||
| | Inter | Lothar Matthäus | Andreas Brehme | Ramón Díaz |
| | Juventus | Michael Laudrup | Oleksandr Zavarov | Rui Barros |
| | Lazio | Rubén Sosa | Nelson Gutiérrez | Gustavo Dezotti |
| | Lecce | Pedro Pasculli | Juan Barbas | István Vincze |
| | Milan | Ruud Gullit | Marco van Basten | Frank Rijkaard |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | Careca | Alemão |
| | Parma | |||
| | Perugia | Júnior | Edmar | Tita |
| | Pescara | |||
| | Pisa | Paul Elliott | Mario Been | Francis Severeyns |
| | Reggiana | |||
| | Roma | Rudi Völler | Renato Gaúcho | Andrade |
| | Sampdoria | Toninho Cerezo | Víctor Muñoz | |
| | Torino | Müller | Haris Škoro | Edu Marangon |
| | Udinese | |||
| | Verona | Thomas Berthold | Claudio Caniggia | Pedro Troglio |
ITALY'S FOREIGN PLAYERS 1989-90
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Ascoli | Walter Casagrande | Mustafa Arslanovic | Borislav Cvetkovic |
| | Atalanta | Glenn Strömberg | Evair | Claudio Caniggia |
| | Avellino | |||
| | Bari | Gérson Caçapa | João Paulo | Néstor Lorenzo |
| | Bologna | Nikolay Iliev | Herbert Waas | Geovani Silva |
| | Brescia | |||
| | Cagliari | |||
| | Catania | |||
| | Cesena | Davor Jozic | Hans Holmqvist | Vladislav Ðukic |
| | Como | Milton | Gustavo Dezotti | Anders Limpar |
| | Cremonese | Gustavo Neffa | ||
| | Empoli | |||
| | Fiorentina | Dunga | Luboš Kubík | Oscar Dertycia |
| | Foggia | |||
| | Genoa | Carlos Aguilera | Rubén Paz | José Perdomo |
| | Inter | Lothar Matthäus | Andreas Brehme | Jürgen Klinsmann |
| | Juventus | Oleksandr Zavarov | Rui Barros | Sergei Aleinikov |
| | Lazio | Rubén Sosa | Pedro Troglio | Amarildo |
| | Lecce | Pedro Pasculli | Juan Barbas | István Vincze |
| | Milan | Ruud Gullit | Marco van Basten | Frank Rijkaard |
| | Napoli | Diego Maradona | Careca | Alemão |
| | Parma | |||
| | Perugia | Edmar | ||
| | Pescara | |||
| | Pisa | Mario Been | ||
| | Reggiana | |||
| | Roma | Rudi Völler | Thomas Berthold | |
| | Sampdoria | Toninho Cerezo | Víctor Muñoz | Srecko Katanec |
| | Torino | Müller | Haris Škoro | |
| | Udinese | Néstor Sensini | Abel Balbo | Ricardo Gallego |
| | Verona | Nelson Gutiérrez | Robert Prytz | Víctor Sotomayor |
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