Dino Zoff

The great man himself. Dino Zoff is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, with a playing career that spanned over two decades. He was born in Mariano del Friuli, Italy, on February 28, 1942, and began his professional career in 1961 with Udinese. Zoff played for several Italian clubs throughout his career, including Mantova, Napoli, and Juventus, where he spent the majority of his playing days.

Zoff's playing style was characterized by his excellent shot-stopping ability, command of his area, and leadership on the field. He was a master at organizing his defence and had an uncanny ability to anticipate where the ball was going to be, making him a formidable opponent for any striker.

One of the defining moments of Zoff's career was his performance in the 1982 World Cup. At the age of 40, Zoff was the oldest player in the tournament and led Italy to victory, making him the oldest goalkeeper to win the World Cup. His experience and leadership were crucial in Italy's success, as he kept three clean sheets in the tournament and conceded only two goals.

Zoff also had a successful club career, winning six Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies, and a UEFA Cup with Juventus. He was a stalwart in the Juventus team of the 1970s and played a pivotal role in their success. Zoff's leadership on the field was particularly important, as he captained Juventus for several years and was a respected figure both on and off the pitch.

Zoff broke goalkeeping records galore. He still holds the record for the longest playing time in international tournaments without conceding a goal (1142 minutes between 1972 and 1974), whilst at the time of his retirement he'd set a whole host of other records; most Serie A appearances (570), most consecutive Serie A appearances (332), longest consecutive run without conceding a goal in Serie A (903 mins), most consecutive clean sheets in Serie A (9) and the eldest Serie A player (41 years old).

In addition to his playing career, Zoff also had a successful coaching career, managing several Italian clubs and the Italian national team. He won a Serie A title with Lazio in 2000 and guided the Italian national team to the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup.