Here's the great Gianfranco Zola. Zola was born on July 5, 1966 in Oliena, a small town of 8,000 people in Sardegna. He was a Cagliari fan from his birth. He started playing with his town's team, Corrasi. His father, Ignazio, was even president for some time. In 1984 he started playing professionally with the Sardinian team Nuorese. In 1986 Gianfranco joined another Sardinian team, Sassari Torres. He won the '87 Serie C2 championship with them, scoring 8 goals in 30 games. In 1989, after three years with Sassari, Napoli bought Zola. He was used as a substitute to Diego Maradona (which meant he didn't play much).Napoli won the Scudetto that year, and he played a few games, scoring 2 goals. He was even dubbed an Italian Maradona, with many similarities to the Argentinian, most notably his height . Maradona left Napoli and left Zola his #10 shirt and named Zola his heir. He soon became famous and feared by opponents, even for free kicks, where Gianfranco would score from impossible locations. In 4 seasons at Napoli, he scored 32 goals in 105 games.In 1991 he won the SuperCoppa Italiana with Naopli and even made his debut with the Azzurri. Napoli then sold him because they needed money. Zola was sold to Parma for the 93-94 season.When he got to Parma, coach Nevio Scala used him and Colombian forward Faustino Asprilla in attack. In two seasons Zola becomes the best support striker in Italy. With Parma he reached the final of the Coppa delle Coppe, but lost to Arsenal, he won the Uefa Cup against Juventus, lost to Juventus in a Coppa Italia final, and even led Parma to 2nd place in the Campionato. He is brought to the World Cup in 1994 by Sacchi, but is red-carded against Nigeria after only a few minutes on the field.Trouble starts when Hristo Stoitchkov is brought to Parma and picking an attacking pair isn't as easy as before. Also, coach Scala leaves and Carlo Ancelotti is brought in, who favors new signings Hernan Crespo and Enrico Chiesa over Zola. He then realizes it is his time to leave. He is brought to Euro '96 by Sacchi but misses a crucial penalty against Germany in the group stage that would've sent Italy through. Instead they go home. In November 1996 (the current transfer window wasn't used yet),he is sold to Chelsea for $5 million. Zola plays two great seasons, winning an FA Cup, a Carling Cup, and a Coppe Delle Coppe. He even is a great fixture in the National Team, scoring a crucial goal at Wembley against England in a WC '98 qualifier on February 12, 1997. He was on the best Azzurri players during qualifying, but him along with Fabrizio Ravanelli and Ciro Ferrara, are cut from Cesare Maldini's WC '98 team. His record with the NT is 35 games and 8 goals. He is voted best Premier League player in 1997, and shows what a great champion he was. In 1989, Cagliari refused to buy Zola, saying he was too short and fragile. At the end of the 2003 season, Cagliari president Cellino lured Zola back to Sardegna to help the club he loved all of his life get back to Serie A. Ex-Chelsea President Ken Bates said this of Zola: "Zola was undoubtedly one of Chelsea’s greatest players ever. He’s been a joy to watch and a great influence both on and off the field, particularly because of his great interest with young fans. We owe him one hell of a lot of thanks. On behalf of every Chelsea fan I wish him and his family all the very best of good fortune in the future and I’m delighted that we hope to see him back at Stamford Bridge with the Cagliari team". One Chelsea fan said: "The man was,is and always will be a legend, the main man and a class act that I doubt anyone will follow for a long long time. He on his own has brought me so many brilliant memories, here are just a few. When he left Juilan Dicks on his Arse to score one of the best taken goals of yesteryear.Goal in the Cup Winners Cup Final. Goal against Norwich, pure class.CountlessFree kicks that only he could find the net from.Goal with his head against Vicenza, what a night. and many many many more which I would be here all day. Not to mention his outbreaks of skill every game. And his warmness towards us and is always usually last off the pitch applauding us. What a man and its a great shame to see him leave, not even a last chance to say goodbye. Love always Franco and hope you do the business back home. Regards to a gentleman and a truly fantastico bloke. Lets have two verses of Osgood, with the second one being Franco Franco." Zola refused lucrative offers from Qatar to play his hometown club. Few believed that Zola could help Cagliari get back to Serie A after a 4 year drought. He fromed a devastating trio with David Suazo and Mauro Esposito, making Cagliari the team that scored the most goals in Serie B that