Calcio Debate: Top 10 Best Moments Of The Decade In Italian Football

10. 2009 – STADIUM PLANS AFOOT

One of the big criticisms that has been levelled at Italian football over the last 10 years has been its inability to move with the times and keep up with the rest of European football. This is most evident in the continent’s drive to develop new family-orientated, comfortable, supporter-friendly stadia – something which Italy has been slow to latch onto. So the news that the likes of Juventus, Fiorentina, Roma and possibly Inter could be moving into new grounds in the near future is reason for optimism. After all, this could be a massive step forward for Calcio (but let’s revisit this in 2019 to see just how the next decade has seen this develop!)

9. 2006 – FABIO CANNAVARO WINS THE BALLON D’OR

One for the defenders. After his immense displays that helped the Azzurri to World Cup glory, Cannavaro was rightly awarded the European Footballer of the Year award. Not since 1976, when Franz Beckenbauer won it, had the honour gone to a defensive player. But his commanding displays in ensuring five clean sheets in seven games during the Mondiali made him a clear winner, Italy’s first since Roby Baggio in 1993.

8. 2003 – THE ALL-ITALIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

OK, so it wasn’t exactly a spectacle to remember, but watching Italy’s two most decorated clubs battle it out at Old Trafford gave a certain degree of satisfaction to Calcio fans nonetheless. The real achievements had been on the road to Old Trafford, with Juventus having seen off both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the knockout stages, whilst Milan topped a group involving Real Madrid and the dangerous Borussia Dortmund before disposing of local rivals Inter in the semi-final.

7. 2004 & 2007 – THE RETURNS OF FIORENTINA & NAPOLI

After bankruptcies in 2002 and 2004 respectively, the Viola and the Vesuviani returned to Serie A, where they have since cemented themselves as top-flight challengers once more. Their stories summed up the boom and bust culture of some Italian clubs during the 90s as they paid a heavy price for speculating with money they didn’t have in a bid to remain at the top end of the Italian game. Now both are back at the business end, with Fiorentina now becoming a force in Europe again too.

6. 2000 & 2001 – BACK-TO-BACK SCUDETTI FOR THE CAPITAL

Lazio’s first title in 26 years was quickly followed by Roma’s first in 18 as the capital chalked up a unique double. But whilst the two clubs have struggled with their finances since then, the dual successes were to lead to a renaissance in southern Italian football. This is evident today with the presence of Bari, Napoli, Palermo, Catania and the Eternal City rivals representing Italian football’s forgotten regions in the top flight.

5. 2008 – PAOLO MALDINI’S 1000TH GAME

It was only a substitute appearance in a random Serie A game away to Parma, but February 16, 2008 saw Paolo Maldini chalk up his 1000th professional game, over 23 years on from his first. Maldini won a fantastic seven Serie A titles and five European Cups amongst 27 major club honours as he devoted his entire career to Milan. It was just a shame that he never got his hands on silverware whilst wearing the national shirt. He won 126 caps, but had to settle for second - and third-placed finishes at both the World Cup and the European Championships before international retirement in 2002.

4. 2000 – FRANCESCO TOLDO DEFIES HOLLAND

Toldo wasn’t always the best second-choice club keeper in Italy... And Amsterdam 2000 had to be his greatest moment, saving two penalties and generally producing a goalkeeping masterclass to see 10-man Italy through to an ill-fated final against France in the European Championships.  His spot-kick save from Paul Bosvelt was particularly memorable, clinching a 3-1 shoot-out victory for the Azzurri.

3. 2007 – MILAN’S REVENGE

After the embarrassment of throwing away their three-goal lead in 2005, Milan returned to the Champions League Final two years later to gain revenge over Liverpool in Athens. At a time when the name of Italian football was still being dragged through the mud, it also felt like redemption for Calcio as Pippo Inzaghi deflected Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick, then added a second after rounding Pepe Reina, to hand the Rossoneri a seventh European title.

2. 2006 – FABIO GROSSO DOES A TARDELLI

The Germans don’t miss penalties, and it was with this in mind that most Italian fans were becoming pessimistic about Italy’s chances of progressing to the World Cup final as their clash with Germany entered the final two minutes of extra time. But from a half-cleared corner kick, Andrea Pirlo’s smart reverse pass found Fabio Grosso in space, and the Palermo full-back curled a superb left foot effort beyond Jens Lehmann, sparking celebrations not seen in 24 years...

1. 2006 – WORLD CUP GLORY

Kings of the world for the fourth time, Italy’s national team moved to within a single victory of Brazil’s record haul with an unexpected triumph in Berlin. With the ramifications of Calciopoli going off in the background, Marcello Lippi’s men developed a siege mentality that saw them through to their first win since 1982. Their triumph was accentuated by controversial moments including a 1-1 draw with the USA which saw three red cards, Francesco Totti’s late penalty winner against Australia and Zinedine Zidane’s head butt in the final, but few would argue that the Azzurri were worth their historic win.

Kris Voakes, Goal.com