Name: Gianfranco Zola
Nickname: "Tamburino Sardo", "Marazola", "Magic Box"
Country:
ItalyClub: Chelsea F.C.
Position: *SS, AMF
Side: RF/BS
Age: 30-35 years (05/07/1966)
Era: 1996-2001
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 67 kg
Attack: 89
Defence: 45
Balance: 74
Stamina: 76
Top Speed: 76
Acceleration: 82
Response: 78
Agility: 87
Dribble Accuracy: 94
Dribble Speed: 80
Short Pass Accuracy: 91
Short Pass Speed: 78
Long Pass Accuracy: 90
Long Pass Speed: 84
Shot Accuracy: 83
Shot Power: 86
Shot Technique: 94
Free Kick Accuracy: 96
Curling: 97
Header: 74
Jump: 73
Technique: 96
Aggression: 78
Mentality: 80
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 83
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 7
Weak Foot Frequency: 6
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Late/Lasting
CARDS:
P03 - Trickster
S02 - Passer
S05 - 1-touch play
S06 - Outside Curve
S16 - Roulette Skills
S18 - Turning Skills
S20 - Flicking Skills
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Dribbling - Tactical Dribble - Passing - 1-Touch Play - Outside
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack Minded
__________________________________________________
Country:
ItalyClub: Cagliari Calcio
Position: *SS, AMF, WF, CF
Side: RF/BS
Age: 37-39 years (05/07/1966)
Era: 2003-2005
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 67 kg
Attack: 85
Defence: 45
Balance: 70
Stamina: 73
Top Speed: 75
Acceleration: 79
Response: 76
Agility: 85
Dribble Accuracy: 92
Dribble Speed: 77
Short Pass Accuracy: 91
Short Pass Speed: 79
Long Pass Accuracy: 91
Long Pass Speed: 82
Shot Accuracy: 83
Shot Power: 85
Shot Technique: 86
Free Kick Accuracy: 94
Curling: 94
Header: 65
Jump: 71
Technique: 94
Aggression: 76
Mentality: 85
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 83
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 6
Weak Foot Frequency: 6
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Late/Lasting
CARDS:
P03 - Trickster
S02 - Passer
S04 - PK Taker
S05 - 1-touch play
S06 - Outside Curve
S16 - Roulette Skills
S16 - Turning Skills
S16 - Flicking Skills
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Dribbling - Tactical Dribble - Passing - 1-Touch Play - Outside - Penalties
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack Minded
INFO:
Zola is a former secondary striker or attacking midfielder, capable of playing as winger, and in his later years as centre forward. His career began in 1985, playing first for Nuorese, then for Sassari Torres in Italian lower leagues. He signed for Napoli in 1989, being a starter for four seasons, scoring 36 goals in 136 appearances. In 1993, he transferred to Parma, where he played 149 matches and scored 64 goals in three years. While he won a Serie A and an Italian Supercup with Napoli, he won a UEFA Cup and a UEFA Supercup with Parma. In 1996, he transferred to Chelsea, ending up being voted in 2003 as the team's greatest ever player after he made 311 appearances, scored 80 goals, provided around 50 assists, and won several national and continental trophies. He came back to Italy in 2003, signing for Cagliari, where he played 81 matches and scored 27 goals. He was instrumental in the Rossoblu promotion to Serie A in his first season. He retired in 2005 after one last year in the Italian top league. He capped for Italy 35 times, scoring 10 goals.
With no doubt the greatest ever Sardinian-born player, Zola is also considered one of the best playmakers Italy has ever produced. Extremely efficient in the attack, he possessed amazing agility, world class technique, dribbling, passing and shooting skills. He could challenge his opponents, beating them with numerous tricks or with short accelerations. He would find the space to deliver accurate through passes or fast crosses that cut the defence and reached one of his teammates perfectly. Accurate with either foot, he was gifted with a powerful usually curled shot that he showed either in active play or from dead ball situation. As he learned to take free kicks from Diego Maradona during his time at Napoli, Zola became one of the best free kick takers in the world. In possession of an outstanding shot technique, he scored with a spectacular heel kick one of his most memorable goals during his time at Chelsea. Also a good penalty taker throughout his entire career, Zola was a specialist from this standpoint in his two years at Cagliari, scoring half of his goals from the penalty spot. Wearing the red and blue jersey, he showed incredible leadership and mentality as he always took the team on his back, even in the hardest moments, despite the fact that he was at the end of his career.
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