The best signings in Serie A history

In the 1990s and 2000s, the Italian Serie A was the pinnacle of football, with the best players in the world wanting to grace the shores of Italy and compete against the best.

Juventus, Inter, AC Milan, and AS Roma all dominated European competitions, creating a pool of sublime talent from Italy and from around the world. Here are the best signings!

In Naples, football icon Diego Maradona has been revered as a god since his special time at Napoli. The Argentine brought millions of viewers to Italian football due to his mesmerizing skills and joyous playing style, which could only be compared to Lionel Messi.

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The gifted South American spent eight years at Napoli, playing 187 games in Serie A, scoring 81 goals and providing 48 assists, per GiveMeSport. Napoli won two titles in 1987 and 1990 with Maradona as their star man. He was the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1985.

Juventus has been home to some of the most influential players in history, but only a few have reached the level of Zinedine Zidane, who created the start of his unrivalled legacy at the Italian giants.

Zidane mixed power, strength, and flair like no one had seen before. The French icon could easily skip past players, and his pirouette could earn him a spot on this list alone. Zidane won two league titles in 1997 and 1998. According to Transfermarkt, he played 151 games for Juve, providing 24 goals and 27 assists.

Legendary Dutch striker Marco van Basten won the Ballon d'Or award three times in six years with AC Milan, and the Serie A Golden Boot in 1990 and 1992. If it wasn't for his retirement at 28 due to ankle injuries, Van Basten may have been the GOAT.

The highly talented marksman was the lead frontman in AC Milan's most prolific spell, winning three European Cups and three Serie A titles. In 147 league games, the Dutchman scored 91 goals and provided 31 assists.

Argentinian full-back Javier Zanetti is considered royalty at the San Siro for Inter Milan. Zanetti earned the title 'El Tractor' for his non-stop running down the flank, gaining the hearts and minds of the Inter faithful during his long career.

Zanetti spent 19 years at Inter Milan, making 615 league appearances and winning five league titles. Across his 22-year career, he only received two red cards, making him widely admired as a player who played the game correctly.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded as the greatest footballer ever for his exploits at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in 438 games for 'Los Blancos.' However, some people forget how good he was for Juventus.

According to Fanside, in three years with Juventus, Ronaldo scored 101 goals in 134 matches, winning the Serie A title in two of his three seasons. Ronaldo was also awarded the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2019 and 2020, making it a quick but highly impactful stint in Italy.

Former Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero is royalty in Turin. He scored 290 goals in 705 appearances for the 'Old Lady,' making him the club's record goalscorer by 95 goals.

The former striker was known for his passion and fight at Juventus. He won six Serie A titles across 17 years. He was the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1998 and 2008, the league's top assist provider in 2000, and the top goalscorer in 2008.

Gianluigi Buffon is arguably the most outstanding goalkeeper ever. He started with Parma before becoming a legend in Turin for his 17-year stint at Juventus. At the 'Old Lady,' he secured ten Serie A league titles and 12 Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year awards.

Buffon was an ever-present in some of the best teams Italian football has ever seen, even winning the World Cup with Italy in 2006. Whilst playing for Parma and Juventus, Buffon played 657 games and kept 298 clean sheets, per GiveMeSport.

Let us know if we missed anyone in the comments!

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