As a tribute to the club that was, here is their all-time great XI
Reports in Italy which came out yesterday suggest that Serie A giants Parma have now been dissolved after they racked up debts of €197 million, with players and staff having gone without pay for the majority of the season and their weekend game against Udinese postponed at the 11th hour.
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In tribute to the once proud side, we have put together their finest all-time XI:
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon won a UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup before being sold on to Juventus for £32 million and is still the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.
Antonio Benarrivo
Made 258 Serie A appearances for the Italian outfit over 13 years. Though he never won a Scudetto, he played a massive part in the title chases before leaving in 2004 amidst financial crisis.
Fabio Cannavaro
Bought from Napoli as ‘one for the future’ before working his way up to be club captain at Parma. Later went on to be one of the most decorated players in world football, winning the 2006 Ballon D’Or following Italy’s World Cup win. Won the UEFA Cup and twice won the Coppa Italia before his €23 million transfer to Inter Milan.
Lorenzo Minotti
Club captain of the early 90s who was key in Parma’s promotion to the top flight. Capped at international level by Italy eight times, but struggled with injuries in his later career.
Lilian Thuram
An integral part of Parma’s backline after signing from Monaco in 1996, later going on to make a big impression on the world stage at Juventus and Barcelona. Capped 142 times by France, with whom he won the World Cup and European Championships, he was sold for £23 million in 2001 and left a huge hole in Parma’s back four.
Juan Sebastien Veron
Carlo Ancelotti paid £15 million for the Argentinian midfielder following some inspirational performances for his country in the 1998 World Cup. He only stayed for one season but was a key figure in the side which won a UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia double.
Dino Baggio
The midfielder made the switch from Juventus to Parma in 1994 and stayed for six years. He was part of the Parma side who won the UEFA Cup, overcoming Juventus on the way. After writing himself into Parma folklore with 172 league appearances and 19 goals, Baggio moved south to Serie A Champions Lazio in a move which was too good to turn down.
Enrico Chiesa
Chiesa has scored 22 goals in 27 games for Sampdoria before joining Parma in 1996 and in his three years at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, he showed himself to be a truly gifted player and ended his first season as top goalscorer with 14.
Hernan Crespo
Hernan Crespo’s reputation speaks for itself and during his time with the club he scored 79 goals in 150 games, before later moving to Lazio for £35 million. Later went on to impress at both Milan clubs and Chelsea, being a Champions League runner-up in the famous Istanbul final, won on penalties by Liverpool.
Gianfranco Zola
Known by most as a Chelsea legend, the striker spent three years at the Stadio Ennio Tardini before his move to England in 1996, bought from a Napoli side where he played with Diego Maradona. Had a hugely successful period with Parma, where he scored 49 league goals in 102 league appearances.
Hristo Stoichkov
One of the most gifted players of his generation who played in the same Barcelona team as the great Romario. The Bulgarian only spent a year with the Serie A side before moving back to Barcelona as he could only help the team to a disappointing sixth place, though he had undoubted talent.