Giuseppe GIANNINI

While Falcao was said "the 8th King of Rome", Giannini will be forever remembered as "the Prince". A midfield playmaker who can score, Giannini signed Romaís and Italyís history. Giuseppe grew up learning from Falcao and Coach Liedholm before becoming himself the teamís leader for 10 years.

He made his debut in Serie A the 31th of Jenuary 1982 (Roma-Cesena-0-1). A few months later Italy won the World Cup and Bruno Conti emerged as one of the main protagonists. Bruno Conti was also a superstar able to lead Roma to its 2nd Italian Championship ever in 1982-83. That season Giannini never played.

However 2 years later he would become the undiscussed leader of Roma. 1985-86 is a season Giannini will never forget.That season he was a starter both for Roma and for the Under 21 Italian National team along with players like Vialli, Donadoni, Zenga and Mancini. With this team he played a European Championship final game versus Spain. Italy won the first game 2-1 but Spain, after winning the return by the same score, achieved the Cup through the penalties. Giannini's penalty was saved by Ablanedo and, altogether Italy missed 3 of them.

The same year Roma, coached by Eriksson, almost realized a miracle recovering as many as 8 points to reach Juventus, at the top of the standing, with just 2 weeks left in the season. However Roma lost at home an unbelievable game versus Lecce and Trapattoniís Juventus won another Italian Title. Giannini's career has never been lucky. Many coaches tried, without result, to make Roma succesfull: Radice, Mazzone, Boskov and Ottavio Bianchi. Giannini only won 3 Italy Cups.

Things didnít improve with the National Team. The new coach Vicini utilized the same players he successfully led with the Under 21. However in 1988 Italy lost the semifinal game of the European Championship, in Germany, versus the unstoppable Urss of coach Lobanowski. 2 years later the biggest challenge was the World Cup in Italy. Giannini led Italy to shine through the first part of the Cup, scoring even a spectacular goal versus U.S.A., that made the Olympic Stadium of Rome literally explode. However after winning 6 games Italy lost, again by the penalties, the crucial semifinal versus Argentina, finishing third and signing the end of ì the Giannini's era with the National Team. Arrigo Sacchi will never give him another chance.

Shortafter he refused luring offers from Inter and Juventus to stay with his Roma where, however, he slowly lost his job.After 15 red and yellow seasons, during wich, he also lost a Champions Cup versus Liverpool, once again because of the penalties, Giannini left Roma where he played as many as 298 games scoring 49 goals (considering only the Italian Championship).