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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Barnaby Lane

The Best Italian Soccer Players of All Time: Ranking the Top 10

Francesco Totti Soccer Serie A Juventus Andrea Pirlo Gianluigi Buffon Italy AC Milan Paolo Maldini Pep Guardiola
Roberto Baggio and Andrea Pirlo are among Italy's greatest-ever players. | Alessandro Sabattini/Getty

England may have officially gifted the world with soccer, but the sport has since been transformed by many nations, each adding its own unique touch.

Brazil infused it with flair, turning the game into a spectacle of skill and creativity, while Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands revolutionized it with "Total Football"—a seamless, tactical blend of movement and intelligence.

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