Top 5 Italian National Team Players of the Last 50 Years

Over the years, there have been countless legendary figures to don the blue shirt of the Azzurri.

Completing a ranking of the best players, given the quality to choose from over five decades, is no easy feat. This list will spark controversy and debate, as many greats just missed the cut.

Taken into account for this ranking, instead of just sheer individual brilliance, is the contribution a player endowed to the Azzurri cause and Italian football in general. To form this list, I have spent many hours researching and consulting with family and friends who have followed the Italian national team for many, many years.

Ranked from fifth to first, here are the top five Italian National team players of the last 50 years:

Some of Italy’s best players who just missed the top five are: Franco Baresi, Luigi Riva, Gianluigi Buffon, Gaetano Scirea and Gianni Rivera.

Giacinto Facchetti ranks in at No. 5 of all-time Azzurri greats. Facchetti revolutionized the position of the full-back under the "catenaccio" system implemented by Italy. He made numerous marauding runs forward each match, demonstrating a full-back’s responsibilities exceeded just defending.

He made 94 appearances in total for the Azzurri, with 70 of those wearing the captain’s armband. Facchetti helped Italy win their only European Cup, in 1968.

His style laid the foundations of the great Italy teams that followed his retirement.

Claudio Gentile slots in at No. 4 of Italy’s best ever. Gentile is one the very best defenders Italy has ever produced, but his performances for the 1982 World Cup-winning side land him on this list.

The defender was best known for his strong tackling and man-marking excellence, while able to play at both left and centre-back.

He is credited for single-handedly stopping Maradona in the 1982 World Cup. One just has to view this YouTube video of his performance against Maradona to get a sense of the real quality and defensive sturdiness Gentile exemplified. He made 71 appearances for the Azzurri.

Fabio Cannavaro earns the No. 3 spot on the list. He was nicknamed "Muro di Berlino" (Berlin Wall) after his legendary performances for Italy at the 2006 World Cup. Cannavaro ranks higher than Gentile for the player’s more impressive displays in the World Cup.

Standing at 5’9”, Cannavaro ranked in among the smaller centre-backs in the game, but his quality shone in his superb tactical awareness, athleticism and aerial ability. He captained the winning Italian side in 2006, allowing just two goals in the entire tournament—an own goal and a penalty.

Cannavaro made 136 appearances for Italy, second to only Gianluigi Buffon.

Paolo Rossi locks in the No. 2 spot of Italy’s all-time greats. Rossi’s famous hat-trick against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup and total of six goals at the competition cements his place as one of Italy’s all-time legends. Rossi is ranked higher than Cannavaro due to the striker’s enormous impact solidified in one match.

The No. 9 lacked the physicality to lead the line, but made up for it in great finishing skills and the ability to find open space in the box. Rossi famously returned to playing from a two-year ban right before the 1982 tournament, playing poorly his first three matches before capturing the world's attention with a sublime quarterfinal performance against one of the best Brazilian sides in history.

The striker netted 20 times in 48 appearances for Italy.

At No. 1, Roberto Baggio takes the spot for the best Italian national team player of all time. He was known for his creativity, vision and explosive ability in a career that spanned 16 years for the Azzurri.

Baggio ranks higher than Rossi due to the sheer quality of his performances, his longevity and status with the national team.

"Il Divin Codino" (The Divine Ponytail) dragged the Azzurri to the final in the 1994 World Cup, scoring five goals along the way. He also helped Italy reach the semifinals and quarterfinals of the 1990 and 1998 World Cups, respectively.

Baggio tallied 27 goals in 56 appearances for the Azzurri and featured in 16 World Cup matches. He is also Italy’s all-time World Cup-goalscorer with nine goals, tied with Paolo Rossi and Christian Vieri.

His penalty miss against Brazil in the 1994 World Cup final unjustly taints the career of a player gifted with such tremendous skill, which is unrivaled among Italy's best ever.