Six islanders in the history of national football. Algherese 6 times, Virdis 3 then Matteoli, Zola and Fresi
CAGLIARI. Six Sardinian footballers have won the Scudetto at least once. Nicolò Barella, one of the drivers of the Inter champion led by Antonio Conte triumphs eight years after that Salvatore Fresi, a defender from Arzachen who had taken the Italian flag with the Juventus shirt in the 2002/03 season.
But the big, the real super champion of Italy among the Sardinians was the first of the series, that is Antonello Cuccureddu, capable of claiming the title six times. Algherese, and predestined for a great career as he made his debut in 1969 with the bianconeri on the Cagliari field, scoring the 1-1 goal himself. To get to the Scudetto, however, “Cuccu” would have had to wait two seasons after the triumph of Cagliari, the 1971/72 tournament. Then the other championships will come almost in a burst in 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978 and 1981.
In the meantime, another great champion had emerged, Pietro Paolo Virdis from Sindia, who in 1977/78 won the championship together with Cuccureddu in Juve, and then repeated again in 1981/82, the year following the farewell of the Alghero midfielder. Virdis then left Juventus to move to Milan, a team with which he won the title of top scorer, the only Sardinian to do so, in 1986/87 with 17 goals. In the following season, again in the Rossoneri jersey, the Scudetto also arrived.
Another year, and here is a new Sardinian on the highest podium in Italian football: Gianfranco Matteoli from Ovodda. With the Inter shirt Matteoli he is champion of Italy in the 1988/89 tournament.
Finally Gianfranco Zola from Oliena. The footballer who grew up first in Nuorese and then in Torres, arrives at Napoli di Maradona and wins the Scudetto immediately, in the 1989-90 tournament, the beginning of a great career that ended with the Cagliari shirt in 2005. (enrico gaviano)
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