A biography for Gianfranco Zolahasn’t been written yet.
“I want the players to enjoy their football as much as I did in my career and to make it enjoyable for those who come and see it.”
“One thing is to know how to do things and another is to make it simple and accessible to others. This is the challenge for the big players when they go into management. To do that, you have to learn and study very hard. I have read football management books, analysed myself and the way other people learn and understand things.”
“Eden is the type of player who can make a big difference when he comes on, even for 20 minutes.”
“The majority of supporters admire Barcelona because of their fantastic football and for the type of players they have.”
“A winning team must have quality, but it means nothing if the players are not connected to each other.”
“I look back to the 1980s and 1990s, when Italian teams dominated Europe. They had maybe three players from abroad, but they were the best players in the world. That was perfect, because there was always the possibility for young Italian players to get in the team.”
“Football can be played in different ways and the more ways you know, the better you will be. If you know only one way, you're limiting your possibilities.”
“I went to West Ham without ever having coached and I know what that means.”
“You have to be who you are but work hard and make sure that you always give the best of yourself.”
“I like working with young players.”
“I felt Ancelotti did a good job for Chelsea and, like many fans, we are sorry for what happened to him.”
“Maradona? You couldn't match him, but you could learn a lot from him. I did not play much, but I did learn plenty from him at Napoli. He was the best striker in the world and I was so lucky to have played with him. Some of the things he used to do you couldn't even dream about. It was absurd.”
“Those who have a personality like Balotelli do things that other people maybe wouldn't. Balotelli sometimes does things that look strange and unbelievable. But maybe for him it's just a way to feel normal. He doesn't want to cause problems or upset people.”
“Everyone has to be the way that they are.”
“My players will make mistakes, but as long as they don't do it on purpose and try their best, I can handle that.”
“Eden Hazard's definitely at the very top. He's such an unbelievable player. The more I've spent time with him the more I appreciate him as a player, but also as a boy.”
“My love for the game is massive. That won't change.”
“The day you feel like you don't have anything to prove, it's better you go to the beach and stay there and take in the sunshine.”
“They are both fantastic players. But I like Messi. Ronaldo is a fantastic goalscorer but I don't think he is as good as Messi when it comes to creating chances for others.'”
“Being a good player doesn't necessarily make a good manager, that's for sure.”