Soccer Players from Italy

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Italian Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Italian Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Italian Soccer Players.

1. #1

   

   Giuseppe Meazza

   1910 - 1979

   HPI 79.6163 languages

   Giuseppe Meazza was an Italian footballer who played as a forward. He is most famous for being the first player to score more than 300 goals in Italy's top division.

2. #2

   

   Cesare Maldini

   1932 - 2016

   HPI 75.6647 languages

   Cesare Maldini was a legendary Italian footballer who played as a defender. He is most famous for being part of the Italian national team that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

3. #3

   

   Roberto Baggio

   b. 1967

   HPI 74.2881 languages

   Roberto Baggio is most famous for being a professional footballer. He played for Italian club Juventus and the Italian national team, and is considered one of the best players of all time.

4. #4

   

   Paolo Maldini

   b. 1968

   HPI 73.8776 languages

   Paolo Maldini is most famous for his long career as a professional footballer with AC Milan and the Italian national team. He played as a left-back and spent all 25 seasons of his career at Milan, making 902 appearances and scoring 26 goals. He won 26 trophies with Milan, including five Serie A titles, five Supercoppa...Read moreShow less

   Paolo Maldini is most famous for his long career as a professional footballer with AC Milan and the Italian national team. He played as a left-back and spent all 25 seasons of his career at Milan, making 902 appearances and scoring 26 goals. He won 26 trophies with Milan, including five Serie A titles, five Supercoppa Italiana, five European Cup/Champions League titles, one UEFA Super Cup, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.

5. #5

   

   Paolo Rossi

   1956 - 2020

   HPI 73.5863 languages

   Paolo Rossi is most famous for being a professional Italian footballer who played as a striker. He won the 1982 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team and he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1983.

6. #6

   

   Filippo Inzaghi

   b. 1973

   HPI 73.0062 languages

   Filippo Inzaghi is most famous for being a retired Italian footballer who played as a striker.

7. #7

   

   Francesco Totti

   b. 1976

   HPI 72.22115 languages

   Francesco Totti is most famous for his time with AS Roma and the Italian National Team. He is a retired Italian footballer who played as a striker and is the country's all-time top scorer.

8. #8

   

   Silvio Piola

   1913 - 1996

   HPI 72.2148 languages

   Silvio Piola is most famous for being the all-time leading goalscorer in the Italian league, and for scoring a goal in the 1934 World Cup Final.

9. #9

   

   Gianni Rivera

   b. 1943

   HPI 72.0952 languages

   Gianni Rivera is most famous for being a retired Italian footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for the Italian national team and helped them win the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

10. #10

    

    Giacinto Facchetti

    1942 - 2006

    HPI 71.8350 languages

    Giacinto Facchetti is most famous for being a soccer player for Inter Milan. He played for the team from 1964-1979. He was also a member of the Italian national team, where he played from 1966-1974.